Chris Pratt-backed combat chaplain film lands on free streaming platforms

Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey is now streaming free on Tubi, Roku and other ad-supported platforms as America marks its 250th birthday. The documentary follows Army chaplain Emil Kapaun and expands access after theatrical play and festival screenings.

Why it matters: - The documentary reaches a much wider audience by moving to free streaming on Tubi, Roku and other ad-supported platforms. - The release ties into America’s 250th birthday and spotlights military chaplains, a rarely featured part of U.S. service history. - The film’s focus on Fr. Emil Kapaun connects the story to a Catholic figure who is one step closer to sainthood after being named “Venerable” by Pope Francis.

What happened: - Paulist Productions and the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps announced that Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey is available for free on Tubi, Roku and other free streaming platforms. - The film is also available to buy or rent on most major streaming services, including Apple TV and Amazon. - Chris Pratt serves as executive producer. - The release is framed as a July 4 rollout for America’s 250th birthday.

The details: - The documentary centers on U.S. Army combat chaplain Fr. Emil Kapaun and the return of his remains after 70 years. - The story follows a younger former chaplain who becomes involved in the journey home and is drawn into the broader history of U.S. military chaplains. - The film highlights 419 U.S. military chaplain heroes who died in service. - The project is described as the first-ever co-production between Hollywood and the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. - The film holds a 100% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. - The Pope granted the filmmakers a rare preview in his personal screening room at The Vatican. - Sneak previews also took place at Fort Knox, the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. - Rich Hull co-directed, produced and wrote the film with co-director and former combat chaplain Justin D. Roberts. - Hull is making his directorial debut after producing more than 25 films. - Hull previously shared an NAACP Image Award as executive producer of For Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots. - Paulist Productions is a nonprofit company founded more than 60 years ago and has produced work for Paramount, Warner Bros., CBS, ABC, A&E and Lifetime. - The film is produced by Rich Hull and Daniel Schnider. - Executive producers include Michael Sullivan, Tom Gibbons, CSP, Chris Pratt and Justin D. Roberts. - Co-producers are Holly Stocking, David Moore and Brandon R. Moore. - Press contacts listed in the release are Fr. Tom Gibbons, CSP, and David Moore at Paulist Productions. - A LinkedIn profile for Tom Gibbons is included in the release: Tom Gibbons.

Between the lines: - The free-streaming rollout positions the film for a patriotic audience that may be more likely to sample it at home than in theaters. - The Vatican preview and military screening stops suggest the filmmakers aimed to frame the documentary as both faith-based and service-oriented. - Chris Pratt’s involvement gives the project a broader pop-culture hook that could help it reach beyond faith and military audiences.

What’s next: - The film’s wider digital distribution should extend its audience beyond theatergoers and festival attendees. - The timing around July 4 could drive additional attention as America’s semiquincentennial celebrations continue. - The release may also amplify interest in Kapaun’s sainthood cause and in other combat chaplain stories.

The bottom line: - Fighting Spirit is using a milestone national anniversary and free streaming access to turn a niche military-faith documentary into a broader public release.