Lionsgate has revealed release plans and debuted the first official images for “The Resurrection of the Christ,” the sequel to Mel Gibson’s 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ.”
The studio confirmed that the upcoming biblical drama will be released as a two-part theatrical event beginning in 2027.
According to information shared with The Christian Post, filming for the project recently concluded earlier than expected following 134 days of production in Italy. The movie was shot across several locations, including Rome, Matera, Bari, Ginosa, Craco and Brindisi.
The first installment, “The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One,” is scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 6, 2027, aligning with Ascension Day, the Christian observance marking Christ’s ascension into Heaven 40 days after His resurrection. The second chapter is expected to debut on May 25, 2028, during Memorial Day weekend and also near Ascension Day observances.
The sequel features a new ensemble cast led by Jaakko Ohtonen, who takes over the role of Jesus previously portrayed by Jim Caviezel. Other cast members include Mariela Garriga, Pier Luigi Pasino, Kasia Smutniak, Riccardo Scamarcio and Rupert Everett.
“Mel is a true visionary with an artist’s eye for scale and a storyteller’s instinct for emotional truth,” said Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, in a statement announcing the completion of filming. “Every image we’ve seen from set feels like a masterwork painting brought to life.”
Fogelson also praised the scale of the production, saying Gibson had delivered “a film of extraordinary ambition that audiences worldwide have been waiting to experience for over 20 years.”
Gibson described the production as deeply personal and said the project had occupied much of his creative focus for more than two decades.
“I’m deeply grateful to my incredibly talented cast and crew for pouring their hearts into this production,” Gibson said. “This film represents a major part of my life’s work, and it has demanded everything of me as a filmmaker and as an artist.”
“This is far more than a film to me. It’s a mission I’ve carried for over twenty years to tell what I believe is the most important story in human history,” he added.
The filmmaker further explained that reuniting with several collaborators from “The Passion of the Christ” helped bring the sequel to life “exactly as I envisioned it.”
When it premiered in 2004, “The Passion of the Christ” became a worldwide box office success and remains one of the highest-grossing R-rated films ever released. Produced with an estimated budget of $30 million, the movie earned more than $610 million globally, including roughly $370 million in the United States.
Gibson co-wrote the screenplay alongside “Braveheart” writer Randall Wallace. In previous interviews, the director said the sequel would tackle complex theological themes such as Hell, Sheol, fallen angels and the origins of Satan.
