Mel Gibson, the actor-turned-director behind the controversial biblical film The Passion of the Christ, is still working on a sequel to the film that depicts Jesus’ last moments. And while many would question the necessity of making a continuation, Gibson is sure about it, and his most recent comments are proof that he has a plan for addressing a major issue with the film: the fact that more than 20 years have passed since he made the first one.
On other occasions, that wouldn’t be an issue. The problem is that The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection (the sequel’s unofficial title) will portray the events that take place a few days after Jesus perished by crucifixion. So, how will Gibson deal with the fact that actors physically changed, some have died, and some aren’t even confirmed to participate in the project? As reported by ComicBook, he has “found ways to deal with that.”
So it’s like, you know, I have ways of dealing with that, because, you know, twenty years ago is [supposed to be] three days later. So it has its own peculiar set of problems, which I think I can solve.
While it doesn’t seem like enough of a plan, the director has proved in the past that his ambition can work. Gibson is one of modern Hollywood’s most controversial figures. But no one would say he can’t direct films. With only six directing credits, he has made memorable movies that not only feel well-directed but feel like auteur works that no one else could have approached with enough sensibility.
The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection has supposedly been in production since 2016. In recent years, star Jim Caviezel said that he would return for the movie, and after seeing Gibson’s screenplay draft, he said it would be the “biggest film in world history.” There haven’t been many updates about the production, but in recent days, Variety reported that Gibson was scouting locations.
Mel Gibson Faces All Kinds of Challenges for The Passion of the Christ Sequel
Not only is The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection a difficult project to sell to modern audiences, but in order for Gibson to make a compelling sequel, he will have to appeal to a different audience. Audiences in 2004 were different; they saw the first film and pushed it to break the record for the highest-grossing R-rated film in the country (Deadpool & Wolverine passed it recently). While many probably observed the religious aspect of the experience, many saw it because Gibson promised to make Jesus’ death a very realistic one. It was extreme, relentless, and very graphic in its display of violence against the central figure.
But that’s not Gibson’s only challenge. He will have to find a way to make a continuation with the same performers if they decide to come back. Makeup costs money, but even the most expensive SFX artists will face a hardship with continuity.
Regardless of every major issue there is, we can be sure of one thing: Gibson is not known for limiting himself when trying to achieve his vision. If he goes ahead with such a risky project, he’s probably certain that he will make a notable film. But he should also be clever enough to see how much the industry has changed.
The Passion of the Christ
is available to stream on The Roku Channel.