‘David’ movie, honoring one of Judaism’s heroes, has blockbuster debut amid rising antisemitism

The animated movie David – celebrating one of Judaism’s greatest heroes – had a blockbuster debut even as both sides of the political aisle deal with a growing scourge of antisemitism.“There’s such a horrible spirit against Israel,” Brian Stivale, the voice actor for the prophet Samuel in the Angel Studios movie, tells Just the News. “There’s such an antisemitic spirit rising up, especially right now. It’s almost as bad as, you know, pre-Nazi Germany.”
To be sure, antisemitism appears to be on the rise across the political spectrum in the U.S. – acutely after the Hamas-led October 2023 terror attack on Israel, which responded by declaring war on the Palestinian-backed terror network that rules Gaza. 
In the Republican Party, the antisemitic views of influential political podcaster Nick Fuentes have particularly taken hold in the far-right wing of the GOP in recent weeks and months.
They came to a boiling point when he was recently interviewed this past fall by conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson, during which Fuentes made several antisemitic comments, including claiming that “organized Jewry in America” was the primary challenge to a unified American society. 
Carlson was criticized for giving Fuentes a platform and not rigorously challenging his guest’s beliefs.
Within the Democratic Party, its Senate leader, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, is under fire for his lifelong support of Israel.
And though he has been openly critical of the Israeli government’s conduct in the Gaza war, particularly that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his “ironclad” U.S. commitment to Israel’s security appears increasingly out of step with his party’s views. 
A recent Quinnipiac University Poll, for example, found that two-thirds of Democrats oppose sending more military aid to Israel. And over three-quarters of Democratic registered voters think that the Israelis are committing genocide in Gaza, according to an analysis of the poll by goodauthority.com.
The recent election of Muslim and democratic-socialist Zohran Mamdani as the next mayor of New York City also appears to be reflective of the Democratic Party’s shifting views.
Stivale also told Just the News that helping people “see the truth” has “always been in my heart.”
“This is the greatest thing I’ve ever gotten to be a part of,” he also said. “Without David … we wouldn’t have Jesus.” 
“David” is the “story of a young shepherd who dares to face a giant and a kingdom ruled by fear, armed only with faith, according to Utah-based Angel, an independent media company and film-distribution studio that distributes “values-based” entertainment, much of which has Christian themes.
Angel announced earlier this week that “David” grossed an estimated $22 million in its domestic box office opening.
The studio also said in its release Sunday that “David” had the highest-grossing faith-based animated theatrical opening of all time.
Stivale said the studio “set out to make a love letter to the Holy Land, and I believe they fully accomplished that.” 
He and his wife and their two sons – Gabriel and Benjamin – lived in East Jerusalem for a little over two years and frequently go back and forth.
“So the aspect of Hebrew in my life is interesting,” said Stivale, who also considers himself a “constitutional conservative.” 

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