The Passion Of The Christ 2: Release Date Prediction, Story & Everything We Know

Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ 2 is confirmed, but the sequel looks to be a lot more controversial. In 2004, The Passion of the Christ took the world by storm. The film was of particular appeal to American evangelicals, and it was successful in many international markets as well, with Christians across the world embracing the R-rated epic. Principally inspired by the Gospel of John, The Passion of the Christ also incorporated a number of Catholic traditions and even the visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824). Its release became particularly controversial due to charges of antisemitism — not helped by Gibson’s own personal controversies.

Since 2004, Gibson has openly talked about the possibility of doing a sequel that continues the narrative. The Passion of the Christ was undeniably one of the most important Biblical epics ever made by Hollywood, so it’s not really a surprise to see Gibson finally attempt to turn this into something of a loose franchise — especially at a time when franchises tend to have more drawing power than individual actors and directors. But it remains to be seen whether Gibson can pull off another hit, appealing to the same evangelical audience who responded so positively to the first movie.

The Latest Passion Of The Christ 2 News

With the earlier announcement that the film would officially be titled The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection, the latest news regarding the Mel Gibson epic concerns an update on its scope and scale. As reported by Coming Soon, the film’s official IMDb page title was changed to The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection – Part 1 in early November 2023 which implies it will be a multi-part film. According to actor Jim Caviezel who is reprising his role as Jesus, “It might be two films. Could be three, but I think it’s two“.

Passion Of The Christ 2 Is Confirmed

The Passion of the Christ 2 is confirmed and it is due to begin filming in spring 2023. Star Jim Caviezel confirmed the script had been completed in September 2020, and claimed it would be “the biggest film in world history.” Gibson has worked with Randall Wallace on the script, with Wallace acknowledging interest in the sequel. “I always wanted to tell this story,” Wallace confirmed back in 2016. “The Passion is the beginning and there’s a lot more story to tell… The evangelical community considers The Passion the biggest movie ever out of Hollywood, and they kept telling us that they think a sequel will be even bigger.“

Passion Of The Christ 2 Release Date Prediction

Unfortunately, a release date for The Passion of the Christ 2 has not been announced. The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection is due to start production in spring 2023, but no firm release date has been locked in. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Gibson aim for Easter 2024, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the first film’s release and the important holiday for many Christians. In addition, IMDb has listed a 2024 release window for the film, but this could obviously change. Considering the recent updates regarding the film’s IMDb page, it won’t be long before release information becomes more firm.

Passion Of The Christ 2 Cast

One of the biggest pieces of news to come out of the Passion of the Christ 2 camp is that Jim Caviezel is expected to return as Jesus. The first film was one of his highest-profile movies, and he’s subsequently gone on to appear in a wide range of films and TV shows, including the likes of Outlander, The Prisoner, and Person of Interest. He also returned to the world of biblical epics for Paul, Apostle of Christ, where he played the apostle Luke alongside James Faulkner’s Paul. He’s clearly been kept in the loop on discussions about The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection, openly speaking about the script as far back as 2020.

A surprising amount of cast members from the 20-year-old film are returning to continue the Bible’s epic story alongside Caviezel as Jesus. Reportedly, Maia Morgenstern (The Seventh Room) is coming back to reprise her integral role as Mary, Jesus’ mother. Actor Francesco De Vito (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) will once again appear as Peter, one of the most well-known of Jesus’ apostles. Finally, Christo Jikov (In Memory of Me) is rumored to be reprising the role of John, whose gospel Passion of the Christ was based upon. It is unknown if Monica Belluci or Rosalinda Celentano will return as Magdalene and Satan, respectively.

Passion Of The Christ 2 Story

The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection appears to be a logical approach since Christians believe Jesus died and rose from the dead, and The Passion of the Christ ended with the briefest glimpse of the resurrected Jesus. Over the years, however, there have been consistent reports the resurrection itself will not be the main focus; rather, that the film will focus on the three days between Jesus’ death and resurrection, where many Christians believe Jesus descended into Hell. Many of The Passion of the Christ‘s scenes weren’t in the Bible, and the sequel could continue that trend.

Some scenes were drawn from Catholic visionaries such as Mary of Jesus of Ágreda (1602-1665) and Anne Catherine Emmerich. The latter is particularly important, in that she had a vision of the event known by Catholic theologians as the “Harrowing of Hell,” in which Jesus descended into Hell and tore down its walls, declaring war on the Devil and his kingdom. It’s important to note such events are only alluded to in a few verses in the Bible, meaning this particular idea has generated debate among Christians. If Gibson does focus on the Harrowing of Hell, he may well find it much more difficult to unite evangelicals behind him this time.

Passion Of The Christ 2 Trailer

Considering the fact that the film is still in production, no trailer has been released for The Passion of the Christ 2. However, filming on the sequel is just beginning, and the movie looks to be aiming for a 2024 release date. Therefore, it’s likely that at least a few behind-the-scenes photos and first-look images should become available sooner rather than later. Regardless, audiences shouldn’t expect a Passion of the Christ 2 trailer or teaser before filming wraps, and should possibly sit tight until 2024 for an official trailer to drop.