Latest news, weather and high school sports for Albany and Southwest Georgia

ALBANY, GA -- While it's since dropped down one spot in the box office, "Courageous" opened over the weekend in the number four spot, making more than $9 million nationwide, according to boxofficemojo.com.

As of Oct. 3, the movie – which cost approximately $2 million to make -- raked in a total of $9,614,447; this after four days of being in theaters. On opening day, Sept. 30, "Courageous" brought in $3,111,101.

"Our church family is excited and thrilled, Albany has been amazing at coming out to the movie," says Writer and Producer Steven Kendrick. "We're so grateful at the response to Courageous. It opened at number four in the nation, it was the number one new movie in theaters, it had the highest per screen average over the weekend."

Two days before opening night, Carmike Cinemas in Albany says the movie sold out. "Courageous" was scheduled to show on Sept. 30 in their two largest theaters that seat 250 people each; because of the sold out shows, they opened two more smaller theaters for additional showings over the weekend.

Kendrick attributes the movie’s success to a lot of praying during the process and the fact that it touches lives.

"Emails are pouring in where men are saying 'I laughed, I cried, I was inspired, and I wanted to go home and hug my kids and get more involved in their lives," he says.

"Courageous" is about Dougherty County law enforcement officers who struggle with meeting the ideal standards as fathers.

"We've just released some books the resolution for men and some other things to follow up with the movie so that we can help men put shoe leather to the ideas they saw in the movie," says Kendrick.

Compared to "Fireproof" – the last movie "Courageous" creators Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick worked on -- "Courageous" made $2,778,441 more during opening weekend. "Courageous" also scores a touchdown compared to Sherwood’s 2006 movie "Facing the Giants" which made $1,343,537 during opening weekend.