This Director Spent 22 Years Making His Most Personal Film and It’s Finally Done

Mel Gibson is officially crossing the finish line on a production that has been in the works for over twenty years. After the debut of his 2004 blockbuster, BTS videos circulating on social media show that filming for the sequel to The Passion of the Christ has finally wrapped in Italy. The project is closer to release now that the cameras have stopped rolling on the Italian set.

The follow-up, titled The Resurrection of the Christ, is so expansive that it is being split into a two-film theatrical event. Part One is slated to premiere on Good Friday, March 26, 2027. Part Two will follow exactly 40 days later on May 6, 2027, to align with Ascension Day. Lionsgate chair Adam Fogelson called the project “spectacularly epic,” noting that it is “the most anticipated theatrical event in a generation.”

Perhaps the biggest shock for fans is the major change in the leading man. While many expected Jim Caviezel to return, Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen has officially taken over the role of Jesus. Producers shared that they opted to recast rather than use expensive digital de-aging technology. As a source close to the production told Variety, “It made sense to recast the whole film” because using CGI for the entire cast “would have been very costly.”

This sequel won’t be a standard retelling of the Gospel, as Gibson has hinted at an incredibly unconventional approach. The director previously characterized the script as an “acid trip” that explores the origins of evil and encounters with fallen angels. The story will reportedly feature battles between heaven and hell, and Mel admitted there was pressure to perfect it. “I think if you’re not afraid of something like that, there’s something wrong,” the director explained.

The scale of the production is reflected in its jaw-dropping budget. Each chapter of the sequel cost roughly $100 million to $125 million, making these the most expensive films in Gibson’s directing career. Mel reflected on his drive to tell stories about the human condition, telling the Christian Post, “I’ve been taught from a young age that we’re flawed… We’re broken, and we need help.”

While the original movie used ancient languages like Aramaic, it is rumored that the sequels might use English to avoid “alienating” mainstream viewers. Regardless of the language, the buzz surrounding the film suggests that Mel is ready to attempt to change religious cinema once again. Reflecting on the difficult journey to finish the film, Gibson noted, “Life’s hard. But we’re all going. We’ve all got a boulder we’re dragging.”