The Resurrection of the Christ

Mel Gibson is collaborating with excommunicated Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò — who has labeled the late Pope Francis “a servant of Satan” — for “The Resurrection of the Christ,” his sequel to 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ,” which is currently filming in Italy.

Viganò, formerly the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States, was excommunicated in 2024 for not acknowledging Pope Francis’ authority and rejecting the Second Vatican Council that modernized the Roman Catholic Church. He has consistently called Francis a liberal “servant of Satan” and a “false prophet” in his public statements. Viganò is also known to be an avid supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, a critic of gay rights, and an advocate of anti-vaccine views.

Gibson, who publicly supported Viganò during his excommunication, has been receiving guidance on “The Resurrection” from Viganò, as reported by the Italian press and confirmed by sources. Despite being excommunicated, Viganò retains his Archbishop title and has been present on the set of the sequel, which is currently filming exterior scenes in various locations south of Rome, including the ancient town of Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its prehistoric whitewashed caves where “The Passion” was filmed. Viganò and Gibson are visible on set in the social media post below.

Filming for Gibson’s long-delayed sequel to “The Passion of the Christ” began in early October at the new Studio 22 facility at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios with its main ensemble cast entirely recast. Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen (“The Last Kingdom”) is portraying Jesus, replacing original star Jim Caviezel. Mary Magdalene, previously played by Monica Bellucci in “Passion,” is now portrayed by Cuban actress Mariela Garriga in “Resurrection,” and Smutniak is replacing Maia Morgenstern as Mary. A crew of over 500 film workers has been employed for this big-budget religious epic in Rome.

Over 20 years ago, Gibson filmed the original “Passion of the Christ” at Cinecittà, which went on to become one of the highest-grossing independent films of all time, earning $610 million worldwide. As previously announced, “The Resurrection of the Christ” will be divided into two films, both scheduled for release in 2027.

“The Resurrection of the Christ” is being produced by Gibson, Bruce Davey, and their Icon Productions banner, with Lionsgate as the studio partner.

The original film, spoken in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin to enhance historical accuracy and immersion, depicted the final 12 hours before Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Gibson has described the sequels as an “acid trip,” noting that he “never read anything like” the scripts, which he co-wrote with “Braveheart” screenwriter Randall Wallace. As the title indicates, the plot is expected to center on Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Other story details remain undisclosed.