After years of anticipation, Mel Gibson’s long-awaited sequel to The Passion of the Christ is finally set to begin filming this summer. Titled The Resurrection of the Christ, the epic biblical drama will start production in August at the historic Cinecittà Studios in Rome, according to Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of Cinecittà.
The original 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ, directed by Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus, became a global box office phenomenon, grossing nearly $612 million worldwide. It remains the highest-grossing independent film of all time and received three Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Makeup.
Returning to the iconic settings of the original, The Resurrection of the Christ will primarily be shot at Cinecittà’s new Studio 22, as well as on location in the ancient southern Italian towns of Matera, Ginosa, Gravina Laterza, and Altamura. Caviezel is expected to reprise his role as Jesus, with Maia Morgenstern returning as Mary and Francesco De Vito as Peter, according to IMDB.
Shooting starts in August
In a recent interview with Il Sole 24 Ore, Cacciamani confirmed that Gibson and his company, Icon Productions, are fully set to begin filming in August 2025. Several sources, including Variety, have also confirmed the summer shoot.
Gibson has described the sequel as ambitious and spiritually intense. Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience earlier this year, the filmmaker called the upcoming film “an acid trip,” noting that the script co-written with Braveheart screenwriter Randall Wallace is unlike anything he’s read before.
In a previous 2022 interview with the National Catholic Register, Gibson revealed that the narrative structure of Resurrection will be non-linear and metaphysical in scope. “To really tell the story properly, you have to start with the fall of the angels,” Gibson said. “You need to go to hell.”
While the original film was also mired in controversy for its perceived antisemitic undertones, its massive impact on Christian audiences worldwide remains undeniable. With churches hosting private screenings and global discussions on its portrayal of Jesus’ crucifixion, The Passion became more than just a movie it became a cultural event.
Now, over two decades later, Mel Gibson is set to revisit one of the most pivotal moments in Christian theology with The Resurrection of the Christ.
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