In 2004 the controversial yet immensely popular film directed, written, and co-produced by actor Mel Gibson titled The Passion of the Christ was released in theaters. It starred Jim Caviezel as Jesus, Maia Morgenstern as Mary, the mother of Jesus, Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, and Luca Lionello as Judas. The film narrated the last moments of Jesus Christ, from His supplications in the Garden of Gethsemane through His betrayal at the hands of Judas Iscariot.
The film continued by depicting the trials and tribulations Jesus underwent at the hands of Pontius Pilate and King Herod and the physical torment and mockery he was forced to endure. When the sentence condemning Jesus to death is given, He bears a hefty wooden cross along the length of his body to Golgotha while being beaten horribly and surrounded by crowds of onlookers jeering at Him while only a few people attempt to assist Him to no avail. During this excruciating moment, flashbacks of Jesus’ integral moments between He, his mother, and His disciples are shown to the audience. In the end, Jesus is crucified, dies, and is buried; nevertheless, He rises from the dead on the third day.
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The Passion of the Christ was both a box office and, in many ways, a critical success. It garnered several awards, including several Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Original Score. The film pulled in a little over $612 million in worldwide box office sales, making it the fifth highest-grossing film in all of 2004 and the highest-grossing Christian-based film of all time.
Fast-forward to 2023, and the sequel to The Passion of the Christ will reportedly begin filming around springtime, according to a report by World of Reel. Currently, the film maintains its working title: The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection. Returning to the film is Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ and Mel Gibson as director. The sequel is said to be even more controversial than the original film. The plot will entail the final three days of Jesus’ death, his resurrection, and the hereafter.
The Passion of the Christ Returns to Streaming Platforms
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After receiving significant backlash from audiences and film critics alike for several years, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ is now available for streaming on Hulu, Prime Video, and several other streaming platform sites. This news comes on the heels of The Passion of the Christ getting a reboot. Though the new film promises to be bigger and more talked about than before, the original movie received many complaints once Mel Gibson released it. The movie was criticized primarily for being too violent, bigoted, and historically inaccurate. One of the most talked about debates at the time was whether Pope John Paul II, the pope at the time, had approved of the movie.
It will likely be some time before we see The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection hit theaters, with a release likely aiming for late 2024 or 2025 at the earliest.
