Resurrection of the Christ to recast leads in two-part film due 2027

Mel Gibson’s long-planned two-part followup to 2004’s The Passion of the Christ will recast its lead role, with Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci not returning, people familiar with the project said. The Resurrection of the Christ is slated to begin production in Rome in the months ahead and is set for release in two installments in 2027, with Part One opening on Good Friday, March 26, and Part Two arriving on Ascension Day, May 6, Lionsgate confirmed.

Those familiar with the production said meetings with actors are underway in Rome as the filmmakers assemble an entirely new principal cast. The decision to recast was driven in part by the extensive digital work that would have been required to alter the original actors’ appearances and by scheduling constraints, the sources said. Preproduction has been active for several months, and producers have moved to accelerate casting to meet the planned shooting timeline.

Gibson is producing through Icon Productions with longtime partner Bruce Davey, and Lionsgate will handle distribution. The two-part structure and release dates are being positioned to coincide with Christian observances, a strategy producers hope will bolster audience...