A new national study suggests that most Americans — regardless of age or political affiliation — are receptive to the inclusion of religious themes in movies and television.
The 2026 Faith & Entertainment Index, produced by HarrisX in collaboration with the Faith & Media Initiative, surveyed more than 12,000 U.S. viewers and evaluated reactions to over 100 scenes drawn from television series and films.
According to findings, 92% of respondents said they are open to faith being portrayed on screen, while 77% agreed that religious themes can resonate broadly in contemporary entertainment.
Support for faith-centered storytelling remained relatively steady across generational lines. Among respondents, 79% of Gen Z, 83% of millennials, 78% of Gen X and 72% of baby boomers expressed openness to such themes.
Political affiliation showed similar patterns: 82% of Republicans, 75% of Democrats and 73% of independents indicated support.
The survey also found that exposure influenced perceptions. Before viewing selected clips, 53% of non-religious participants said shows exploring faith and spirituality were appealing; that number rose to 58% after watching. Likewise, 53% initially described faith-based content as relatable, increasing to 61% following the screenings.
Participants were shown scenes representing a range of genres, including both secular and explicitly faith-oriented productions. The scenes that scored highest tended to depict characters authentically exploring their beliefs and placing them in familiar and emotionally grounded contexts.
Among the top-performing segments was a scene from the HBO series “The Pitt,” which resonated with viewers across different faith backgrounds for its depiction of Jewish identity. Other well-received excerpts came from “Young Sheldon,” “Nobody Wants This” and the film “Hacksaw Ridge.”
The research was conducted in two phases between September and November 2025 and included respondents who reported watching television or movies at least once a week.
The findings align with a separate report from Movieguide, which concluded that films featuring strong Christian, biblical, moral or redemptive themes dominated both the Top 10 and Top 25 highest-grossing movies of 2024, surpassing titles characterized by graphic violence, explicit sexuality or anti-biblical worldviews.
Movieguide’s analysis found that 80% of the Top 10 domestic box office films in 2024 included strong or very strong faith and moral elements.
