Mel Gibson is joining a trend seen in recent blockbuster releases, from mystical musicals to supernatural romances and sweeping sci‑fi sagas, by expanding his long-awaited The Passion of the Christ sequel into not one but two films. After years of speculation since the original premiered in 2004, the project is finally moving forward, with Gibson and his team planning an ambitious retelling of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as depicted in the Bible.
It seems the resurrection, glimpsed only briefly at the end of the first movie, will now unfold across two installments. The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One is set to debut on March 26, 2027 (Good Friday), with Part Two arriving just 40 days later on May 6, 2027 (Ascension Day). Production is expected to begin in August 2025 in Rome.
For nearly two decades, The Passion of the Christ held the record as the highest-grossing R-rated film at the domestic box office, before being overtaken in 2024 by Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine. Even so, its $610 million worldwide haul, on a modest $30 million budget, remains one of the most remarkable box office feats for an independent film. Whether the two upcoming sequels will mirror the original’s lean budget remains to be seen.
The 2004 film depicted the final 12 hours of Jesus’ life, culminating in his crucifixion, with its raw and often graphic portrayal drawing both controversy and acclaim. The upcoming films are expected to explore the biblical accounts of Jesus’ final days on Earth, leading to his ascension into Heaven.
Jim Caviezel will reprise his role as Jesus, and the back-to-back filming schedule will likely reflect the close release dates. Gibson has previously teased the films’ tone, describing the story on Joe Rogan’s podcast as an “acid trip,” hinting at a surreal and spiritually charged cinematic experience.
Gibson’s directing career has faced pauses in the past due to controversies, resulting in a decade-long gap between projects like Apocalypto and 2016’s acclaimed Hacksaw Ridge. He returns to directing in 2025 with the Mark Wahlberg–led thriller Flight Risk, but The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One and Part Two appear poised to be among the most ambitious, and likely most debated works of his career.
