'Inspirational' comedy features megachurch pretend Christian

CHICAGO (Christian Examiner) – The first theatrical film from the movie ministry set up by James MacDonald's church now has a trailer and a movie poster, along with an impressive list of partners.

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone is scheduled to be released Jan. 20, delivering a rare inspirational/faith-based comedy to movie theaters.

It stars Brett Dalton (ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and tells the story of a washed-up former child star who gets in trouble with the law and ends up doing community service at a local megachurch. While there, he decides to pretend to be a Christian so he can try out for the role of Jesus in the Easter play.

The movie is being billed as an "an inspirational comedy about faith and forgiveness."

It was made by Vertical Church Films, which was launched in 2012 by the Chicago-area Harvest Bible Chapel, where MacDonald pastors.

Although Vertical Church Films previously released two shorter films, this is the first full-length one aimed at theaters.

WWE studios and Walden Media helped fund it, and BH Tilt will distribute it.

Former WWE wrestler Shawn Michaels, a Christian, also stars in it, as do Anjelah Johnson-Reyes (Our Family Wedding), Neil Flynn (The Middle and Scrubs) and D.B. Sweeney (The Cutting Edge and Taken 2).

Dallas Jenkins directed it.