*Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” is coming back to the big screen.
Lionsgate and Fathom Entertainment will bring the biblical drama to theaters nationwide from September 10 through 17 in a new 4K remaster. Moviegoers get more than the remaster. Ticket holders will see early footage from the upcoming sequel, “The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One,” attached to each screening.
The 2004 original followed Jesus, played by Jim Caviezel, through the final 12 hours before the crucifixion. Made for $30 million, the R-rated film became a box office juggernaut and collected $610 million worldwide. It scored three Oscar nominations and reigned for two decades as the top-grossing R-rated release in domestic history.
Gibson has now finished shooting the two-part follow-up. Cameras rolled for 134 days across Italy, moving through Rome, Matera, Bari, Brindisi, Ginosa, and Craco before wrapping earlier than planned.
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Fresh faces lead the resurrection story. Jaakko Ohtonen, a Finnish actor, plays Jesus this time around. Cuban performer Mariela Garriga portrays Mary Magdalene, a part Monica Bellucci originated. Rupert Everett, Kasia Smutniak, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Pier Luigi Pasino also appear.
Both chapters carry hefty price tags. Each reportedly cost about $100 million to produce, pushing the combined spend toward $200 million, per Variety. Lionsgate handles distribution in North America, the UK, and Latin America, with partners covering additional global markets.
Release plans have shifted. Part One arrives May 6, 2027, later than its original March 26 date. Part Two slides a full year, from May 2027 to May 25, 2028.
The director framed the saga as his defining work. “This is far more than a film to me,” Gibson said, Variety reports. “It’s a mission I’ve carried for over 20 years to tell what I believe is the most important story in human history.”
Lionsgate film chief Adam Fogelson agreed. “Every image we’ve seen from set feels like a masterwork painting brought to life,” he said.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Mel Gibson’s ‘The Resurrection of the Christ’ First Look Revealed, Release Dates for Both Parts Delayed
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