“Amazing Grace,” the well-known hymn written more than 250 years ago by pastor John Newton, has long stood as one of the world’s most beloved spiritual compositions. Estimates point to the hymn being sung upwards of 10 million times a year, and it has comforted countless people through life’s hardships and during times of celebration.
And to celebrate the songwriter’s 300th birthday, Haven Ministries and Kappa Studios released a one-of-a-kind docudrama, “Amazing Grace: The Untold Story,” adding to the stirring hymn’s lasting legacy.
Brad Silverman, chief content officer at Kappa Studios, shared that the project was different from others due to the power of the song’s history.
“It’s a rare story. I can literally think of very few where you just have to tell it and get out of the way. You don’t need to embellish it, you don’t need to do artistic license,” he shared with The Epoch Times.
Featuring notable stars such as “The Lord of the Rings” actor John Rhys-Davies, who plays an elder Newton, and experts who add context to Newton’s life and the life of the song, Silverman hopes those who watch the docudrama finish it with a renewed sense of hope and purpose.
“When someone finishes the movie, we want them to feel really good,” he said.
Filming at Newton’s Historic Church
In 1748, while aboard a ship headed home to England, Newton and the crew experienced a storm so strong they wondered if they’d survive. Faced with the potential loss of the ship and his life, Newton began praying, marking a tipping point that would ultimately guide the Royal Navy seaman from slave trader to outspoken abolitionist and preacher.
Silverman shared that sometimes people wonder how a former slave trader could be celebrated regardless of the success of the hymn. Not only does Newton’s life offer evidence of the power of redemption, for Silverman, the story of Newton and “Amazing Grace” can offer a new way of thinking about one’s own life.
“How could we possibly honor in any way this guy who was that blind to his own horrible things? That’s one way to approach it. Another way to approach it is: What are areas in my life that I may not be seeing?” he said, sharing how Newton’s story opens the door for people in contemporary times to become aware of their own possible moral blind spots.
Newton went on to become a pastor at a church in the English town of Olney, and the historic site still stands. The church served as one of the filming locations for the docudrama.
“It grounds everything,” Silverman said, in regards to working at a location so important to the subject matter at hand.
‘Anthem of Hope’
In the early 1770s, Newton penned “Amazing Grace” for his congregation around Christmas. He wrote a slew of hymns during his life, but “Amazing Grace” remains his magnum opus.
When asked why the hymn remains such a captivating song, Silverman shared that Newton wrote the lyrics from a place of great emotion and reflection.
“Because of his blind spots in the past, he was so humbled over the course of his latter life,” he said.
Bruce Hindmarsh, co-author of the book “Amazing Grace: The Life of John Newton and the Surprising Story Behind His Song,” served as one of the docudrama’s executive producers. He shared in a press release that the comforting song “became a universal anthem of hope worldwide.”
After Newton’s death, the hymn experienced significant traction. And after its appearance in American hymnbooks in the early 19th century, Silverman said, its influence “just grows and grows and grows.”
A Special Performance
“Amazing Grace: The Untold Story” chronicles Newton’s life from childhood to his final days and features a special performance of his hymn by renowned British gospel group The Kingdom Choir.
Silverman said those working on the docudrama strove to put any agenda aside and simply let the story and song do the talking for them. They want viewers to gain something individually from Newton’s own experiences and reflections.
“Just let the people feel what they want to feel,” Silverman said of what audiences should take away from the movie.
He shared that Newton’s transformation, from a slave trader, and a slave himself for a time, to a redeemed preacher and writer of one of the world’s most influential hymns, offers a prescient message: “Grace is that amazing.”
‘Amazing Grace: The Untold Story’
Directors: Reuben Evans and Zachary Weintraub
Starring: John Rhys-Davies, Jeremy Theobald, Louis Tomeo
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 1 hour, 4 minutes
Release Date: Dec. 14, 2025
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