The Resurrection of the Christ to begin filming

Despite the controversies surrounding Mel Gibson’s 2004 biblical dram The Passion of the Christ, the film proved to be highly successful grossing over $612 million at the box office. For more than 20 years, it remained the highest-grossing R-rated film in the U.S.

Now, over twenty years later, Mr Gibson is preparing to film a sequel, The Resurrection of Christ, which is set to begin production in August at Rome’s Cinecitta Studios, with a release expected in 2026. Catholic actor Jim Caviezel, whose portrayal of Jesus turned him into a cultural icon, will reprise his role. In a recent interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Mr Gibson revealed that Jim Caviezel, now 57, will be digitally de-aged for the new film. Also set to return are Maia Morgenstern as the Virgin Mary and Francesco De Vito as St Peter.

While the script remains under wraps, Mr Gibson has mentioned that the sequel will cover a broader historical scope, from “the fall of the angels to the death of the last apostle.” This expansive approach may address one of the criticisms aimed at The Passion of the Christ, which focused primarily on the last 12 hours of Jesus’ life. Critics, including Gerri Pare and David DiCerto of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, noted that the film’s narrow focus left little room for Christ’s teachings, making it challenging for viewers to understand the events leading to His arrest.

With The Resurrection of the Christ, Gibson aims to expand the narrative, offering a fuller portrayal of Christ’s life, death, and transformative resurrection.