According to a new report, the rumors of a sequel to The Passion of the Christ being filmed this year are false.
The rumors began floating on January 4 when veteran movie journalist Jordan Ruimy reported on his popular WorldofReel.com blog that he’s “hearing Mel Gibson will finally be shooting The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection in a few months.” The sequel “would focus on the twenty-four hours encompassing Jesus’ passion and the events that occurred three days between his crucifixion and resurrection.” Gibson famously directed and bankrolled the 2004 blockbuster.
“Gibson has been hard at work on the screenplay with Braveheart screenwriter Randall Wallace – there have already been six drafts,” Ruimy wrote. “Resurrection would focus on the twenty-four hours encompassing Jesus’ passion and the events that occurred three days between his crucifixion and resurrection.”
But seven days after Ruimy’s report, ChurchLeaders.com quoted Gibson’s creative marketing and communications agency representatives, Rogers & Cowan PMK, as saying the rumors are not true.
“Rogers & Cowan PMK representatives informed ChurchLeaders that although it has been reported that the movie is currently in the works, there are no immediate plans to move forward,” ChurchLeaders.com said.
One caveat: IMBD still lists The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection in “pre-production” and says it will be released in 2024. IMBD is often viewed as the “go-to” to obtain information about the past and future projects of cast and crew.
Jim Caviezel, who starred in the 2004 film, previously said there would be a sequel.
“Mel Gibson just sent me the third picture, the third draft. It’s coming,” Caviezel said in 2020. “It’s called The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection. It’s going to be the biggest film in world history.”
The Passion of the Christ remains the top-grossing Christian-themed movie of all time and ranked No. 1 at the box office for four weekends in 2004. It grossed $370 million domestically and told the story of Jesus’ final hours before His crucifixion.
Photo courtesy: ©Kevin Schmid/Unsplash
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.