Entertainment TV & Film

Abnormal Smear Colposcopy and Biopsy: What Happens Next

Abnormal smear colposcopy and biopsy explained: what the procedures involve, how Snooki’s case unfolded, and a new menstrual pad HPV test.

Published

12 months ago

October 18, 2025

Admin

Abnormal Smear Colposcopy and Biopsy: What Happens Next

An abnormal smear colposcopy and biopsy is the exact sequence that led Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi to a stage 1 cervical cancer diagnosis this month, and it is the same path thousands of women walk every year after a Pap result comes back flagged.

Polizzi, 38, told her TikTok followers on Friday that her cone biopsy results came back as stage 1 adenocarcinoma, a type of cervical cancer that starts in the column-shaped gland cells lining the cervical canal. “Obviously not the news that I was hoping for, but also not the worst news just because they caught it so early,” she said.

Her case is a working example of how the screening chain functions, where it breaks down, and what new technology could change it. Here is what actually happens at each step.

Table of Contents

What An Abnormal Smear Actually Means

A Pap smear looks at cells scraped from the cervix. When a lab flags them as abnormal, it does not mean cancer. It means the cells do not look normal under a microscope, and the next question is whether the cause is a temporary infection, a precancerous change, or something that needs treatment.

Polizzi said she had been “struggling with abnormal pap smears for three or four years.” That timeline matters. Persistent abnormalities across multiple tests are a different signal than a single odd result.

Most abnormal smears in the 20-to-54 age range are tied to high-risk human papillomavirus strains. HPV testing targets 14 high-risk genotypes and is used as a marker for increased risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher, known as CIN 2+, rather than as a direct diagnosis.

Why Doctors Move To Colposcopy And Biopsy

Colposcopy is the next step when a smear or HPV test raises concern. A clinician uses magnification to examine the cervix for suspicious, potentially precancerous features. If something looks off, they take a biopsy, a small tissue sample sent to a lab.

Polizzi described this stage in a January TikTok. Her doctor called with the result: “Not looking great. He found cancerous cells on the top of my cervix.” She was then scheduled for a cone biopsy under anesthesia, a surgical procedure that removes a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix to test for early-stage cervical cancer or precancerous cells.

The cone biopsy is what produced the stage 1 adenocarcinoma finding. It is also what determines the treatment path. Polizzi said her oncologist offered three options: chemotherapy, radiation, or a hysterectomy. She said she will likely choose the hysterectomy, keeping her ovaries, with possible removal of lymph nodes depending on a PET scan.

The Emotional Cost Of Waiting

Polizzi was direct about why she delayed appointments. “I waited on my damn appointments because I knew I might not get great results but also because I didn’t want to feel the pain,” she said. “Just making this video to spread awareness to make sure you get your pap smears. And if your doctor calls you to do it again, do it.”

She also framed the stakes plainly. “Once you go to stage 2, then I think you have to do the chemo. Nobody wants to do that. It’s scary. So get your appointments done.”

The clinical data backs the urgency. Cervical cancer is linked to about 348,000 deaths a year and 661,000 new cases annually, and 85 percent of those cases occur in developing countries, according to research published in The BMJ. It is almost completely preventable with timely screening and treatment of HPV infection and CIN 2+.

Where The Screening Chain Breaks

Screening programs typically rely on clinician-collected cervical samples. Reach is limited by resource constraints, poor awareness, cultural and religious restrictions, and fear of test-related stigma or discomfort.

Self-sampling methods could bypass several of those barriers. Vaginal swabs, tampons, and cervicovaginal brushes detect 77 percent to 96 percent of precancerous lesions compared with validated methods, with specificities comparable to clinician-collected samples. But women still find them difficult to use. In one study, 23 percent of participants declined because they were uncomfortable with vaginal swabs.

A New Option: Menstrual Blood HPV Testing

A study published in The BMJ tested a different sample source: menstrual blood collected on a minipad. The study covered 3,068 women aged 20 to 54 with regular menstrual cycles across seven communities in Hubei Province, China.

Each woman provided three specimens: menstrual blood on a minipad for HPV testing, a clinician-collected cervical sample for HPV testing, and a ThinPrep cytology sample. Anyone who was HPV-positive or had suspicious cytology was referred for colposcopy and biopsy. Women negative on both HPV tests with normal cytology were advised to undergo annual follow-up instead.

The minipad prototype used presterilized cotton designed for optimal DNA collection, attached to a standard menstrual pad. Participants detached it once it was visibly saturated over more than two-thirds of its surface and returned it to the lab.

How The Numbers Compare

Clinician-collected sampling produced positive HPV tests in 337 women, and 408 women were referred for colposcopy. Of those, 52 had CIN 1, 24 had CIN 2, 13 had CIN 3, and one was diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer.

Minipad-collected menstrual blood identified 94.7 percent of CIN 2+ lesions. Clinician-collected samples identified 92.1 percent. Specificities were 89.1 percent and 90.0 percent respectively. Cytology had a higher specificity of 96.2 percent.

Both HPV test samples had a negative predictive value of 99.9 percent. Positive predictive values were 9.9 percent versus 10.4 percent.

For CIN 3+ detection, minipad-based testing hit 92.9 percent sensitivity and clinician-collected samples hit 85.7 percent. Specificities were 88.5 percent and 89.4 percent.

Complete genotype concordance, where both sample types showed the same HPV genotypes, was observed in 96.2 percent of participants. Including partial concordance, 97.7 percent were concordant.

HPV 16 and 18, the two highest-risk strains, appeared in 37.5 percent of minipad-based positive tests versus 31.8 percent of clinician-collected samples. Multiple HPV strains appeared in 46.8 percent and 43.3 percent respectively.

Both methods had identical colposcopy rates, 28.1 per diagnosis. Screening efficiency, the number of colposcopy referrals needed to detect one CIN 2+ or CIN 3+ case, was 10.1 for minipad testing versus 9.6 for clinician-collected samples.

The study authors noted that minipad sampling covers a broader anatomical area, which may detect HPV infections beyond the cervix and could increase false positives and unnecessary referrals. They suggested future programs may need triage strategies such as repeat testing or molecular biomarkers.

In an earlier study, 94 percent of participants chose the Q-Pad, a menstrual pad with a paper-based dried blood spot strip, while 23 percent declined to participate because of discomfort with vaginal swabs.

What This Means For You

If you have an abnormal smear, the colposcopy and biopsy step is not optional clutter. It is the step that separates a manageable precancerous finding from a stage 1 diagnosis, and the step that determines whether you need a hysterectomy or nothing further.

Polizzi’s case shows both sides. Her cancer was caught at stage 1 and is curable, but she still faces major surgery and the emotional weight of losing her uterus. “As a woman, the thought of getting a hysterectomy is just sad and scary,” she said. “But whatever to keep me healthy and safe to be here for my kids that I have now.”

For anyone in a low-resource setting or anyone who has postponed a screening because of discomfort or fear, the menstrual blood HPV test is worth watching. It matched clinician-collected samples on CIN 2+ detection, and the study authors support integrating it into national cervical cancer screening guidelines.

What To Watch Next

Two things. First, whether regulators and health ministries adopt menstrual blood HPV testing at population scale, and whether the false-positive tradeoff gets solved with triage protocols. Second, whether Polizzi’s PET scan changes her surgical plan. She said the lymph node decision depends on it.

If you are overdue for a Pap smear, the practical move is the same one Polizzi gave her followers: book it. The abnormal smear colposcopy and biopsy pathway exists precisely so that a stage 1 finding stays stage 1.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a colposcopy and why is it done after an abnormal smear?

A colposcopy uses magnification to examine the cervix for suspicious, potentially precancerous features. It is done when a Pap smear or HPV test raises concern, and a biopsy may be taken during the same visit.

What is a cone biopsy and how does it differ from a regular biopsy?

A cone biopsy is a surgical procedure that removes a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix to test for early-stage cervical cancer or precancerous cells. It is more extensive than a standard cervical biopsy and is often done under anesthesia.

Can menstrual blood be used for HPV testing instead of a clinician-collected sample?

A study in The BMJ found that minipad-collected menstrual blood identified 94.7 percent of CIN 2+ lesions, comparable to clinician-collected samples at 92.1 percent, with similar specificities. The study authors support integrating it into national screening guidelines, though broader anatomical sampling may increase false positives.

Follow AFRILATEST on Google News

Receive alerts for abnormal smear colposcopy and biopsy and more like it.

FIRST TIME REACTIONS:

Be the first to leave us a comment – Abnormal Smear Colposcopy and Biopsy: What Happens Next, down the comment section.

JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA:

About the Author

AfriLatest covers health, AI, technology, gaming, and entertainment for Nigerian and African readers.

Up Next

UrchMan: From Nigerian Scene to UK Afrobeats Producer

Don't Miss

Kim Soo-Hyun loses contracts after Kim Sae-Ron

Click to comment

Entertainment TV & Film

The Cold Song: Nordic Noir Gets an Emotional Twist

The Cold Song marks a rare return to ambitious European TV. Here’s why this Swedish series is worth your time and who should stream it.

Published

1 day ago

October 14, 2026

Admin

The Cold Song: Nordic Noir Gets an Emotional Twist

Nordic Noir is getting a fresh coat of paint, and it’s not the usual shade of bleak. The Cold Song, a six-part Swedish series from director Mikael Marcimain, takes the familiar bones of Scandinavian crime TV and swaps the tired detective for a wealthy family rotting from the inside. Think less Wallander, more a slow-motion car crash you can’t look away from.

The show is an adaptation of Norwegian author Linn Ullmann’s acclaimed novel. It follows a rich family whose summer holiday turns into a nightmare when their young nanny vanishes. Secrets surface. Guilt festers. And the disappearance becomes less a mystery to solve and more a mirror held up to the people left behind.

Marcimain isn’t shy about his intentions. He told The Hollywood Reporter that for him, the show was “an excuse to make something new, to do a new take on what we call the Nordic Noir.” He points out that Swedish TV churns out plenty of series about middle-aged male investigators chasing missing young women. The Cold Song has a missing girl too, but she’s the trigger, not the point. “I call it less a crime thriller than an emotional thriller,” he says.

That shift in focus is the hook. If you’re burned out on procedurals where the case is king and the characters are cardboard, this sounds like the antidote.

A Rare Breed of TV

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: The Cold Song might be one of the last of its kind. At the first meeting for the project, Marcimain told producer Christian Rank he thought it was the last chance they’d get to make a show like it. That’s not just artistic angst. It’s a reflection of a brutal market shift.

Rank, who produced the series through Fremantle-owned Miso Film Sweden, is blunt about the state of the industry. “Money has definitely pulled back,” he says. “We are in a way back to a system that looks more like it did before the whole golden age of TV. Back to more classic crime shows, classic dramas. These kind of hybrid series, international shows with an international appeal, there’re not so many of them.”

Streamers that once threw cash at ambitious international dramas are now hedging their bets. Budgets are tight. Commissioners want safe, low-cost crime formats. The Cold Song is the opposite of safe. It’s a co-production between Miso Film, Swedish public broadcaster SVT, regional film fund Film i Väst, and the Northern European public broadcasters participating in New8.

New8 is the collaboration announced in 2023 that pools resources from public broadcasters across the Nordics, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Rank estimates the group’s involvement boosted the budget by around 20 to 30 percent through direct funding and access to other European tax incentives. More importantly, it gave the creative team freedom.

“That is an extreme luxury that you very, very rarely get these days,” Rank says. “And I think that is the power of that New8 collaboration. It allows for the people doing the show to do something bold and brave and something that sits a little out of the market or out of the ordinary.”

A Blast From the Past

Rank knows a thing or two about unlikely hits. He worked at Danish public broadcaster DR during the era that produced Borgen and The Killing. He remembers screening Borgen internally, and the head of drama stood up and declared, “This is the one show that will never travel.” It ended up being the show that traveled the most.

That anecdote matters. It’s a reminder that the safest bet is often the one that fails, and the weird, specific, locally-rooted story is the one that breaks through. The Cold Song is betting on that logic. It’s not chasing trends. It’s chasing truth.

Marcimain’s credits back up the ambition. He directed Blackwater, which won best series at Series Mania in 2023, and the thriller Call Girl, which took the Fipresci international critics award in Toronto. He’s not a guy who plays it safe.

What to Expect

If you’re a fan of Nordic Noir, you know the visual language: muted colors, long silences, landscapes that feel like characters. The Cold Song looks to be no exception. The first images, exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter, show a family that looks wealthy, tense, and about to crack.

But the real draw is the emotional core. This isn’t a whodunit. It’s a why-did-they. The nanny’s disappearance is the spark, but the fire is the family’s buried guilt. That’s a harder story to tell, and a harder one to sell. But it’s also the kind that sticks with you.

Fremantle is pitching the show to buyers at Mipcom this week. After that, it will present at industry events in Europe and is eyeing the festival circuit for an official premiere. Whether it finds buyers beyond Northern Europe is an open question. Rank admits selling European drama, especially into the U.S., is harder than it was five years ago.

But if Borgen taught us anything, it’s that “never travels” is a challenge, not a verdict.

The Verdict

The Cold Song isn’t a game, but if it were, it’d be one of those narrative-driven indies that wins awards and confuses your friends who only play shooters. It’s slow, it’s heavy, and it’s not for everyone.

Who should buy it? If you devoured The Killing, Borgen, or Broadchurch, and you’re hungry for something that treats grief and guilt with the same intensity as a murder investigation, this is your next obsession. If you’re a fan of Linn Ullmann’s novel, you’ll want to see how her internal, literary story translates to the screen.

Who should wait? If you need action, clear heroes, and a tidy resolution, this will frustrate you. If you’re allergic to subtitles or slow burns, stay away. And if you’re only here for a traditional crime procedural, you’ll be disappointed. The Cold Song is less about catching a killer and more about what happens when a family stops pretending.

It’s a rare thing: a show that exists because public broadcasters decided to take a risk. Whether that risk pays off for audiences outside Northern Europe remains to be seen. But for fans of ambitious, emotional television, The Cold Song just became one to watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Cold Song about?

The Cold Song is a six-part Swedish series based on Linn Ullmann’s novel. It follows a wealthy family whose lives unravel after their young nanny disappears during a summer holiday, bringing buried secrets and guilt to the surface.

Who is behind The Cold Song?

The series is directed by Mikael Marcimain and produced by Christian Rank through Fremantle-owned Miso Film Sweden. It is a co-production between Miso Film, SVT, Film i Väst, and the New8 public broadcasters.

Where can I watch The Cold Song?

The Cold Song is being pitched to buyers at Mipcom. It will present at industry events in Europe and is eyeing the festival circuit for an official premiere. Broadcast details outside Northern Europe have not been confirmed yet.

Follow AFRILATEST on Google News

Receive alerts for The Cold Song and more like it.

FIRST TIME REACTIONS:

Be the first to leave us a comment – The Cold Song: Nordic Noir Gets an Emotional Twist, down the comment section.

JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA:

About the Author

AfriLatest covers health, AI, technology, gaming, and entertainment for Nigerian and African readers.

Entertainment TV & Film

Andrew Scott’s Elsinore Opens London Film Festival

Andrew Scott’s Elsinore opens the 70th BFI London Film Festival with a standing ovation. Here’s why the film is an awards frontrunner.

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2026

James Williams

Andrew Scott's Elsinore Opens London Film Festival

Andrew Scott just made the 70th BFI London Film Festival open with a standing ovation and a disco song. That’s not a typo. The Irish actor, 49, stars as Ian Charleson in Elsinore, a film that left the Royal Festival Hall audience wiping away tears before they were on their feet whooping.

Elsinore is a biographical drama directed by Simon Stone and written by Stephen Beresford. It tells the true story of Charleson, the Scottish actor famous for Chariots of Fire, who in 1989 replaced Daniel Day-Lewis in Hamlet at the National Theatre while dying of AIDS-related complications. He died seven weeks after leaving the production, aged 40.

The film premiered at Telluride and Toronto before landing in London as the festival’s opening night gala. It hits UK cinemas on January 29, 2027.

A Homecoming With Extra Weight

Bringing Elsinore to London wasn’t just a programming choice. The Royal Festival Hall sits a stone’s throw from the National Theatre, where Charleson gave his final performance. Festival head Kristy Matheson told Variety that the location made it feel like bringing the film home.

Stone echoed that sentiment on the red carpet, telling the Press Association that the London theatre and film community were the people this film is about. “It’s a huge celebration of why the arts are so integral to our community and our country,” he said.

The film’s cast is stacked. Olivia Colman plays Dr. Margaret Johnson, the pioneering HIV/AIDS consultant who treated Charleson. Billie Piper is casting director Patsy Pollock. Johnny Flynn plays Richard Eyre, then artistic director of the National Theatre. Juliet Stevenson plays Sylvia Syms, who starred as Gertrude in that production.

Andrew Scott Steals The Show

Scott’s performance has already generated Oscar buzz. Critics who saw the film at Toronto called it career-best work. Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye described Elsinore as a “triumphant epitaph for an extraordinary man.”

On stage after the screening, Scott introduced the real-life people who inspired the film alongside the actors portraying them. That included Linda Tolhurst, the National Theatre’s stage doorkeeper for 46 years, played by Monica Dolan, and Ralph Mills, the long-serving dresser, played by Paul Chahidi.

The biggest applause was reserved for Dr. Margaret Johnson, with Scott calling her “a true life hero” for her impact on HIV and AIDS treatment.

Then Scott did something unexpected. He asked the house DJ to play a disco version of Ethel Merman’s “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” a song featured in the film. He told the audience it “encapsulates this man who loved this industry so much.”

“He went out performing, so this one’s for you, Ian,” Scott said. “We love you.”

Why This Story Matters Now

Elsinore isn’t just another awards-season biopic. It’s a portrait of a specific moment in gay history, when AIDS was still terrifying and misunderstood. Charleson gathered his cast to explain his diagnosis but advised them to stick to the official line that it was an ordinary virus.

Guy Henry, who played Guildenstern, recalled the fear of the era in an interview with The Guardian. “How was it transmitted? Could you get it from an actor shouting at you – from spittle?” he said. “It was alarming but I must say, I don’t recall anyone recoiling from Ian.”

Stella Gonet, who played Ophelia, remembered Charleson’s lightness backstage. “He made me laugh so much – we would be silly Scots together before we went on stage,” she said. “With Dan there was a tension, with Ian there was a freedom.”

Scott himself acknowledged the significance of playing this role as an out gay actor. “I’m not sure that even 10 years ago they would’ve put me in a film like this,” he said on the red carpet.

What Else To See At LFF

The 70th BFI London Film Festival runs October 7-18. Other major screenings include Ava DuVernay’s 14th, Taika Waititi’s Klara and The Sun adaptation, Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters, and Brad Bird’s animated Ray Gunn.

The festival closes October 18 with Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut. Screen Talks will feature Danny Boyle, Cynthia Erivo, Sofia Coppola, Javier Bardem, and John Malkovich.

Should You Watch Elsinore?

If you care about theatre history, queer history, or just want to see Andrew Scott deliver what might be the performance of his career, Elsinore is essential viewing. The film opens in UK cinemas on January 29, 2027. No US release date has been announced yet, but given the awards buzz, expect one soon.

If you’re not ready for a film that will absolutely wreck you emotionally, maybe wait until you’re in the right headspace. This isn’t a casual watch. It’s a celebration of a man who performed Hamlet while dying, and it will stay with you.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Elsinore come out in cinemas?

Elsinore will be released in UK cinemas on January 29, 2027. A US release date has not been announced yet.

Who plays Ian Charleson in Elsinore?

Andrew Scott stars as Ian Charleson. The cast also includes Olivia Colman as Dr. Margaret Johnson, Billie Piper as Patsy Pollock, and Johnny Flynn as Richard Eyre.

What is Elsinore about?

Elsinore tells the true story of Scottish actor Ian Charleson, who replaced Daniel Day-Lewis in Hamlet at the National Theatre in 1989 while dying of AIDS-related complications. He died seven weeks after leaving the production.

Follow AFRILATEST on Google News

Receive alerts for Andrew Scott and more like it.

FIRST TIME REACTIONS:

Be the first to leave us a comment – Andrew Scott’s Elsinore Opens London Film Festival, down the comment section.

JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA:

About the Author

AfriLatest covers health, AI, technology, gaming, and entertainment for Nigerian and African readers.

Entertainment TV & Film

Faith-Based Movies 2026: 6 Must-See Hits Ranked

From Mahershala Ali’s hitman drama to Nollywood’s N71M record-breaker, here are the faith-based movies of 2026 you can’t afford to miss.

Published

1 week ago

October 6, 2026

Admin

Faith-Based Movies 2026: 6 Must-See Hits Ranked

Faith-based movies in 2026 are not playing it safe anymore. A Muslim hitman wrestling with jihad and fatherhood. A Yoruba Christian classic returning after 33 years to break box office records. A Nativity epic from the director of Sound of Freedom. This fall’s slate is the most interesting the genre has looked in years, and one entry might be the best faith-based film ever made.

Here are six faith-based movies worth your ticket money, ranked by how badly you need to see them.

1. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (In Theaters Now)

Mahershala Ali plays Latif, a devout Muslim hitman in Houston trying to balance work, faith, and fatherhood. When his wife dies, he fights to protect his kids from a gang war between his old crew and a radical Christian vigilante group led by John Cho. Yes, you read that correctly.

According to Religion Unplugged, the film blends John Wick-style action with genuine spiritual struggle, and it absolutely works. Director Bassam Tariq and Ali are both Muslim, and it shows in every frame. The film handles the five daily prayers, the Hadith quote about mothers that gives the movie its title, and the internal meaning of jihad with a care Hollywood rarely manages.

The satire cuts both ways. Latif’s son plays video games where the bad guys are ISIS and watches Rambo. His antagonist wears a cowboy outfit in American flag colors with crosses where the stars should be. It is sharp, subtle, and it never preaches. This one is in limited release now and opens wide October 9. Do not wait for streaming.

2. Agbara Nla: The Return (Already Breaking Records)

Nollywood just proved faith-based movies are big business. Agbara Nla: The Return pulled in over N71 million from preview screenings alone, selling more than 12,000 tickets before its official release. According to Brandcom, that is the biggest preview admission figure for any film in 2026 and the highest single day preview revenue ever reported in West Africa.

This is a Yoruba Christian film returning to cinemas 33 years after the original became a landmark of Nigeria’s faith-based industry. Lagos alone accounted for 50.8 percent of revenue, with the South West region driving about 76.7 percent of the total. It even beat Star Lomo and Avengers: Endgame: Encore during the same period.

The takeaway for fans: faith-based movies are not a niche anymore. They are the main event.

3. Zero A.D.: The Birth of Christ (December 11)

Angel Studios is going big for Christmas. Director Alejandro Monteverde, who made Sound of Freedom, is tackling the Nativity story and Herod’s slaughter of the innocents from the Gospel of Matthew. The cast is stacked: Jim Caviezel, Sam Worthington, Gael Garcia Bernal, Ben Mendelsohn, and Deva Cassel.

This is the holiday epic to circle on your calendar. Angel Studios has a track record of turning faith stories into theatrical events, and this one has the budget and cast to match.

4. Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul (October 16)

Sony’s Affirm Films is releasing a Brazilian remake of the Kendrick Brothers’ 2003 debut. The story follows Noah Silva, a smooth-talking used-car salesman in Rio de Janeiro whose do-whatever-it-takes attitude starts wrecking his home life. It was made in Portuguese and will be dubbed and subtitled for US theaters.

The original Flywheel launched the Kendrick Brothers’ entire filmmaking ministry. Seeing it reimagined through a Brazilian lens is a genuinely interesting experiment.

5. Conceivable (October 16)

This PG-13 drama from Hawk Hill Pictures stars Dean Cain and Daniel Roebuck as a midlife couple facing an unexpected pregnancy. It tests their beliefs and their relationship, and it is inspired by director Beth Caulfield’s own story. It opens in select theaters, so check local listings.

6. Sight & Sound Presents: JOSHUA-Live! (October 30)

A filmed version of the Sight & Sound stage production, with Joshua leading Israel toward the Promised Land. It runs about two hours and fifteen minutes and plays in theaters nationwide. Tickets went on sale October 6. If you have never seen a Sight & Sound production, this is the easiest way to catch one without traveling to Lancaster.

Why Faith-Based Movies Are Finally Getting Interesting

Here is the uncomfortable truth the industry keeps dancing around: for years, the only faith-based movies that successfully crossed into action genres were non-Christian ones. Monkey Man did it with Hinduism. Guns & Moses did it with a Jewish revenge story. Now Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is doing it with Islam, and doing it better than almost anyone.

Why? One theory from the Religion Unplugged review is that Christianity’s founder was so nonviolent that it is harder to integrate violence while still feeling distinctly Christian. Islam’s founder, by contrast, was adept in both peace and war. That is not a knock on either faith. It is a storytelling observation, and it explains why these films feel fresher.

What makes Your Mother stand out is that it does not treat faith as set dressing. Latif prays. His imam calls him out. His daughter reads Hadith aloud. The film also implies that God hears prayers from Muslims and non-Christians alike, which will likely spark debate in Muslim communities just as similar questions do among Christians.

That is a good thing. Faith-based movies should make people argue a little.

The Best Pick Overall

If you only see one faith-based movie this fall, make it Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. It is the rare film that respects its audience’s intelligence, delivers genuine action, and treats faith as something lived rather than something preached. Mahershala Ali is doing career-best work, and the genre will be chasing what this film accomplished for years.

For pure box office spectacle, Agbara Nla: The Return is the story to watch. For Christmas tradition, Zero A.D. is your ticket. But for the film that will still be talked about in five years, Your Mother wins.

Faith-based movies in 2026 are not asking for your pity or your charity. They are asking for your ticket, and for the first time in a long time, they have earned it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best faith-based movie of 2026?

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, starring Mahershala Ali as a Muslim hitman balancing faith and fatherhood, is the standout. It is in limited release now and opens wide October 9.

When does Zero A.D.: The Birth of Christ come out?

Zero A.D. opens December 11. It is directed by Alejandro Monteverde and stars Jim Caviezel, Sam Worthington, and Gael Garcia Bernal.

Did Agbara Nla: The Return break box office records?

Yes. It earned over N71 million from preview screenings, the biggest preview admission figure for a film in 2026 and the highest single day preview revenue reported in West Africa.