Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) President and author Franklin Graham has criticized the forthcoming major motion picture about his world-renowned evangelist father.

Set to arrive in theaters Oct. 10, Billy: The Early Years, directed by Robby Benson, stars Armie Hammer (Veronica Mars, Flicka) as the young evangelist and takes the audience through his early years, meeting his future wife, Ruth, and his early friendship with Charles Templeton.

In a statement posted earlier this week on BGEA's Web site, Franklin Graham said the organization "has not collaborated with nor does it endorse" the movie. "The content lacks my father's greatest passion: to preach the gospel," he said. "While the movie covers many aspects of my father's early years, it depicts events that never happened or are greatly embellished."

Mark DeMoss, Graham's spokesman, told The Charlotte Observer that Graham issued the statement not to hurt the film. "He doesn't care if people see it," said DeMoss, noting that Graham was concerned that some pastors would agree to host preview screenings in their churches because the movie was somehow authorized by the BGEA. DeMoss told the newspaper that Billy Graham, who turns 90 years old in November, has not yet seen the film.

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