Mel Gibson’s ‘Passion of the Christ’ Sequels Wrap Filming and the 2027 Release Strategy Is Theologically Genius
More than two decades after one of the most commercially staggering films in cinema history, Mel Gibson’s long-awaited follow-up to ‘The Passion of the Christ’ has officially completed production. Filming on ‘The Resurrection of the Christ’ wrapped on April 30, 2026, marking the end of a principal photography run that has been years in the making and far longer in development.
The project will be released in two installments through Lionsgate, with Part One arriving on March 26, 2027, and Part Two following on May 6, 2027. The scheduling is not coincidental. Part One opens on Good Friday, while Part Two lands on Ascension Day, exactly 40 days later, mirroring the theological arc of the story itself and positioning both films during the most significant observance period in the Christian calendar.
Principal photography began on October 6, 2025, at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, with additional locations including Gravina in Puglia, Matera, Ginosa, Torre Guaceto, Brindisi, and Craco. The production budget for the first film alone was announced at $100 million. That figure reflects a dramatic scale-up from the original, which earned $610 million globally against a $30 million production budget and was nominated at the Oscars for best makeup, cinematography, and original score.
One of the most talked-about decisions surrounding the sequel is the complete replacement of the original cast. Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen, best known for portraying Wolland in Netflix’s ‘The Last Kingdom,’ takes over the role of Jesus from Jim Caviezel, with Cuban actress Mariela Garriga replacing Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, Polish actress Kasia Smutniak as Mary the mother of Jesus, Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio as Pontius Pilate, and Rupert Everett joining the production as Abraham. The decision to recast came after the cost and complexity of using de-aging CGI proved prohibitive for bringing back the original ensemble.
Like the original, the sequel will be presented in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin for historical authenticity, with Gibson having spent years consulting theologians and historians. The story itself is shaping up to be far more expansive and surreal than a straightforward retelling. Gibson co-wrote the screenplay with Randall Wallace, the writer behind ‘Braveheart’, and has described one version of the script as an “acid trip,” adding that he “never read anything like” it.
The film is expected to explore Jesus descending into Hell, clashing with fallen angels, and the broader cosmic events surrounding the resurrection, with Gibson stating that for audiences to understand the resurrection, “you have to start with the fall of the angels in the firmament.”
Viral behind-the-scenes photos, first circulated on X by Art Hits Hard, show Ohtonen embracing crew members after the final day of shooting, with visible nail wounds from the film’s makeup effects on the actor’s hands, a detail that immediately ignited conversation across social media. The images set off a debate that is only going to intensify as the 2027 releases approach, with fans divided over whether a completely new cast can carry the spiritual and emotional weight that made the original such a phenomenon.
Whether Ohtonen’s portrayal earns the same reverence Caviezel’s did is the question this entire project rests on, so share your thoughts below on whether you think a full recast was the right call for ‘The Resurrection of the Christ.’
