Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ Sequel Reportedly Forced to Find New Jesus

by

After years of anticipation, Mel Gibson is making a sequel to *The Passion of the Christ*, but the film will feature different actors than the original.

Page Six reports that filming for the new movie will start in Rome with a completely different group of actors. Jim Caviezel, known for playing Jesus in the 2004 film, and Monica Bellucci, who played Mary Magdalene, will not be returning for this version.

A source close to the project told Page Six, “They’re [currently] meeting with actors [in Rome].”

According to one source, the decision to replace the actors came down to the significant effort it would have taken to work around their availability – including digital effects and scheduling conflicts. They also mentioned the film has been in early stages of development for a few months, with a lot of discussion and changes along the way.

The follow-up film, now called *The Resurrection of the Christ*, has been in the works for several years. Mel Gibson and writer Randall Wallace started developing it in 2016, centering the story on the events following Jesus’ resurrection.

I remember Jim Caviezel mentioning back in 2020 that the sequel to *The Passion of the Christ* would be called *The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection*. He even went so far as to say he thought it would be the biggest movie ever made, which is a pretty bold prediction! I’m definitely excited to see if it lives up to the hype.

The project experienced setbacks over time, partly because of personal issues surrounding Mel Gibson. Controversies like his drunk driving arrest and past antisemitic and homophobic statements led Hollywood studios to avoid working with him. In 2010, the talent agency WME ended its relationship with him after recordings surfaced revealing misogynistic and racist language.

Mel Gibson has talked about two different drafts of the script – one that was tightly written and powerful, and another that was more of a creative exploration. He reportedly started looking at potential filming locations in Europe in September 2024. In an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience in January, Gibson revealed the movie’s title is The Resurrection of the Christ, and explained that they plan to use computer-generated imagery and special effects to make the actors look as they did in the original film.

Lionsgate is helping to create and release this film in two parts. The first part will come out on Good Friday, March 26, 2027, with the second part following on May 6, 2027, which is Ascension Day.

Read More

2025-10-11 10:15