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Mel Gibson is officially returning to the biblical epic genre, with Lionsgate announcing that his long-awaited sequel to The Passion of the Christ will be released as two separate films. Titled The Resurrection of the Christ, the project will debut in two parts in 2027, marking a major cinematic event more than two decades after the original film’s debut.
Staying true to its religious themes, Lionsgate has scheduled The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One to hit theaters on Good Friday, March 26, 2027. Part Two will follow exactly 40 days later, aligning with Ascension Day, on Thursday, May 6, 2027.
The decision to split the film into two parts reflects both the ambition of the story and the continued interest in Gibson’s religious storytelling. Plot details remain under tight wraps, but expectations are high given the cultural and box office impact of The Passion of the Christ, which depicted the final 12 hours of Jesus’ life.
Released in 2004, The Passion of the Christ was a phenomenon. Directed and co-written by Gibson with Benedict Fitzgerald, and starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus, the film earned $83 million during its opening weekend and went on to gross $370 million domestically and more than $610 million worldwide. It held the record as the highest-grossing R-rated film in North America until 2023, all off a modest $30 million production budget. The film also earned three Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, and Best Original Score.
Gibson is once again taking the helm as director and producer, alongside his longtime Icon Productions partner Bruce Davey. Caviezel is expected to reprise his role as Jesus, with Monica Bellucci also returning as Mary Magdalene. Maia Morgenstern, who portrayed the Blessed Virgin Mary in the original, may also return, though her involvement has yet to be confirmed.
While the first installment currently faces minimal competition—with only an untitled Warner Bros. Event film on the same weekend—the second part of The Resurrection will go head-to-head with Sony’s highly anticipated video game adaptation The Legend of Zelda.
Lionsgate’s involvement marks a continuation of their collaboration with Gibson, having distributed his Oscar-nominated Hacksaw Ridge starring Andrew Garfield, and the upcoming thriller Flight Risk with Mark Wahlberg. The studio also manages the Icon Productions library, which includes The Passion of the Christ.
With a strategic release tied to the Christian calendar and a proven team behind it, The Resurrection of the Christ is set to be one of the most closely watched cinematic releases of 2027.
