Unlikely hit 'Sound of Freedom' opens new front in US culture wars

With superhero movies, video-game adaptations and sequels bombing and getting panned by critics, Hollywood was braced for another disappointing year -- until an unheralded thriller about child trafficking upended industry expectations.

The surprise hit of the summer, "Sound of Freedom," has so far earned $85.5 million at North American theaters in just two weeks since its release -- roughly six times its $14.5 million budget.

Last weekend, it comfortably outpaced pricey blockbusters like "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."