Mel Gibson’s long-awaited sequel to The Passion of the Christ has received a major update, with Lionsgate unveiling the first look at The Resurrection of the Christ and confirming new release dates for the two-part film.
The first-look image introduces Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen as Jesus Christ, taking over the role previously played by Jim Caviezel in Gibson’s 2004 biblical drama The Passion of the Christ. The reveal comes as production on the two-part project has officially wrapped after a lengthy shoot across Italy.
Lionsgate has also shifted the release plan for both films. The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One will now open on May 6, 2027, moving from its earlier date of March 26, 2027. Part Two, which had previously been set for May 6, 2027, has now been pushed by a year and will release on May 25, 2028. Both new dates fall on Ascension Day, the Christian holiday that marks the ascension of Jesus into heaven.
The two-part sequel follows The Passion of the Christ, which was released in 2004 and became one of the most commercially successful faith-based films ever made. The original film starred Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, focusing on the final hours before the crucifixion. It earned more than $610 million worldwide and remains one of the biggest independent films in box office history.
The new film features a different cast from the original. Alongside Jaakko Ohtonen as Jesus, Mariela Garriga will play Mary Magdalene, taking over the role previously played by Bellucci. The cast also includes Pier Luigi Pasino, Kasia Smutniak, Riccardo Scamarcio and Rupert Everett.
Filming on The Resurrection of the Christ reportedly lasted 134 days and took place across several locations in Italy, including Rome, Bari, Ginosa, Craco, Brindisi and Matera. Reports say the production wrapped ahead of schedule.
The update follows earlier developments around the project’s production timeline. The Resurrection of the Christ was set to begin filming in Italy during the summer, before a later update confirmed that filming had begun at Cinecittà Studios with Jaakko Ohtonen stepping into the role of Jesus. Those earlier reports now connect directly with Lionsgate’s latest confirmation that production has wrapped and the two-part release plan has been revised.
Gibson has been developing the sequel for several years and has described the project as deeply personal. In a statement, he said the film is “far more than a film” to him and called it a mission he has carried for more than 20 years. He also said the project represents a major part of his life’s work and has demanded everything from him as a filmmaker and artist.
The filmmaker has written the screenplay with Randall Wallace, who previously worked with Gibson on Braveheart. While plot details remain limited, the title indicates that the story will focus on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Gibson has previously suggested that the sequel will not be a conventional biblical drama, describing the scripts as unusual and expansive.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson praised the scale and visual ambition of the project, describing Gibson as a filmmaker with “an artist’s eye for scale” and “a storyteller’s instinct for emotional truth.” He also said images from the set feel like “a masterwork painting brought to life.”
Lionsgate will release The Resurrection of the Christ in North America and the United Kingdom. The studio will also release the film in Latin America through IDC, its joint venture in the region. International distribution partners include Leonine in Germany, Metropolitan Film in France, Diamond in Spain, Dutch Filmworks in Benelux, Monolith in Poland, Vertical Entertainment in Eastern Europe and Icon in Australia and New Zealand, among others.
As part of the release-date reshuffle, Lionsgate has placed Johnny Depp’s Day Drinker on the March 26, 2027 date previously held by The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One. Day Drinker is among Depp’s notable Hollywood projects following his recent return to studio-backed films.
The update also arrives after Gibson’s recent return to studio filmmaking with Flight Risk, the Mark Wahlberg-led thriller released by Lionsgate. The film underperformed at the global box office, but The Resurrection of the Christ is expected to carry far greater commercial attention because of the legacy of The Passion of the Christ.
With the first look now revealed, production complete and the two-part release plan officially shifted, The Resurrection of the Christ has moved into its next major phase. Part One will arrive in May 2027, followed by Part Two in May 2028, more than two decades after Gibson’s original film became a global box office phenomenon.
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