Bethlehem native Danny Roebuck brings new film 'The Hail Mary' home, announces summer project

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Bethlehem-born actor Danny Roebuck’s newest movie will touch down next month with three red-carpet premieres, giving local moviegoers another way to celebrate a win for one of their own.

On Friday, Roebuck returned to familiar turf, stepping onto the stage at his alma mater, Bethlehem Catholic High School, to announce that his latest film, "The Hail Mary."

Roebuck said the football- and faith-driven drama will score its red-carpet debut with three separate premieres the same day.

Audiences will get their first look at the movie at 11 a.m. Feb. 21 in Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas in ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

Then, the film again will be shown at 3 p.m. in Bethlehem Catholic High School and at 7 p.m. inside the historic Roxy Theatre in Northampton.

The national theatrical release will follow on Feb. 27.

“The Hail Mary” was created entirely in the Lehigh Valley, following the production timeline that began even before his 2024 film “Saint Nick of Bethlehem,” now streaming onAmazon Prime.

Roebuck — whose resume includes roles in TV shows “9-1-1” and “Matlock” and the films “The Fugitive,” and Rob Zombie’s “The Munsters” — will releasei the new movie the same way he has his recent projects.

That is through A Channel of Peace, the nonprofit production company he launched after “Getting Grace” in 2018.

Channel of Peace already has shepherded the features "Lucky Louie” and “Saint Nick of Bethlehem."

Ted Neely, Bill George

On Friday, Roebuck also shared other big news: filming starts this summer on another locally filmed feature, tentatively titled "Men of Granite."

Roebuck said the inspiration struck after a friend told him about volunteering as an honor guard at funeral services.

He will star alongside Bill George, founder of Touchstone Theatre; Joe Estevez, the younger brother of Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez; and Ted Neely, best known for playing Jesus in "Jesus Christ Superstar."

“If anybody could get Jesus back to Bethlehem, it’s me,” Roebuck jokingly said, referring to Neely.

"He is so excited to take part in our movie, and [Ted] is such a great man."

While Roebuck still is working on the plot of "Men of Granite," he offered glimpses of "The Hail Mary," which was filmed on locations such as Mary Immaculate Seminary, Dorney Park, Alliance Fire Company’s barroom (with regular bar patrons subbing in as extras) and neighborhood eateries, including Yocco’s Hot Dogs.

Based on real life

"Hail Mary" follows a ragtag Catholic school football team led by an unconventional coach — played by Roebuck — and a group of nuns, as the team discovers the value of teamwork and faith.

He calls it “a love letter to the religious sisters” who helped shape generations of local students.

Roebuck said his humorous on-screen bond with Sister Kathleen (played by Marsha Dietlein from "Return of the Living Dead Part II") in “The Hail Mary” draws from real life.

He said Dietlein's character was inspired by his first-grade teacher at St. Anne School in Bethlehem — also named Sister Kathleen — who Roebuck says left a lasting imprint by teaching him the power of unconditional positive regard.

“In first grade, I wrote a play and brought it to Sister Kathleen,” Roebuck said.

“Now, Sister Kathleen knew something I did not know — that I didn’t know how to read or write. But she said, ‘Danny, we’re going to do your play.'

"That was my first indication of how great these nuns are."

Sister Kathleen, who Roebuck said passed away right before filming began, eventually left religious life, but he said her spirit guided the screenplay.

Micaela Hood

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LehighValleyNews.com

The movie also shines the light on local students and schools — Liberty and Freedom high school marching bands and Bethlehem Catholic’s football stadium.

Roebuck said he was especially proud of bringing together Bethlehem's rival marching bands.

“The Liberty Grenadier band, the Freedom High School Patriot band — we put the Liberty and Freedom bands together,” he said. “The district does it every few years.”

The movie also makes room for a "Friday Night Lights" nod to his alma mater.

Thanks to Bethlehem Catholic, Roebuck’s fictional football team shares a field — and some marquee moments — with the school's Golden Hawks.

“Our fictional team played against the Bethlehem Catholic football team and their cheerleaders," he said.

"They're terrific in the movie, and to have a portion of them performing in the film...that's forever, folks, forever and ever."

More homegrown films to come

Roebuck said filming in the Lehigh Valley has taken on an unexpected role beyond storytelling — it has become a way of preserving pieces of the region that quietly vanish.

“There are a lot of places," he said. "One of the things we do when we make our films here — and so far, we’ve made 'Getting Grace', 'Lucky Louie,' 'The Hail Mary' and 'Saint Nick of Bethlehem' — it turns out that almost every time we film something in one of our movies, it disappears. But we’ve captured it on film.”

He pointed to local landmarks that have vanished over the years, including the Fidelity Bank in Bangor, now the HH Bangor Block apartments; Bethlehem’s Martin Tower, demolished in 2019; and Roadside America, the beloved Shartlesville attraction that closed in 2020.

Roebuck said at least one transformation has a happier ending: Mary Immaculate Seminary, once thought at risk of being lost, “will eventually turn into a beautiful wedding venue," he said.

The actor also announced that Pennsylvania-based Hawk Hill Pictures will distribute "The Hail Mary." He called it an ideal partner for a story rooted in faith and the Catholic community.

"Thank you for your support of everything we do, and we're going to keep doing it here in the Lehigh Valley," he said.

To learn more about "The Hail Mary" and "Men of Granite," visit A Channel of Peace's website.