(EDITOR’S NOTE: View From The Pugh is a journalism project from Chris Pugh. Subscribe to his daily newsletter and podcast, follow him on YouTube and sponsor his work)
Today’s post is sponsored by StreamYard.
Fans of The Passion of the Christ will have not one, but two big-screen events to look forward to in 2027. Director Mel Gibson confirmed that his long-awaited follow-up, The Resurrection of the Christ, will be released in two parts through Lionsgate, with the first film arriving on Good Friday, March 26, 2027, and the second debuting 40 days later on Ascension Day, Thursday, May 6, 2027.
The move to split the project into two films is unusual for a biblical drama, but Lionsgate and Gibson appear confident that the story can sustain the expanded format. Plot details remain tightly under wraps, but the title suggests the focus will be on the events following the crucifixion of Jesus, a natural continuation from The Passion of the Christ, which depicted the final 12 hours of Christ’s life.
The casting is expected to reunite several familiar faces. Jim Caviezel will reprise his role as Jesus, more than two decades after his original portrayal earned worldwide attention. Monica Bellucci is also expected to return as Mary Magdalene, and Maia Morgenstern is likely to reprise her role as the Virgin Mary. Gibson is once again producing alongside his longtime Icon Productions partner Bruce Davey.
While religious-themed films often face niche appeal, Gibson’s 2004 original broke box office records. Made for around $30 million, The Passion of the Christ grossed $370 million domestically and more than $610 million worldwide. For years, it held the title of the highest-grossing R-rated film in U.S. history, a testament to its ability to attract faith-based audiences in massive numbers. It also earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Cinematography and Best Original Score.
Lionsgate has been a frequent collaborator with Gibson in recent years, distributing both his Oscar-nominated World War II drama Hacksaw Ridge and his Mark Wahlberg thriller Flight Risk. The studio also holds distribution rights to the Icon Productions library, which includes The Passion.
From a scheduling standpoint, Part One will have the late March weekend largely to itself, facing only an untitled Warner Bros. event film. Part Two, however, will go up against Sony’s hotly anticipated video game adaptation, The Legend of Zelda.
The decision to release the second part exactly 40 days after the first is a deliberate nod to the film’s biblical themes. In the Christian calendar, Ascension Day marks the moment Jesus is said to have ascended into heaven, making it a fitting date for the conclusion of Gibson’s story.
The announcement has already sparked a mix of excitement and debate online. Supporters hail Gibson’s filmmaking skill and see the project as a long-awaited continuation of a landmark film. Critics question whether the split format is necessary and point to Gibson’s past controversies. Regardless, the dual-release strategy ensures The Resurrection of the Christ will dominate faith-based film discussions in 2027.
If the original’s box office success is any indication, these two films may once again prove that biblical epics—when made on a grand scale—can be both commercially viable and culturally impactful.
Comments
Post a Comment