Mel Gibson’s The Resurrection of the Christ Reveals New Jesus as Filming Wraps

Mel Gibson’s long-delayed follow-up to The Passion of the Christ is finally moving from rumor to reality. Lionsgate has released the first look at The Resurrection of the Christ, and the biggest change is clear right away: Jim Caviezel is no longer playing Jesus.

Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen has taken over the role of Jesus in the upcoming two-part sequel. The first official image, released as filming wrapped, shows Ohtonen stepping into one of the most watched and difficult roles in faith-based cinema.

The change is not random. The new films are set only three days after the crucifixion, while more than two decades have passed since The Passion of the Christ was filmed. Reports say Caviezel, now 57, would have needed digital de-aging to return as the same version of Jesus. Recasting was considered the easier route.

That means Gibson is not just continuing the story. He is rebuilding the cast around it.

A New Cast for a Story Set Three Days Later

Ohtonen is not the only major replacement.

Mariela Garriga, a Cuban actress known for the Mission: Impossible films, now plays Mary Magdalene, replacing Monica Bellucci. Kasia Smutniak replaces Maia Morgenstern as Mary, the mother of Jesus. Pier Luigi Pasino takes over as Simon Peter, replacing Francesco De Vito. The cast also includes Riccardo Scamarcio and Rupert Everett.

The reason is simple. The sequel is set almost immediately after the events of the original film. The real-world actors, however, are more than 20 years older.

Digital de-aging was reportedly considered, but the cost and possible distraction made it less appealing. In a film that depends on emotional force and spiritual weight, anything that pulls viewers into thinking about visual effects could weaken the moment.

So Gibson made the cleaner choice: new cast, same story world.

Two Films, Two Ascension Day Releases

The Resurrection of the Christ will be released in two parts.

Part One is now scheduled for May 6, 2027, which falls on Ascension Day. Part Two is set for May 25, 2028, also Ascension Day and Memorial Day weekend. Lionsgate had previously planned to release Part One on Good Friday, March 26, 2027, and Part Two only 40 days later on May 6, 2027. The studio later shifted the dates, with Day Drinker, starring Johnny Depp, moving into the March 2027 slot.

The move makes sense from a business angle and a faith angle.

Releasing both parts on Ascension Day gives the films a clear religious connection. It also places each movie inside the early summer box office window, which can help a large-scale release reach a broader audience.

The original plan would have placed the two films very close together. That may have been too tight for a project of this size. A full year between the releases gives each film space to breathe, market, and perform.

Filming Is Complete After 134 Days in Italy

Lionsgate and Gibson’s Icon Productions confirmed that principal photography has finished. Filming lasted 134 days and took place across several locations in Italy, including Rome, Bari, Ginosa, Craco, Brindisi, and Matera.

That kind of schedule points to a large production. Gibson is not treating this as a small follow-up. He is building something big, and Lionsgate is selling it that way.

Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, praised Gibson’s scale and visual style, saying images from the set felt like “a masterwork painting brought to life.” He also said the film has the kind of ambition audiences have waited more than 20 years to see.

That is a strong studio line. But the pressure is real.

The first film was a box office force. The sequel has to serve faith audiences, film audiences, and people who remember the original as a cultural event.

Gibson Calls It a Mission

Gibson said he is deeply grateful to the cast and crew, saying they poured their hearts into the production. He described the film as a major part of his life’s work and said it demanded everything from him as a filmmaker and artist.

He also made it clear this is not just another directing job for him.

Gibson called the project “far more than a film” and said it is a mission he has carried for more than 20 years. He said he wanted to tell what he believes is the most important story in human history.

That tracks with how he has spoken about the sequel before. In an interview with Joe Rogan, Gibson described the script as an “acid trip,” saying the story would not be simple or linear. He said telling it properly would involve the fall of the angels, Hell, Sheol, and other realms.

That is not a small swing.

It also means audiences should not expect a direct courtroom-style retelling of the Resurrection. Gibson appears to be building something broader, stranger, and more cosmic.

What the Story May Cover

The original Passion of the Christ focused on the last hours of Jesus’ life, leading through his suffering and crucifixion. The sequel begins from the aftermath.

But Gibson has hinted that the story will move beyond a straight timeline.

He has spoken about:

• The fall of the angels
• Hell
• Sheol
• The Resurrection
• The death of the last apostle
• Events before and after the central moment

That kind of structure could make the films more ambitious than the original. It could also make them riskier.

A simple Resurrection drama would be easier to explain. Gibson seems to want something larger, built around theology, spiritual warfare, and history across time.

That is either where the film becomes powerful or where it loses people.

The Shadow of the Original Film

The Passion of the Christ was released in 2004 and became one of the biggest faith-based films ever. Gibson financed and produced it for about $30 million. It grossed more than $610 million worldwide, including about $370 million in North American theaters.

For years, it was the highest-grossing R-rated film in U.S. history and the highest-grossing independent film. It also received three Oscar nominations, for makeup, cinematography, and original score.

The film was also deeply controversial.

Some critics attacked its violence. Others raised concerns about antisemitic themes and how Jewish characters were portrayed. Religious viewers and many Christian audiences defended it as a serious depiction of Christ’s suffering.

That debate has never fully gone away.

The sequel will arrive with that full history attached. Gibson will not only be judged on what he makes now, but on what people remember from 2004.

Lionsgate’s Global Release Plan

Lionsgate will release the film in North America and the United Kingdom. It will also release the film in Latin America through IDC, its regional joint venture. Other international partners will handle territories including Germany, France, Spain, Benelux, Scandinavia, South Africa, Poland, Eastern Europe, Switzerland, Portugal, the Baltics, and Australia/New Zealand through Icon.

That kind of distribution plan shows the studio sees this as a global film, not a niche release.

The original proved faith-based cinema could make serious box office money. The sequel is testing whether that audience is still there after more than 20 years.

The Bottom Line

Mel Gibson has finished filming The Resurrection of the Christ, and Lionsgate has given audiences their first look at Jaakko Ohtonen as Jesus.

The project is now bigger than one sequel. It is two films, a mostly new cast, a global release plan, and a story Gibson says has been with him for two decades.

The key facts are clear:

• Jaakko Ohtonen replaces Jim Caviezel as Jesus.
• Mariela Garriga replaces Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene.
• The film will release in two parts.
• Part One opens May 6, 2027.
• Part Two opens May 25, 2028.
• Filming wrapped after 134 days in Italy.
• The story follows the events after The Passion of the Christ.
• Gibson says the project is a major part of his life’s work.

This is not a quiet follow-up.

It is a high-risk return to one of the most successful and debated religious films ever made.

Gibson is betting that audiences still want this story on a huge scale.

Soon, they will decide.

Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons