David – a global Goliath-sized success for Cape animation studio

Who would have imagined a South African-produced film about the biblical David and Goliath would be an international box office hit, not least of all during a time of rising antisemitism around the world? 

As of early January 2026, David has already earned close to $80 million (R1.3 billion) globally, outperforming Avatar and The SpongeBob Movie and breaking several records for its genre. 

For Brent Dawes, the Cape Town-based, Zimbabwean-born writer and producer, bringing David to the screen was essentially a project that began decades ago. “The germination of the idea started with now Sunrise Animation Studios [in Noordhoek] owner Phil Cunningham,” Dawes said. “He had the vision for the project about 37 years ago, when he was canoeing down the Zambezi.” 

It was while out there in nature for days on end without seeing people that Cunningham was drawn to his faith. It was, Dawes said, in “seeing the power of a thunderstorm, the charging lion, the sheer scale of creation”. 

That moment stayed with him long before the studio existed. “He read the verse, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart,’ and thought, ‘If I could tell a story about David and give people a glimpse into the heart of G-d, an adventurous, exciting creator, not a boring, stuffy headmaster, that would be something special.’” 

It took decades before the studio had the capacity to attempt it. “About 10 years ago, Phil said to me, ‘Brent, it’s time to start David now. We’ve got enough experience, enough skill,’” Dawes recalls. “That’s when I wrote the first draft.” 

Writing a biblical story for a global audience was no small task. “It’s important to so many people around the world,” he said. “It’s not my imagination. It already exists. So, the question was, how do you extract what’s there?” 

Dawes travelled to Israel before writing. “I wanted to feel and understand the land,” he said. “I didn’t want to write from my imagination. I went to the places David would have been, did the research, and tried to let the story reveal itself.” 

The creative focus quickly became clear. “This isn’t a love story, it’s a story about David and his faith in G-d,” said Dawes. 

Music helped bridge the weight of the story with accessibility. “David is a songwriter, so it wasn’t a forced fit,” Dawes says. “The songs added lightness and joy, and gave space for entertainment without compromising the story.” 

Although originally imagined as live action, animation became the obvious choice. “If you tell this story like Gladiator or Braveheart, it’s automatically no under 18s,” Dawes said. “Animation allowed us to reach families – kids and adults alike.” 

That broader reach has been evident in cinemas. “When I watched it with an audience for the first time since release, most of the people there were adults,” he said. “That was incredibly affirming.” 

According to filmmaker Adam Thal, that cross generational appeal lies in the story’s universality. 

“The reason David has connected so strongly with audiences globally is actually very simple,” Thal said. “At its core, the story of David and Goliath is one everyone understands, a small, underestimated person standing up to something far bigger and scarier than themselves. 

“It’s about facing your fears, believing in who you are, and having the courage to try even when the odds are against you,” he said. “You don’t need to know anything about religion to feel moved by that. It’s something we all experience, at work, in our families, or just trying to find our place in the world.” 

What makes the film especially powerful, Thal said, is how naturally its Jewish roots are embedded. “What’s quietly beautiful is that this universal message comes straight from the story of King David, one of the greatest figures in Jewish history.” 

“Many viewers may not even realise it,” he said, “but the values driving the story: humility; inner strength; faith; and moral courage, are deeply rooted in Judaism. That’s the magic of it. It’s a Jewish story told so confidently and so naturally that it speaks to everyone, without needing explanation or labels.” 

For Thal, the timing is particularly significant. “The film lands at a moment when the world feels darker and more divided,” he said. “It reminds audiences that courage, belief, and moral strength can overcome hatred.” 

“What’s powerfully fitting,” he said, “is that this message comes from the story of a Jewish leader at a time when antisemitism is raging out of control.” 

Respect for the story’s Jewish origins was a central concern throughout production, Dawes said. However, as a creative venture, it was obviously open to interpretation. 

“We were aware that this isn’t just a Christian story,” he said. “We’re not telling a Christian version of David. We’re telling the story as it appears in the Old Testament.” 

The team worked closely with Israeli rabbi Tuly Weisz. “We were aware that we didn’t know what we didn’t know,” Dawes said. “We didn’t want accidentally to do something on screen that could be offensive or inaccurate.” 

The filmmakers regularly shared drafts of the script and visual research with Weisz, even flying him to Cape Town to consult with the studio. “He helped guide us so we could move forward with confidence,” Dawes said. 

That collaboration extended to moments where the biblical text offers little detail. “When Samuel anoints David, I asked him what would have been said,” Dawes said. “He told me, ‘We don’t actually know, but traditionally this is what is thought,’ and he pointed us to a specific psalm. That became the foundation for that scene.” 

Filmmaker Jordy Sank believes the film’s impact can also be measured by its unprecedented success. 

“It’s impressive,” Sank said. “The fact that it’s made more than $22 million (R360.9 million) at the box office in the United States is huge. To put that in context, it’s performing on a level comparable to The Prince of Egypt, and that was a much larger scale production.” 

He notes the unlikely origins of the film. “This is a humble South African animation company that took a massive risk, and it’s been heavily successful,” he said. “It’s even beating major IP films [adaptations] on the charts, things like SpongeBob. That’s extraordinary when you consider this is the first animated feature ever made about David.” 

“For South Africa,” Sank said, “the last time we saw something break through like this was probably District 9 back in 2009. So this is a really big moment.” 

Sank believes part of the success lies in accessibility. “There’s a huge family friendly audience, particularly in the United States,” he says. “This is a film parents can take their kids to without worrying about content, and that matters.” 

He also points to the power of music. “Musicals have a proven track record,” he said. “And having someone involved who worked on The Greatest Showman gives it mass appeal.” 

But beyond numbers and charts, Sank sees a deeper parallel. “It almost feels like the film’s success mirrors David’s own story,” he said. “It’s an underdog film competing against giant franchises and winning.” 

That underdog narrative, he believes, resonates strongly in the current climate. “People are looking for inspiration,” Sank said. “David is a story of someone underestimated, who triumphs and becomes a king. It’s a story of hope and positivity, something we desperately need right now.” 

Looking back, Dawes said David stood apart from everything else he has worked on in his 25-year career.