Sound of Freedom, a film about child trafficking starring Jim Caviezel, was completed in 2018 but shelved when Fox sold its assets to Disney, which declined to distribute it. Angel Studios eventually released it July 4, 2023, and it earned $250M worldwide on a $14.5M budget. Weeks after its success, Tim Ballard — the real-life anti-trafficking activist the film is based on — faced sexual misconduct allegations from multiple women. Critics accused media outlets of working to discredit the film rather than addressing child trafficking. Supporters noted the suspicious timing of the allegations, while skeptics questioned Ballard's Operation Underground Railroad's actual rescue claims.