John O’Leary’s remarkable life story has been an inspirational speech, a book, and a movie production. Now it’s a major motion picture—coming soon to a theater near you.
An adaptation of O’Leary’s book On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life, Soul on Fire depicts how the 9-year-old O’Leary nearly burned to death, only to find redemption and meaning through some mentors that included Cardinals announcer Jack Buck. Director Sean McNamara filmed in and around St. Louis over five weeks in November and December of 2023, with locations including Busch Stadium, Maplewood’s Saratoga Lanes, Mercy Hospital St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and even O’Leary’s boyhood home. William H. Macy, John Corbett, and Joel Courtney came to town; locals vied for a chance to be one of 600 extras.
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Almost two years later, the production is getting a nationwide theatrical release. It will begin its run on October 10, 2025, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Affirm Films announced today.
For the St. Louis–based O’Leary, the film is a chance not just to tell his story, but to show off his hometown. “I love St. Louis, and I love how well our community—its people and our landmarks—are represented in the film,” he says in a statement. “While the settings, architecture, and backdrops all added to the film, this is really a story about who we are as a city and as a community.”
O’Leary was present for the filming in 2023 and acknowledged that some of the actors had become real-life friends.
“What was important to me on the front side is that the actors who participated in this were doing so because they understood the real mission that we’re after,” he said that fall. “And it’s not ego, and it’s not hardware to put up on their shelf and it’s not a paycheck, although all those things might happen. What they’re really doing is, they’re portraying a story of a brokenness being redeemed by individuals who showed up to make a difference for the one in front of them. … We’re fortunate to work with really quality people who also are quality actors.
Why It Matters: Soul on Fire was the first film to benefit from Missouri’s newly restored tax credits for film productions, which provide up to $16 million annually for films and TV series. The credits were eliminated in 2013 (Gone Girl had been the last major production here before Soul on Fire), and state officials hope projects like O’Leary’s biopic might trigger a boom. Last year, four productions worth at least $1 million each set up shop in the Show-Me State.
Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, than a senator, was one of the 2023 legislation’s sponsors. He told the Missouri Independent that the credits were critical to helping college graduates with degrees in film production build their careers here. “One of the points of that bill was to put the right leg forward and build up that industry so those Missourians can stay here and work in their industry,” Hoskins said.
What’s Next: Now that Soul on Fire has gotten its theatrical date, the next test is whether audiences show up. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that original movies have been bombing at the box office. Robust advertising campaigns are seen as one key to overcoming the industry’s doldrums—but hey, word of mouth can’t hurt. Maybe tell a friend about this one.
