A Christian movie with a PG rating beat out stiff competition at movie theatres across North America this past weekend. 

Overcomer took in over $8 million dollars in its debut weekend, putting it in third place, right behind Lions Gate's Angel Has Fallen, and Universal's Good Boys, and just ahead of Disney's reboot of The Lion King.

The film is the sixth film from brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick (War Room, Courageous, Fireproof, Facing the Giants, and Flywheel). It is the second-best opening weekend for the brothers.

The PG-rated faith film also earned a rare "A+" CinemaScore awarded by moviegoers in exit polling, making Alex Kendrick the second director in history to receive three A+ CinemaScore ratings. Kendrick's previous films COURAGEOUS and WAR ROOM were also awarded an A+. On average, two films a year earn the coveted A+ CinemaScore, which makes this feat all the more impressive. Alex Kendrick becomes just the second film director ever to receive three "A+" CinemaScores.

"OVERCOMER has been an audience favourite from the beginning, even in our test screenings," said Rich Peluso, EVP/Head of AFFIRM Films. "Alex and Stephen Kendrick understand how to connect to the heart of a viewer and that's one of the reasons they have been so successful."

With files from PRNewswire