Filmmaking brothers Daniel and Matthew Kooman take onancient Babylon, a fiery furnace, and the challenge of bringing one ofScripture’s most beloved stories to life.
There are some stories so familiar that we can almost see them before they’re told—and the Book of Daniel is one of them. Ancient Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar. A towering golden image. Three young men refusing to bow. And a furnace meant to destroy them. Now filmmakers Daniel and Matthew Kooman of Unveil Studios are bringing that extraordinary world to the big screen in Daniel and the Fiery Furnace, a sweeping new biblical epic opening in theaters September 18th. The film follows Daniel and his friends into exile and builds toward the unforgettable moment when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to worship the king’s golden image.
In my conversation with the Kooman brothers on The UPside Conversations, we go behind the scenes of an undertaking that be came a journey of faith as much as filmmaking. Daniel and Matthew have spent more than two decades telling stories through film and documentary, often exploring faith, human dignity and difficult social issues. But Daniel and theFiery Furnace took them into new territory—a large-scale biblical production filmed in India using historic locations, including palaces and former military compounds.
At the heart of the spectacle, however, is a remarkably timeless question: What happens when remaining faithful to God puts you in direct conflict with the powers and pressures around you? Daniel and his friends lived in a culture that sought to reshape their identity and challenge their allegiance to God. More than 2,600 years later, their courage still resonates—and the Koomans hope their film will ultimately lead audiences back to Scripture itself.
Daniel and the Fiery Furnace opens intheaters September 18th. To learn more about the film, find tickets, and discover free resources for exploring the Book of Daniel, visit Daniel.movie. And don’t miss my conversation with Daniel and Matthew Kooman on The UPside Conversations as we talk about faith, fire, filmmaking—and what it means to stand strong when everything is on the line.
