Angel Studios has announced that a sequel to its historical drama Young Washington is in development. The follow-up, titled 1776, is already in the early writing stages, according to director, producer, and co-writer Jon Erwin.
Erwin made the announcement via social media shortly after the original film’s release. He stated that work on the new project had begun and described it as “another Revolutionary War epic on the year 1776” and the nation’s founding.
“If you think Washington’s big, wait for 1776 — it’s epic in every way. It’s another incredible chapter of this man’s life and legacy,” he added.
The announcement follows the theatrical release of Young Washington on July 3. The film, produced in partnership with Wonder Project and 2521 Entertainment, opened during the weekend of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. It exceeded industry forecasts of approximately $15 million with an opening weekend gross reported at $20.8 million, good for the third most popular July 4 weekend box office offering behind big studio blockbusters Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters.
On July 4, Young Washington climbed as high as the second most popular offering, when it narrowly edged out Toy Story 5. The film also notably outperformed DC’s Supergirl, which carried more than ten-times the production and marketing budget.
The performance marked Angel Studios’ strongest opening weekend for a live-action feature to date in several reports, placing it as the second- or third-best opening overall for the studio depending on the metric used.
Audience reception included an A CinemaScore and a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film drew significant support from audiences in Mountain, Midwest, South Central, and Southern regions, according to data from Box Office Mojo.
If you haven’t seen Young Washington just yet, do yourself a favor and go see it asap.
Not only is it a great American story, but I just saw it yesterday and that cannon and musket fire just hits differently in theaters. pic.twitter.com/kzgSVT3N9o
— Yoshi The Patriot (@yoshithepatriot) July 6, 2026
Erwin expressed hope that the project could launch a series of films exploring American historical stories. Production details for 1776 remain limited at this stage, with writing underway and no release date or additional casting information disclosed.
Young Washington centers on the early life of George Washington. The official synopsis describes it as the story of a young soldier facing war, betrayal, and difficult decisions that shape his path. It depicts events from the period of the French and Indian War, showing how a single misstep draws him into a larger global conflict and tests his character on the frontier.
Further updates on 1776 are expected as development progresses.
