Jesus of Nazareth will finally return in Mel Gibson’s upcoming The Passion of the Christ sequel, though with a reported new cast and lead star.
Titled The Resurrection of the Christ, Jim Caviezel will allegedly no longer reprise his role as Jesus, and Monica Bellucci will also be replaced as Mary Magdalene.
So, who will be in the Passion of the Christ sequel, and what’s next for the long-gestating movie?
What Are the New Cast and Changes in The Passion of the Christ Sequel?
While the second coming of Christ will be depicted in The Passion of the Christ sequel, its original cast won’t be returning.
According to Page Six, the movie will feature a “completely new cast” and will begin filming in Rome.
With the exit of Caviezel and Bellucci, a source revealed that people behind the scenes are “currently meeting with actors” in Rome.
Allegedly, the shake-up happened due to the “lot of work” involved with the original actors, ranging from “digital stuff” to “scheduling.”
“There was a lot of back and forth,” the insider added.
Despite the changes, the film has reportedly been in pre-production “for a couple of months” now.
In fact, in an interview on Joe Rogan’s podcast in January 2025, director Mel Gibson revealed that The Resurrection of the Christ has been in development since at least 2016, with production possibly beginning in 2026.
“I’m hoping next year sometime. There’s a lot required because it’s an acid trip,” he said.
Gibson also teased that he had “never read anything like” the script before, which he has been co-writing with Randall Wallace.
“My brother and I and Randall all sort of congregated on this. So there’s some good heads put together, but there’s some crazy stuff,” he continued. “And I think in order to really tell the story properly, you have to really start with the fall of the angels, which means you’re in another place, you’re in another realm. You need to go to hell.”
Why The Passion of the Christ Sequel Has Been Long Delayed?
The original The Passion of the Christ was released in 2004 to immense success, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, with domestic box office earnings of $370 million. It was dethroned by Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024.
Despite that, the film remains one of the biggest independent movies ever, with global earnings of $610 million on a modest $30 million production budget. It was also nominated for Best Makeup, Cinematography, and Original Score at the Oscars.
However, despite its success, it took over 20 years before a follow-up was made.
By the looks of it, the delay had something to do with the controversies Gibson himself was involved in.
From a DUI to antisemitic and homophobic remarks, the veteran actor was effectively excommunicated from Hollywood, and even mainstream studios avoided him.
In fact, he was dropped by the top talent agency WME in 2010 after an audio recording leaked in which he berated his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva with misogynistic and racist remarks.
Thankfully, the Braveheart star got sober and enjoyed a career revival in 2016 when he received an Oscar nomination for directing the war movie Hacksaw Ridge.
Now, as he returns to direct The Passion of the Christ sequel, it will be no surprise if he receives another nomination.
The Resurrection of the Christ will be split into two movies, with the first part releasing on Good Friday, March 26, 2027, and the second part on Ascension Day, May 6, 2027.
Based on the title, it’s expected to focus on Jesus Christ’s resurrection, following The Passion of the Christ, which depicted the final 12 hours before his crucifixion.
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