Mel Gibson‘s much-delayed “The Passion of the Christ” sequel will be split into two films, with each part set to release in 2027.
“The Resurrection of the Christ Part One” is slated for Good Friday, March 26, while “Part Two” is set for 40 days later on Ascension Day, May 6. Lionsgate will release the films in theaters.
“The Resurrection of the Christ” is the follow-up to 2004’s biblical epic “The Passion of the Christ,” which, until last year, was the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time at the domestic box office with $370 million. That record was recently supplanted by Disney’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which earned a mammoth $636 million domestically. “The Passion of the Christ” remains one of the biggest independent films ever, with $610 million globally against a $30 million production budget. In addition to commercial glory, the movie was nominated at the Oscars for best makeup, cinematography and original score.
The original film, starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, followed the final 12 hours before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Gibson has described the sequels as an “acid trip,” adding that he “never read anything like” the scripts, which the filmmaker has been writing alongside Randall Wallace. As the title suggests, the plot is expected to focus on Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
Gibson, whose career was derailed by several off-screen controversies, returned to studio filmmaking for the first time in eight years with this January’s “Flight Risk.” The plane-set thriller, starring Mark Wahlberg, failed to ignite at the box office with just $48 million globally. He previously directed 2016’s “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Braveheart” and “Apocalypto.”
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