The production company behind “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” has issued a formal apology to Letitia Wright, the film’s executive producer and “Black Panther” star, after she publicly distanced herself from the film.
Wright expressed her dismay upon learning that the conservative outlet The Daily Wire was involved in distributing and marketing the movie.
In a statement released on Friday, July 12, 2024, director Josh Weigel and producer Rebekah Weigel of Peacetime Productions acknowledged Wright’s significant contributions to the project and regretted not informing her about the distribution partnership.
“Letitia Wright has championed this project with us, even choosing not to accept compensation for the sake of the cause,” they stated. “We are grateful for all she has done, and regret she wasn’t informed about the partnership with The Daily Wire. That was not handled well, and we apologize for putting her in this position.”
The film, which depicts the true story of a Christian church in Texas that adopted more than 70 hard-to-place foster children, opened in theaters three days before Wright made her concerns public.
Wright took to Instagram on Sunday to express her surprise and disapproval of The Daily Wire’s involvement, stating:
“After we completed production of the film, Angel Studios were brought on board to handle its distribution and they later partnered with The Daily Wire. That was not my decision, and I was not given an update or made aware of this decision.”
Her post came shortly after The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh claimed on social media that:
“leftists are trying to stop Christians from saving more children.”
Wright responded:
“I am in no way aligned or affiliated with The Daily Wire. I do not condone using this beautiful film for divisive political purposes. That is not why I joined the project.”
The Daily Wire’s co-CEO Jeremy Boreing did not respond to Newsweek’s request for comment but previously suggested that Wright’s reaction was due to “the intolerance of the modern left.”
The situation also sparked backlash from conservatives on social media, who criticized Wright and Hollywood for perceived demands of ideological conformity.
Chaya Raichik of Libs of TikTok tweeted:
“They came after producer Letitia Wright who bent the knee to the woke mob and distanced herself from the movie.”
Angel Studios, known for the controversial film “Sound of Freedom,” acquired “Sound of Hope” from Peacetree Productions and subsequently partnered with The Daily Wire.
Michael Knowles of The Daily Wire commented on the situation in a podcast, accusing the left of preferring to harm conservatives rather than help foster children.
Wright’s critics pointed out that she should have been aware of The Daily Wire’s involvement, noting her appearance at the film’s Atlanta premiere on July 3, where she posed in front of a poster featuring the outlet’s logo. Ben Shapiro, co-creator of The Daily Wire, questioned Wright’s stance on a podcast, saying:
“Who does she think is making this partisan? We certainly have not … this is a human-rights issue for children.”
Despite the controversy, Wright has not responded to additional requests for comment.
Nick Searcy, a conservative actor and adoptive father, told Newsweek:
“The left has poisoned these poor idiotic Democrats … to the point where they can’t even form alliances with people who are on their side. It’s pathetic.”
