'David,' an Animated Reimagining of a Timeless Story, Arrives in Theaters December 19

“David,” Animated and Unafraid: A Familiar Story, Sharpened

There are stories so deeply embedded in global culture that revisiting them can feel redundant, even risky. The Biblical account of David and Goliath is one of them—taught in classrooms, invoked in courtrooms, shorthand for the triumph of the small over the mighty. And yet “David,” the new animated feature directed by Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes and written by Dawes, manages something rare: it makes the familiar feel newly considered.

The film does not ask whether audiences know the story. It assumes they do. What it asks instead is whether they have truly thought about it.

At its core, “David” is not simply about a boy who defeats a giant. It is about preparation, belief, and the quiet authority of purpose. The film reframes David not as an accidental hero, but as a trained one. A shepherd, after all, is not passive. He is a protector. His work is physical, vigilant, and often violent by necessity. Guarding a flock means confronting predators directly, not with speeches, but with skill and resolve.

That understanding reshapes the most iconic image in the story: the sling. In this telling, it is not a child’s toy elevated by luck, but a disciplined weapon wielded by someone who knows exactly how to use it.

When David steps forward to face Goliath—towering, armored, and certain of his dominance—the outcome no longer feels miraculous in the shallow sense. It feels earned. Faith, here, is not blind optimism. It is trust born of experience, training, and conviction. David’s belief in God does not replace action; it propels it.

The filmmakers expand the narrative beyond the battlefield, grounding David’s journey in questions of loyalty, love, and leadership. His rise is not framed as destiny fulfilled without cost, but as a test of character that grows heavier with each step forward. The battle with Goliath is pivotal, but it is not the endgame. Power, the film suggests, is only the beginning of responsibility.

Visually, “David” effectively leverages the strengths of animation without relying solely on spectacle. The film’s 115-minute runtime allows moments of stillness alongside action, and its aesthetic choices favor clarity over excess. The animation supports the story rather than overwhelming it, giving emotional weight to faces, gestures, and pauses that live-action might rush past.

The voice cast adds depth without detracting from the story. Phil Wickham voices David with restraint and sincerity, avoiding the trap of turning faith into fervor. Brandon Engman’s young David carries a quiet steadiness, while Adam Michael Gold’s Saul conveys the unease of a king threatened not by rebellion, but by righteousness. Lauren Daigle’s Rebecca and Mark Jacobson’s Jonathan provide emotional counterpoints, anchoring David’s journey in relationships that matter as much as victory.

What distinguishes “David” from other faith-based or historical animations is its refusal to simplify. David is celebrated, but not sanitized. He is courageous, but not flawless. The film acknowledges that being described as “a man after God’s own heart” does not mean being untouched by doubt, ambition, or consequence.

That complexity is echoed in the directors’ reflections on the project. Cunningham traces the film’s origins back three decades, to a moment of awe while canoeing down the Zambezi River—watching storms, wildlife, and quiet details coexist in what he describes as intelligent design. Reading David’s story at the time, he saw not a moral lesson, but an adventure filled with music, tenderness, and wholehearted living. The film is an attempt to translate that sense of wonder into a narrative.

Dawes, meanwhile, speaks less about inspiration than stewardship. He describes the project as something that “wanted to be made,” emphasizing a process of listening rather than imposing. That philosophy shows. The film does not strain to modernize the story or force relevance. Instead, it trusts that the themes—standing up to injustice, confronting bullies in public view, acting with courage when silence would be safer—are already timeless.

Angel Studios, which released the feel-good, family-friendly animated Bible story “King of Kings” last Easter, returns to theaters this Christmas with “David,” a film that leans further into comedy and music. 

Opening December 19 in thousands of theaters nationwide, the film has already generated strong advance interest, with tickets pre-selling and many locations reporting sellouts for the first weekend. This is not a first outing for co-directors Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes, both veteran filmmakers with deep experience in animated family storytelling through their work with Netflix—bringing craft, confidence, and scale to a story that continues to resonate across generations.

In a cultural moment crowded with loud reinventions and ironic distance, “David” is refreshingly direct. It believes in its story. It believes in its audience. And it understands that the reason David and Goliath still resonate is not because the giant falls, but because someone chooses to step forward when everyone else steps back.

What’s not to like?