Director Mel Gibson has pushed back the release of his two-part sequel to The Passion of the Christ and replaced the entire original cast, including lead actor Jim Caviezel.
According to reports from The Catholic Thing and The Hollywood Reporter, a promotional email sent on May 21, 2026, revealed that the first part, titled The Resurrection of the Christ, will now premiere on May 6, 2027.
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The second part is scheduled for 2028.
The production team abandoned plans to use artificial intelligence to de-age the original actors, citing high costs and visual distraction.
Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen takes over the role of Jesus from Caviezel.
Kasia Smutniak replaces Maia Morgenstern as Mary, Mariela Garriga replaces Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, and Pier Luigi Pasino replaces Francesco De Vito as Simon Peter.
The script, written by Randall Wallace, introduces an unconventional narrative direction.
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Gibson described it as "an acid trip" and noted that to tell the story properly, the film must start with the fall of the angels and venture into hell and Sheol.
The original 2004 film faced significant backlash before its release.
The Anti-Defamation League and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called it "one of the most troublesome texts, relative to antisemitic potential, that any of us had seen in 25 years," adding that it would "falsify history and fuel the animus of those who hate Jews."
Despite the controversy, the original movie grossed over half a billion dollars worldwide on a $30 million budget.
St. John Paul II reportedly said of the film, "It is as it was."
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The first installment of the recast sequel is set to hit theaters in May 2027.
