Film depicting St. Louis Catholic John O’Leary’s survival from fire to be released in theaters Oct. 10
John O’Leary said a movie made about his life isn’t meant to portray him as a hero. Instead, “Soul On Fire” is the inspiring story of the heroes in his life who walked alongside him through tragedy.
The film, which will be released nationwide in theaters Oct. 10, portrays O’Leary’s survival from a fire that burned 100% of his body when he was 9 years old. He was given a 1% chance of living. The movie is based on a motivational book, “On Fire: 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life,” that he wrote in 2016.
John O’Leary, a parishioner at Holy Redeemer in Webster Groves, watched the filming of the “Soul On Fire” movie on Dec. 8, 2023, at the Shrine of St. Joseph in St. Louis. The movie is based on the story of his life.
A member of Holy Redeemer Parish in Webster Groves, O’Leary has shared his story with hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, calling on them make intentional choices to live “radically inspired” lives every day.
Filming for “Soul On Fire” took place in St. Louis in the fall of 2023, taking advantage of a new tax credit in Missouri signed into law earlier that year. Actor Joel Courtney portrays O’Leary as a young adult, with John Corbett as O’Leary’s father, Dennis, and William H. Macy portraying sportscaster Jack Buck, who befriended O’Leary after the accident. Many of O’Leary’s family and friends played extras in the movie.
O’Leary said he’s still amazed at how the story made it to the big screen. The project took root nearly a decade ago when he met Linda Huntington, one of the film’s executive producers, at a speaking engagement, and Huntington asked him if he had considered making his story into a movie. Eventually O’Leary was introduced to screenwriter Gregory Poirier, Catholic director Sean McNamara (“Soul Surfer” and “A Wing and a Prayer”) and others who brought the film to life.
“God’s hand was just in this thing throughout it all,” he said. “At every single step along the way, God opened up a door that had previously been closed.”
A part of the team that chose the actors for “Soul On Fire,” O’Leary said he wanted them to know they weren’t telling a story about him being a hero, but rather that they were telling the stories of the heroes who were part of his life.
The movie’s promotional poster is an image of the actor portraying O’Leary with his back to the camera and his arms raised in the air. Filling the rest of the poster is a mosaic of images of everyone who was part of his journey.
“I wanted to make sure the light shined brightest not on John, but on the heroes,” he said. “What ‘Soul On Fire’ puts in front of audiences is an example of an honest hero — and they look like custodial staff members, they look like CNAs and RNs, like sorority girls who see beauty in a guy with no fingers, and they look like a mom and a dad praying before meals.”
The movie shows ordinary moments of life with a tragedy interwoven and ultimately a message of redemption in the end, O’Leary said. “What we wanted to portray is a call in your life to recognize that in the mundane is the miracle and in the broken is the good,” he said. “And don’t wait for someone else’s hero story to come forward; be that example for someone else in theirs.”
O’Leary brought his father, Dennis, to a screening of the film in May, just a few weeks before Dennis died on May 30 at the age of 80. His father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when he was 48 years old and had largely lost his ability to stand and speak toward the end of his life.
Dennis and his wife, Susan, had a cameo in the movie, appearing right behind the actors playing themselves at John and Beth O’Leary’s wedding.
“The wild thing about that is my dad was unable to stand, and yet in that moment when he heard Sean say ‘action,’ my wonderful dad, for one of the very last times in his life, pulls himself up in the pew and stands up,” John O’Leary said.
At the screening, Dennis shared his review of the movie, and what were some of the last words he would speak before he died: “What a gift.”
After the release of “Soul On Fire,” O’Leary plans to share on his website, johnolearyinspires.com, a series of short videos from some of the primary characters in the film, what characteristics they modeled and “what modeling that might do for others in your life, including yourself,” he said.
“We want people to recognize this film, it’s not about feeling, it’s about moving,” he said.
“Soul On Fire”
To purchase tickets for “Soul On Fire” or to inquire about group ticket sales or hosting a buyout showing at a theater, visit soulonfiremovie.com
