Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ Sequels Just Took a Major Step Forward

Mel Gibson is back in the religious epic game and—believe it or not—we might actually see those never-ending 'Passion of the Christ' sequels sometime this decade. After what’s felt like biblical delays, things are heating up for the next chapters, now officially titled 'The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One' and, you guessed it, 'Part Two'.

What’s New With The Passion Sequels?

Here’s where things stand: Both sequels have officially wrapped filming in Italy. Yes, for real this time. Actual behind-the-scenes footage is out there to prove it, so it’s not just another round of rumors. If you’ve been following this saga, you know this project has bounced around in development limbo for years, so seeing hard proof of progress is kind of wild.

Release Dates—and Yes, There Are Two Parts

The plan is for 'The Resurrection of the Christ' to be a two-parter. That sounds ambitious, but considering how many years Gibson’s been stewing on this thing, it’s not entirely shocking. The current release schedule goes like this:

• Part One: March 26, 2027 (Good Friday)
• Part Two: May 6, 2027 (Ascension Day)

There’s definitely some symbolic calendar work going on here, with both dates lining up with major Christian holidays. That’s not subtle—Gibson’s leaning all the way in.

Whole New Cast, Whole New Spin

Don’t expect the original cast to reprise their roles. Gibson is starting from scratch with a fresh lineup:

• Jaakko Ohtonen as Jesus
• Mariela Garriga as Mary Magdalene
• Pier Luigi Pasino as Peter
• Kasia Smutniak as Mary (mother of Jesus)
• Riccardo Scamarcio as Pontius Pilate
• Rupert Everett as Abraham (which, let’s be honest, is an attention-grabber)

So if you loved the original for its cast—or its intense language choices—that era is officially over.

Not Your Typical Sequel

Gibson’s not just running it back with a simple resurrection rehash. He’s apparently injecting some, let’s say, cosmic weirdness into this story. He’s on record saying:

"I think in order to tell the story properly, you have to really start with the fall of the angels, which means you’re in another place, you’re in another realm. You need to go to hell."

So, yeah, if you thought the first film was a straight-up religious drama, the sequels sound like they’re leaning way harder into the supernatural and metaphysical. Not what I personally expected out of a 'Passion' sequel, but if you’re into angels, demons, and infernal trips—buckle up.

What’s Next?

The actual details about what unfolds are still pretty tightly under wraps, which isn’t surprising for a Gibson project. But now that we know the films are shot and locked to those 2027 dates, it’s time to start marking calendars—if only to see how wild Gibson’s vision for the afterlife gets.