Mel Gibson is ready to return to the director’s chair for The Resurrection of the Christ, the long-awaited sequel to The Passion of the Christ.
The film will begin shooting this August at Rome’s renowned Cinecittà Studios, in accordance with Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of the studio.
“I can confirm that the subsequent film directed by Mel Gibson, produced by Icon Productions, The Resurrection of Christ, will likely be shot entirely in Cinecittà starting in August and requires many theatres and stage constructions,” Cacciamani stated in an interview with Il Sole 24 Ore.
Gibson has described the project as “very ambitious” and explained that the film’s narrative extends beyond the resurrection itself, encompassing “the autumn of the angels to the death of the last apostle”.
Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast, he elaborated on the challenges of depicting such profound spiritual and supernatural themes.
“I believe to be able to really tell the story properly, you could have to essentially start with the autumn of the angels, which suggests you’re in one other place, you’re in one other realm. You must go to hell. You must go to Sheol,” he said.
The filmmaker acknowledged the issue of bringing these elements to life in a way that resonates with audiences. “It’s about finding the best way in that’s not cheesy or too obvious. I believe I even have ideas about the way to do this and the way to evoke things and emotions in people from the best way you depict it and the best way you shoot it,” he explained.
Gibson admitted that the size of the film presents a big challenge. “It’s not going to be easy, and it’s going to require a number of planning, and I’m not wholly sure I can pull it off; to let you know the reality, it’s super ambitious. But I’ll take a crack at it because that’s what you’ve got to do, right, walk as much as the plate, right?”
Jim Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, will reprise his role, but Gibson acknowledged that the passage of time presents technical hurdles. “We’ll should use a couple of techniques,” he revealed, referencing the necessity for CGI de-ageing to account for the greater than twenty years because the original film’s release.
Released in 2004, The Passion of the Christ became a cultural phenomenon, earning $370 million on the domestic box office despite significant controversy. It is commonly credited with opening doors for faith-based media in Hollywood.
With The Resurrection of the Christ, Gibson appears determined to push cinematic boundaries once more, and Christian audiences are more likely to be wanting to see how he brings this ambitious vision to life.
