Mel Gibson surprises with a new cast for 'The Resurrection of Christ'

Mel Gibson is once again betting on religious cinema with a project that promises to divide opinions. Two decades after The Passion of the Christ, the director is preparing The Resurrection of Christ, a sequel that completely changes the main actors.

The film will mark Gibson's return to the most controversial biblical story in cinema, with a more spiritual and visually ambitious approach. His goal, he stated, is to explore "the frontier between the divine and the earthly".

Renewed cast and sacred dates

The role of Jesus Christ will go to Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen (The Last Kingdom), while Mariela Garriga (Mission Impossible) will play Mary Magdalene. The decision to renew the cast seeks to avoid the use of digital de-aging and to give the story a new identity.

• The first part will premiere on March 26, 2027 (Good Friday).
• The second will arrive on May 6, 2027, exactly 40 days later, symbolizing Christ's appearances before the Ascension.

Even so, Gibson will keep part of the original spirit: Maia Morgenstern will reprise her role as the Virgin Mary and Riccardo Scamarcio will take on the role of Pontius Pilate. However, many fans were disappointed by the absence of Jim Caviezel, who was the face of Jesus in the 2004 version. "I'm not convinced by Christ", several users wrote on X after the news broke.

A mystical gamble

In various interviews, Gibson described the project as "a journey between planes" that will depict the resurrection. "It's like a theological acid trip", he said on The Joe Rogan Experience. He also confirmed that the script was co-written with his brother Donal Gibson and Randall Wallace, the creator of Braveheart.

Filming will begin in 2026 in locations in Italy, Malta, and Israel. Gibson explained that he is not seeking a chronological narrative, but rather a sensory experience that reinterprets faith from within. "I want the audience to live the resurrection, not just observe it", he stated.

Since its release in 2004, The Passion of the Christ remains the highest-grossing R-rated film in U.S. history, with more than 610 million dollars in box office revenue. It was also heavily criticized for its violent tone and its vision of martyrdom.