In a statement to the movie's executive producer, Josh Weigel confessed, "The handling of this matter fell short of expectations." Director Josh Weigel tendered an apology to executive producer Letitia Wright for not keeping her abreast of the collaboration between Ben Shapiro's The Daily Wire and the marketing of her latest film, Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.
"We hold [Wright] in the highest esteem and deeply regret that she was kept in the dark about our partnership with The Daily Wire," said Weigel in a joint statement alongside producer Rebekah Weigel from Peacetree Productions. "This oversight was unacceptable, and we apologize sincerely for the predicament she was placed in."
Their response came after Wright publicly distanced herself from The Daily Wire, which had teamed up with Angel Studios to release and promote Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. The Black Panther actress took to her Instagram page on Sunday, sharing a now-deleted post clarifying her involvement.
"I had no part in that decision, and I was neither updated nor informed about it. I stand apart from The Daily Wire and am not affiliated with them. I am appreciative of those who want to promote this film positively and support our campaign to serve children. However, I do not condone using this heartfelt film for divisive political agendas. That was never my intention in joining this project," Wright wrote in her social media post.
Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot, released on July 4th, chronicles the genuine tale of Bishop W.C. Martin, Donna Martin, and their church in East Texas, highlighting their efforts to assist 22 families in adopting 77 children from the local foster care system.
Angel Studios, which had previously produced the faith-based hit Sound of Freedom, initially acquired Sound of Hope from Peacetree Productions. Unbeknownst to Wright, the company later struck a deal with The Daily Wire to market the film in cinemas.
Despite the media backlash stemming from the partnership with The Daily Wire, the creators of Sound of Hope defended their decision, stating that the collaboration aimed to help "end the foster crisis." They further emphasized, "We are profoundly thankful for the unwavering support from The Daily Wire and its hosts. In the tweet that sparked this controversy, Matt Walsh advocated for the right of Christians to foster and adopt children from the foster care system. There are genuine efforts to hinder families of faith from adopting, and this is a crucial part of the discussion surrounding children who are suffering in a flawed system. This is not a matter of left versus right; it's a matter of right versus wrong."
