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'Heaven Is For Real's' Colton Burpo Stuns With Angelic Song
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Colton Burpo says he died, went to Heaven and returned. It's all chronicled in the memoir Heaven Is For Real, written by his father.
Years later, the resurrected boy, now a teen, is continuing his heavenly ministry. In a video now making the Internet rounds, Burpo performs "Heaven" with the band Read You and Me.
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#IBelieve Heaven Is For Real!
You're one of the millions who have read the book. You've seen the trailer at your local theater. Now, get ready for the most inspiring motion-picture event of the Easter season: HEAVEN IS FOR REAL. Now showing in theaters, this movie will have you saying #IBelieve!
The Story
The Burpos are the perfect picture of small-town Americana: mom, dad, daughter, and son... until a serious illness lands young Colton in the hospital. Fearing they will lose their son, the parents cry out to God. While Colton's amazing recovery should lead his family back to normalcy, they quickly discover nothing will ever be the same again. With childlike innocence, Colton begins talking about having visited Heaven and his incredible experiences there. HEAVEN IS FOR REALtells one family's story about Heaven and the impact it has on their community... and the world.
The Impact
"I believe that the film will serve as a great conversation starter to get people talking about God, Heaven, and the afterlife. I also believe that the movie can prove to be very healing and hopeful for those who've experienced loss and need to be reminded of the fact that Heaven IS for real!" Bryan Hardwick, Small Groups Pastor, Adventure Christian Church, Roseville, Calif.
DeVon Franklin, Senior Vice President of Production for Columbia TriStar Pictures, is praying for a major turnout for the new film, Heaven Is for Real, in theaters this week. Blockbuster sales at the box office would, according to the Hollywood executive and devout Christian, result in more faith-friendly features on the big screen.
"The success of this movie opening weekend directly correlates to the decision to green-light and make more of them. It's an immediate thing," Franklin told The Christian Post via phone on Tuesday. "If there's a sense that there's a growing market and a growing hunger for more films like this, then the desire to continue to provide more films will increase, and decisions will be made to be able to make more films like this.
"With the success of this movie this weekend, I'm praying and believing and trusting God that it will be successful, then decisions will be made quickly on continuing to make sure that this audience and audiences like it that want more product like this will have more products available for them."
Heaven Is for Real, based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name, dramatizes the real-life story of the Burpos family, whose youngest son, Colton believes he visited heaven during a near-death experience and shares his story with the world.
The story behind the film, distributed by Franklin's TriStar Pictures and that counts T.D. Jakes among its list of producers, packs the kind of punch that will draw audiences into theaters, or so the 44-year-old executive believes.
Franklin, also an ordained Seventh-day Adventist minister and author of the bestselling book, Produced by Faith, recently shared with CP what decision-makers like himself look for when choosing quality projects for the big screen. Also, he talked about why he believes Christians should engage more in Hollywood and the film industry if they want to see more films made that are reflective of their faith, values and interests.
Below is a transcript of CP's interview with Franklin, which has been edited for clarity.
CP: What kind of elements do you look for when a project or pitch comes your way? What makes you say this could be a hit?
Franklin: One is just do I connect to it? That's the number one thing. The other thing is, is it commercial? Is there a concept being explored in the idea that it seems like it would make sense for a wide audience to see it? Those are just really two of the key things. Reading the script, if it's a spec script or a book, [and determining] how well am I connecting to it. Am I turning the page? Is the concept marketable? Is there an idea or a hook that an audience would find interesting? Those are really two key fundamental areas that I use to evaluate which projects to do.
CP: Tell me a little about Heaven Is for Real. What elements does the movie have that will attract not only people of faith, but just an audience in general?
Franklin: When you read the book, the book was just incredibly interesting, and the mystery of it. I actually remember reading it and just turning the pages, I literally could not stop. After getting done with the book it was like, "Wow, this is a book and a story that really needs to be heard and needs to be seen around the world." So it really came down to that connection. The book itself was a New York Times Bestseller and sold millions of copies around the world, and I understand why. The book feels really, really powerful. With bringing it to the screen, it just was a matter of how to preserve the integrity of the story. Because it's a true story, preserving the integrity of it was very, very important in making sure that the same power of the book, we could try and demonstrate that power in the film.
CP: What are you thoughts on controversy that films like Noah and even Son of God faced in terms of being criticized by some Christians as not being "biblical enough?"
Franklin: I think anytime you make a film it's always open to criticism. There's no film that is an exception to that. Some are going to feel that, depending on what the movie is, it's not faithful enough, and some might feel that it's too faithful.
My thing with Heaven Is for Real was, it's based upon a true story, it's based upon the life of the Burpos, a family out of Imperial, Neb., and young Colton, their youngest son [who] had a near-death experience at the time. For Heaven Is for Real, it was so important to preserve the integrity of their story because it's their life. At the end of the day, when the movie is already out and I've moved on to another film and the other producers have moved on to their films, it's still going to be their life. So our goal with this film was to preserve the integrity of the family's journey in a way that they would be proud of it and that it's something they could stand behind their entire lives.
CP: You'll hear some Christian rappers say, "Stop calling it Christian rap, it's just rap or hip-hop." Do you feel like that at all about the film industry?
Franklin: My hope is that one day that will we just get to the place where it's just "movies." When you look at the life of Christ, Jesus didn't come with a faith-based Gospel. He came with a message that would change the world. My hope and prayer is that movies made in this space will have a similar approach and a similar impact. I do think that sometimes putting a label on them can be very, very limiting when in fact there may be people who need the message of the film that may not think it's for them because of the label. So yes, I do hope that eventually we'll be able to break down these labels and these films will be judged on their own merit.
CP: In a 2012 story on your promotion to Senior VP of production, it said you'd be overseeing material geared toward "the urban and faith-based markets." Can you describe those two markets briefly in terms of what it is you believe they want?
Franklin: I think that when you look at those two markets, and the movie-going market in general, people want stories, number one, that are entertaining. If you're asking someone to spend a whole evening when it comes to taking family and what-not, the expense is on there. First and foremost, there has to be a good entertainment proposition. It's really about finding stories that are entertaining. The second thing is finding stories that will connect with audiences in a personal way.
Having been involved in Sparkle, Whitney Houston's last film, the goal there was to make that movie relatable and to make that movie emotional in a way that it would really connect with the audience and strike a chord. So whether it's an urban film, a faith-based film, a superhero movie, it's really truly important to develop the script in a way in which, one it's going to be entertaining; two, what about the story is going to connect to the audience? What about the story is going to inspire the audience? It's really important to think about all of this regardless of the genre.
CP: What do you say to Christians who remain skeptical toward Hollywood due to past negative portrayals of their faith?
Franklin: In order to affect culture, you have to be a part of culture. One of the things that God has been doing in my story is to help break down the barriers that sometimes we as Christians put around Hollywood. I was taught, "Hey, Sodom and Gomorrah, you can't go there and keep your faith." I was like, "Well, I believe God is calling me to this industry, and the industry is an industry that impacts the world. So what better way to impact the world than to be a part of an industry that can do that?" My hope and prayer is that we won't put a stigma on the industry, but that we would look at it the way that maybe God looks at it, as another avenue to reach and help people.
CP: In what ways are you specifically encouraging Christians to get more involved in Hollywood and the film industry?
Franklin: I encourage and counsel Christian filmmakers all the time. The thing that I say is, "At the end of the day, become great at what you do." Whether you're writing scripts, whether you want to direct films, whether you're producing movies, become great. It's so, so important to become a master of your craft. Study it, learn it, absorb it, know how to write great screenplays, get into a screenwriting class, look at books that can help you write better, become a great director, study the greatest directors ever in school. It's so important … the better control you have over the art form, the better art you will make. I really try to drive this home with as many young Christian filmmakers that I come across.
CP: Any final thoughts on Heaven Is for Real as it opens this week?
Franklin: I'm just excited about it, really praying everyone goes to see it. I can't wait to see the response and reaction. I've screened it already for a number of audiences around the country and the response has been incredible. So I'm just praying and believing that it's the same response once it comes out.
Watch a trailer for Heaven Is for Real below in the video player below:
Heaven is for Real Official International Trailer #1 (2014) - Greg Kinnear Movie HD
LOS ANGELES -- The real-life tale of a child's remarkable trip to heaven and back has spent years on the best sellers list. Millions have read the bright yellow book Heaven Is For Real and now the film adaptation arrives in theaters in time for Easter weekend.
Sony pictures tapped screenwriter and film director Randall Wallace to bring the best seller to the big screen.
In a recent interview with CBN News, Wallace discussed the challenges of creating a movie that explored vision of the afterlife.
Vision of the Afterlife
"I think nervous is probably a good term. It was certainly in that field between nervous and sheer terror," Wallace said.
The film is based on a story from the Burpos, an ordinary Nebraska family that faced extraordinary circumstances. Their 4-year-old son Colton nearly died and had to undergo emergency surgery. Colton then awoke with undeniable visions of a trip to heaven.
Before entering the film industry, Wallace financed a year of seminary by teaching karate.
"The seminary training was wonderful for me in this in that I studied religion. I grew up in tent revivals and you always think about heaven in those contexts. And the great thing about that is heaven is presented as something glorious," he told CBN News.
That glorious presentation of heaven comes from a 4-year-old.
Playing Pastor Dad
Connor Corum plays 4-year-old Colton in his very first acting role. Oscar-nominated actor Greg Kinnear plays Colton's dad, Todd.
Kinnear described Todd's character to CBN News.
"Well, he is passionate. He clearly has a strong faith and a strong conviction about what he believes and a great love of his children," Kinnear said. "And I think those were the things for me to really try to translate as strongly to the audience as possible."
Todd Burpo is also a firefighter, pastor, and a man struggling to understand what his son experienced and what to do about it. That struggle helped him write the book that has sold more than 10 million copies.
Kinnear wasn't familiar with the book before taking on the role.
"Turning it into a screenplay would be not easy to do," he recalled thinking.
"It is a tough thing to pull off so that it doesn't feel like a two-hour sermon," Kinnear said. "That is, tell you a story, an honest story. And I thought [Randall Wallace] did an amazing job at doing that."
Divergent may have been the No. 1 movie at the box office this past weekend, but the movie everyone is talking about is the independent faith-based movie God's Not Dead.
Pulling in $8.5 million on the first weekend and amassing an impressive $10,979 per-screen average, the movie stands as further proof of the desire to see faith-affirming movies on the big screen.
God's Not Dead is a movie about Josh Wheaton, a freshman college student who is forced to defend his Christian faith against an angry philosophy professor. Starring Kevin Sorbo as the atheist professor, David A.R. White as a priest who encourages Josh and guest appearances by Duck Dynasty stars Willie and Korie Robertson, the movie also ends with a performance from the Newsboys as they perform their song "God’s Not Dead."
Freestyle Releasing co-president Mark Borde, who distributed the Pure Flix Entertainment movie, states, “While this huge opening may be a surprise to the industry, it is not so much to us. The in-house tracking, the legitimate 1 million Facebook fans, the very high trending on Twitter and Fandango among many other platforms, and the huge positive reaction from the hundreds of screenings over the many past months, gave us hope for a significant opening.”
With Son of God already pulling in $55 million domestically and several other-faith based films slated for the next month, including Noah and Heaven Is for Real, it seems quite clear that more than ever, God is working in the hearts and minds of Americans through the medium of movies.
Click here to read Movieguide's review of God's Not Dead.
Exclusive: "Heaven Is For Real" - First Thoughts after Screening the Movie
Aimee Herd-Opinion (Feb 19, 2014)
It's a movie that spurs the all-important dialogue that is always in the back of our minds (if not the forefront)—whether a Believer or not—which is: "Is Heaven real?"
I found Todd Burpo's NY Times best-selling book, "Heaven Is For Real," to be a very down-to-earth account of his son, Colton's experiences while lingering between this life and Heaven, and how he—as a pastor—reconciled what his son described with his own beliefs. (Graphic: "Heaven Is For Real" official movie poster)
But, when I heard they were making a movie out of the book, I admit I was afraid of the "hokey factor" that seems to have accompanied many faith-based films in the past.
Last night, I attended a private screening for "Heaven Is For Real" which will be released on April 16th—just in time for the Easter weekend.
If you're not familiar with the true story of what happened with the Burpos, here's a quick synopsis...
Todd Burpo is the pastor of a small-town church in America's heartland, where he lives with his wife Sonja; daughter, Cassie and son, Colton, who was just 3 at the time. A sudden and severe illness lands Colton in the hospital, and as he hovers between life and death, his family and church friends cry out to God on his behalf. (Photo: Connor Corum and Greg Kinnear as Colton and Todd Burpo)
Colton recovers, quite miraculously, and a short time after, he begins to share matter-of-factly with his parents, some of what he experienced when 'his body' was in the hospital, and he was 'somewhere else.' What he tells his family, and others who will listen, changes everything.
The acting in "Heaven Is For Real" was excellent, in my opinion. Greg Kinnear plays Todd Burpo; Kelly Reilly plays his wife Sonja; and Connor Corum is an amazing child actor, aptly playing the role of Colton Burpo. (Photo: Kelly Reilly as Sonja Burpo)
This cast, along with 'church friends,' Margo Martindale and Thomas Haden Church, are completely believable and all seem to operate in that magical place of "I forgot they were acting."
Under the direction of Randall Wallace (think "Braveheart"), the story of Colton describing his time in "Heaven" was expertly told, and in a very heartfelt, human way, in which we can all relate.
As Todd Burpo hears from his son, the extremely specific details about Heaven, he is suddenly faced with his own lack of belief, and just how to deal with that as a pastor.
However, the more Colton shares about his time spent with Jesus, and the others he met during his experience; the more those who hear it are changed by what it means to each of them. (Photo: Connor Corum as 'Colton')
The movie dialog contains no expletives that I can remember, and I only felt the "hokey meter" begin to register a bit during the scenes (which were very brief) that depicted Heaven, and a few angels. Perhaps a few too many clouds—but seriously, what do I know? Maybe there are a lot of clouds there! (It just seemed slightly cliché at that point.)
But on the other hand, how does one portray Heaven with special effects and have it not feel somewhat hokey? I do like the way they kept Jesus' face somewhat silhouetted until the very end, when child-prodigy artist Akiane's "Jesus" portrait is revealed. (That was the only picture of the Lord that Colton said was accurate.)
On the whole, I would highly recommend "Heaven Is For Real," especially if you read and loved the book—but even if you didn't. Above all, it's the great love of God that is communicated through this film. (Photo: The 'real' Burpo family)
It's a movie that spurs the all-important dialogue that is always in the back of our minds (if not the forefront)—whether a Believer or not—which is: "Is Heaven real?"
And then, "If Heaven is real...how does that change how I live my life now?"
"Heaven Is For Real" releases in about 2,500 theaters across the country on Wednesday, April 16th.
To watch the official trailer, and for more information about the movie, Click Here.
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I found Todd Burpo's NY Times best-selling book, "Heaven Is For Real," to be a very down-to-earth account of his son, Colton's experiences while lingering between this life and Heaven, and how he—as a pastor—reconciled what his son described with his own beliefs. (Graphic: "Heaven Is For Real" official movie poster)
Todd Burpo is the pastor of a small-town church in America's heartland, where he lives with his wife Sonja; daughter, Cassie and son, Colton, who was just 3 at the time. A sudden and severe illness lands Colton in the hospital, and as he hovers between life and death, his family and church friends cry out to God on his behalf.
Under the direction of Randall Wallace (think "Braveheart"), the story of Colton describing his time in "Heaven" was expertly told, and in a very heartfelt, human way, in which we can all relate.
However, the more Colton shares about his time spent with Jesus, and the others he met during his experience; the more those who hear it are changed by what it means to each of them.
But on the other hand, how does one portray Heaven with special effects and have it not feel somewhat hokey? I do like the way they kept Jesus' face somewhat silhouetted until the very end, when child-prodigy artist Akiane's "Jesus" portrait is revealed. (That was the only picture of the Lord that Colton said was accurate.)
On the whole, I would highly recommend "Heaven Is For Real," especially if you read and loved the book—but even if you didn't. Above all, it's the great love of God that is communicated through this film. (Photo: The 'real' Burpo family)