GROUNDBREAKING 'Beyond the Mask' opens in 100 cities Friday June 6

HOLLYWOOD (Christian Examiner) -- A swashbuckling action adventure movie that broke new ground in the faith-based film market has landed a new distribution deal and will re-open in 100 cities Friday, June 5, from Seattle to Washington, D.C.

The film, "Beyond The Mask" (PG), was shown in select theaters one night in April, but only in cities where moviegoers preordered a certain number of tickets.

The new distribution deal through Freestyle Releasing will put the movie in front of a wider audience and will do so on a weekend when people typically watch films.

Set in the 1770s, "Beyond The Mask" was widely considered to be the first faith-based action adventure released in theaters where computer-generated (CG) effects played a major role. CG effects,used in used to enhance 2D or 3D movies, typically drive up the cost of a film.

It received an impressive audience score of 94 percent at RottenTomatoes.com.

"Beyond The Mask has already been the largest theatrical on-demand release in history," said director Chad Burns. "Audiences and critics both responded to a family-friendly film that set a new standard for production values and computer-generated special effects in the faith genre. We're thrilled now to bring it to a wider audience."

The movie is set in the midst of the Revolutionary War and follows a villain-turned-hero who tries everything to "fix" his past identity, only to fail each time. It isn't until he finds Christ that he discovers joy and his true identity.

Stephen Kendrick, who produced "Courageous" and "Fireproof" and helped write "Beyond The Mask," said the film has "more green screen shots and CG effects than any other live action Christian film in history."

Starring Andrew Cheney ("Seasons of Gray"), Kara Killmer ("If I Can Dream" and "Chicago Fire") and John Rhys-Davies ("Lord of the Rings" and "Indiana Jones"), the movie is one children and teens will enjoy.

Find showtimes online at BeyondTheMaskMovie.com.

Read the Christian Examiner's previous review of the film here.