Angel Studios, the company behind the breakout success Sound of Freedom, is facing a legal showdown with Slingshot, the production company behind its highly anticipated animated film David. The dispute centers on Angel’s role as the film’s distributor, with Slingshot accusing the Utah-based company of breaching their agreement and overstepping its authority.
The conflict first emerged after Angel Studios, which has built a reputation for catering to faith-based and conservative audiences, announced that David would be released as a major animated film this Thanksgiving, projecting it as the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. Shortly after, the company reached a deal to become a publicly traded entity. However, the situation quickly escalated as Angel and Slingshot clashed over distribution rights and financial decisions tied to the film’s promotional materials.
In a lawsuit filed on March 5 in Utah state court, Slingshot claims that Angel Studios undermined their partnership by excluding them from critical decisions regarding international distribution, marketing, and merchandising. The lawsuit further alleges that Angel’s actions created the impression that David was an in-house production, despite the contractual agreement that gave Slingshot a prominent role in the film’s promotion and distribution.
“Rather than aid Slingshot in developing the content and helping it reach wider audiences, Angel instead attempted a hostile takeover,” the lawsuit states. “This pattern of behavior mirrors previous instances where Angel breached distribution agreements with faith-based producers.”
Slingshot contends that Angel misused its position, placing episodes of a related TV series, Young David, behind a paywall despite an agreement that it would be available for free. This move, the lawsuit argues, was part of Angel’s strategy to boost its fledgling streaming platform, which is preparing for a potential acquisition by Southport Acquisition Corp., a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a deal that would see Angel Studios become publicly traded.
The complaint also highlights other contentious issues, including Angel’s refusal to share social media and merchandising agreements with Slingshot, as well as its removal of Slingshot’s logo from marketing materials. This led to the false impression that David was solely produced by Angel Studios. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that Angel signed international distribution deals for the film without Slingshot’s authorization, including agreements for markets in Brazil, West Africa, and the UK.
Despite these allegations, Angel Studios has defended its actions, claiming that the agreement only requires mutual approval for “high-level decisions.” The company has also argued that it did not breach the terms of the distribution deal and that it remains committed to the David project.
“We love the David project, and we’re certain this will get worked out,” said Angel’s CEO Neal Harmon in a statement. The film is still scheduled for release in November 2025.
The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, accuses Angel Studios of breaching the contract, engaging in deceptive trade practices, and committing unfair competition and copyright infringement. It also calls for a court order declaring that Slingshot properly terminated the distribution agreement.
As the legal battle continues, the future of David remains uncertain. If the court rules in Slingshot’s favor, Angel may be forced to abandon its plans for the highly anticipated Thanksgiving release, leaving the film’s distribution in limbo.
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