Kingdom Story Company and Lionsgate recently released the newest poster and trailer for its upcoming hope-filled drama “White Bird,” releasing Oct. 4. The film, a spinoff of the successful 2017 release “Wonder” starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson, features a young character from that story learning compassion from his grandmother, portrayed by Helen Mirren.

The film, based on the follow-up graphic novel from author R. J. Palacio, is the latest project from the Kingdom Story Company, which released “Unsung Hero” and “Ordinary Angels” in the first half of the year. Andy Erwin, CCO of Kingdom Story, expressed excitement about “White Bird” while speaking at the recent K-Love Fan Awards.

“’White Bird’ has Helen Mirren, and Mark Forster as director,” he said. “Mark Forster is a guy that I would go get coffee for anytime on set, like he is a master storyteller. I saw the film and it delivers. It’s a beautiful story as a spin off from the ‘Wonder’ movie.”

Erwin also discussed the success of “Unsung Hero,” which was made for $6 million but earned more than $20 million at the box office. Why did that film and others that Kingdom Story has released resonate? Erwin has two ideas, firstly because they are original stories.

“I really think that the audience is yearning for hope,” he said. “Hollywood is a system got comfortable in this system of releasing superhero films—which I’m for, I love them. I’ve nothing against them. But I feel like that just became an autopilot kind of thing for the industry that’s big kind of franchises.”

Beyond that, there’s a spiritual need the stories are speaking to.

“I think Hollywood kind of delved into a lot of gritty dark stories and I think the audience is yearning for something original, and they’re yearning for hope,” he said. “I think that’s an opportunity for faith. I think that’s why a lot of studios are taking chances on faith products, because there’s an audience is underserved there.”

Todd Lieberman, who produced “Wonder,” returns as executive producer on “White Bird.” When discussing the 2017 film, he said that story would speak to faith-based audiences.

“The tenants of what the Bible talks about and the teachings of kindness, acceptance, helping your neighbor, those are things that someone can come away from this movie feeling,” he said.

In the new trailer, Mirren as the grandmother, is heard saying, “You forget many things in this life, but you never forget kindness, because when kindness can cost you your life, it becomes like a miracle.”

The official synopsis for “White Bird” is:

From the best-selling author of Wonder, the book that sparked a movement to “choose kind,” comes the inspirational next chapter. In WHITE BIRD, we follow Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman. To transform his life, Julian’s grandmother (Helen Mirren) finally reveals to Julian her own story of courage — during her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy shelters her from mortal danger. They find first love in a stunning, magical world of their own creation, while the boy’s mother (Gillian Anderson) risks everything to keep her safe. From director Marc Forster (Finding Neverland and Christopher Robin), screenwriter Mark Bomback, and based on R.J. Palacio’s book, WHITE BIRD, like Wonder before it, is an uplifting movie about how one act of kindness can live on forever. Lionsgate presents, in association with Participant, Kingdom Story Company, and Media Capital Technologies, a Lionsgate / Mandeville Films production, in association with 2DUX² Productions.

“White Bird,” directed by Mark Forster and starring Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Bryce Gheisar, Gillian Anderson, and Helen Mirren, is released to theaters on Oct. 4.