After almost decade of anticipation and speculation, Mel Gibson is finally ready to film the sequel to his 2004 blockbuster, The Passion of the Christ.
Word of Reel reports that The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection will begin filming later this spring, with a likely 2024 release date. Resurrection will pick up 24 hours after Jesus’ death, covering the three days between his crucifixion and resurrection. Jim Caviezel is set to return as Jesus, and reportedly Gibson has already written six potential drafts with Braveheart screenwriter Randall Wallace.
The Passion of the Christ was an incredibly graphic depiction of the final days of Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion, but it also became a huge hit, grossing $612 million on just a $30 million budget. It’s the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.
The sequel has been a long time coming, with both Caviezel and Gibson teasing audiences about it on and off for the last decade. We’ve pieced together the timeline here at RELEVANT.
“Mel Gibson just sent me the third picture, the third draft. It’s coming,” Caviezel claimed back in 2020. “It’s called The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection. It’s going to be the biggest film in world history.”
Gibson has also talked about it in numerous interviews, although there’s never been a clear image of what exactly the Resurrection of Christ according to Gibson will look like.
Gibson and Caveizel have both spent the last decade weaving his way through various controversies, from racist rants to QAnon speeches. It’s hard to say if the last 10 years of their life will impact the vision they have for the film, or if they’ll rise above it and capture the most miraculous moment in history. Either way, it’s sure to be an interesting ride.