I Can Only Imagine 2

Last updated

I Can Only Imagine 2
I Can Only Imagine 2 poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay byBrent McCorkle
Based onThe life story of
Bart Millard
Produced by
  • Cindy Bond
  • Kevin Downes
  • Bart Millard
  • Daryl Lefever
  • Joshua Walsh
Starring
CinematographyJohnny Derango
Music byBrent McCorkle
Production
companies
Distributed by Lionsgate
Release date
  • February 20, 2026 (2026-02-20)
Running time
110 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$18 million [2]
Box office$16 million [3] [4]

I Can Only Imagine 2 is a 2026 American Christian biographical drama film directed by Andrew Erwin and Brent McCorkle, from a screenplay written by McCorkle. It is the sequel to I Can Only Imagine (2018).

Contents

I Can Only Imagine 2 was released in the United States by Lionsgate on February 20, 2026.

Plot

MercyMe's "I Can Only Imagine" becomes the most-played song in the history of Christian radio. Bart Millard, the band's lead singer, wins for Song of the Year at the 33rd GMA Dove Awards in 2002. He is married to his wife Shannon and have young children. Their young son Sam suffers a seizure and is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Ten years later, Bart closely monitors his son's blood sugar and Sam resents his parents for nagging him as he teaches himself how to play the guitar. MercyMe's manager Scott "Brick" Brickell informs the band they have been unexpectedly promoted as the headliners, replacing Audio Adrenaline who has pulled out. Scott selects Tim Timmons, a Christian musician, as the tour's opening act. Married to his wife Hilary, Tim marks his wrist with an "X" as a symbol of gratitude towards God. He carries a hymn book as he aspires to write a song similar to "It Is Well with My Soul".

Scott tells Bart to bring Sam on tour, and much to Bart's surprise, Shannon agrees. As they tour, Bart struggles to write a new hit song. Tim befriends Sam and encourages him to perform. During their first concert, Tim's opening act fails to excite the audience. Scott tells him to inject more energy and personality into his act. In response, Tim selects Sam to play guitar during his act. During their next concert, Tim tells the audience the history behind the hymn "It Is Well with My Soul", explaining that Horatio Spafford wrote it after experiencing personal tragedy.

Midway through the tour, Sam collapses from low blood sugar, prompting Bart to remove him from the tour. Sam resents his father for preventing him for achieving his dream as a musician. Their argument triggers unhappy memories of Bart's own difficulties with his father Arthur Millard. Bart goes to a nearby recording studio, where Tim confesses he has been diagnosed with cancer and that his wife Hilary is pregnant. He grieves whether he will be alive to see his children. Tim hands Bart a demo recording of a song titled "Even If", and asks Bart to write new verses for it.

Bart goes into the garage, where he remembers bonding with his father Arthur as he played guitar outside at night on antique chairs. There, Bart finds his father's guitar. Bart then joins a group therapy session. When MercyMe goes back on tour, their bus breaks down. As they wait, Bart and Sam reconcile. Bart hands Sam his father's guitar. During their next concert, the band notices Tim is not on stage for his act, and they find him unconscious aboard the tour bus. Tim is rushed to the hospital where he regains consciousness. He is disappointed when he learns Bart hasn't listened to the demo recording.

Bart listens to the recording aboard the bus and writes the requested verses. For their last stop on tour, MercyMe performs at the Red Rocks concert venue. Before Bart closes out the concert, he spots Tim and Hilary in the audience. He performs the song "Even If" in tribute to Tim, who becomes deeply moved.

The song "Even If" becomes MercyMe's most successful song since "I Can Only Imagine". Tim beats his cancer prognosis and becomes a father to four children Malia, Noah, Aaron & Anna. Sam continues his musical career and performs under the name "Sam Wesley".

Cast

Production

In December 2024, it was announced that a sequel to I Can Only Imagine (2018) was in the works, directed by Andrew Erwin and Brent McCorkle, from a screenplay written by McCorkle. [5] John Michael Finley, Trace Adkins, and Dennis Quaid would reprise their roles from the original film, while Sophie Skelton, Milo Ventimiglia, Arielle Kebbel, Joshua Bassett, and Sammy Dell joined the cast. [6] Principal photography occurred in Nashville, Tennessee. [7] The production budget was $18 million, more than twice as expensive as its predecessor's $7 million. [2]

Release

I Can Only Imagine 2 was released in the United States by Lionsgate on February 20, 2026. [8] It was previously scheduled to release on March 20, 2026. [9]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 63% of 24 critics' reviews are positive.The website's consensus reads: "Milo Ventimiglia fully embodies Tim Timmons in I Can Only Imagine 2, anchoring a powerful, faith-driven story with lastin emotional impact." [10] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 43 out of 100, based on five critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, the same as its predecessor. [12]

References

  1. ↑ "Film & Video Search". Maritime Film Classification Board . Archived from the original (Type "I Can Only Imagine 2" in the search box) on August 24, 2025. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Rubin, Rebecca (February 19, 2026). "Will 'Goat' or 'I Can Only Imagine 2' Topple 'Wuthering Heights' at Weekend Box Office?". Variety . Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  3. ↑ "I Can Only Imagine 2". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved March 8, 2026.
  4. ↑ "I Can Only Imagine 2- Box Office and Financial Information". The Numbers . Retrieved March 8, 2026.
  5. ↑ Stephan, Katcy (December 19, 2024). "'I Can Only Imagine' Sequel in the Works at Lionsgate With Milo Ventimiglia Joining Cast (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  6. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 12, 2025). "Four Board Lionsgate & Kingdom Story Company's 'I Can Only Imagine 2'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  7. ↑ "I Can Only Imagine 2 Calls for Extras in Nashville". Gospel Music Association . March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
  8. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 6, 2025). "'I Can Only Imagine 2' Moves Up In Early Winter 2026". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  9. ↑ Stephan, Katcy (March 20, 2025). "'I Can Only Imagine 2' Sets March 2026 Release From Lionsgate (Exclusive)". Variety . Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ "I Can Only Imagine 2". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  11. ↑ "I Can Only Imagine 2". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  12. ↑ "'I Can Only Imagine 2' Director Makes Movie History with Fourth A+ CinemaScore - Michael Foust". Crosswalk.com. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
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