Mel Gibson’s long-awaited sequel The Resurrection of the Christ is moving forward, now in partnership with a major studio — Lionsgate. On Thursday, Lionsgate announced the new deal by releasing a 20-second teaser for The Resurrection, though it was only an animated shot of the title with a score playing over it. Gibson’s 2004 film The Passion of the Christ was an independent film, produced by Gibson’s Icon Productions, and mostly funded by Gibson himself. With a larger studio behind him, Gibson will have more resources to create this sequel, though he will likely face the same controversies as he did 20 years ago, if not more.
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“For many, many people across the globe, The Resurrection of the Christ is the most anticipated theatrical event in a generation,” said Lionsgate chief executive Adam Fogelson, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “It is also an awe-inspiring and spectacularly epic theatrical film that is going to leave moviegoers worldwide breathless. Mel is one of the greatest directors of our time, and this project is both deeply personal to him and the perfect showcase for his talents as a filmmaker. My relationship with Mel and Bruce dates back 30 years, and I am thrilled to be partnering with them once again on this landmark event for audiences.”
“Lionsgate’s brave, innovative spirit and nimble, can-do attitude have inspired me for a long time, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect distributor for The Resurrection of the Christ,” Gibson said in an accompanying statement. “I’ve enjoyed working with Adam and the team several times over recent years. I know the clever ingenuity, passion, and ambition the entire team commits to their projects and I’m confident they will bring everything they can to the release of this movie.”
[RELATED: Mel Gibson Teases How He’ll Handle A Major Passion of the Christ Sequel Problem (Exclusive)]
The Passion of the Christ was extremely polarizing in its time — many people found it to be a literally religious experience, but critics pointed out some disturbing anti-Semitic moments and trends in the film. These came back into the public eye two years later when Gibson espoused several anti-Semitic conspiracy theories while he was being arrested for driving under the influence. On top of that, some critics thought the graphic violence of the film was excessive to the point of qualifying as a “snuff film,” detracting from any emotional or spiritual experience it could have conveyed.
Gibson has been talking about making a sequel for at least a decade now, with the intent of casting Jim Caviezel to reprise his role as Jesus of Nazareth. Caviezel has also become a very controversial figure in recent years, particularly due to his outspoken support for the QAnon conspiracy theory. So far, there have been no official casting announcements, but The Resurrection of the Christ is expected to begin filming at the end of this summer.
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