Mel Gibson unveils first look at The Resurrection of the Christ

According to the director, filming has already been fully completed, and he insists the project has turned out “exactly as he envisioned it.” The film continues the story of The Passion of the Christ, which became a global box office phenomenon upon its release, grossing over $610 million against a budget of around $30 million, and remaining one of the most successful independent films in modern cinema history.

Work on the sequel has stretched across more than two decades. Principal photography lasted 134 days and took place across multiple Italian locations, including Rome, Bari, Matera, and Brindisi. Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen now takes on the role of Jesus, while Mariela Garriga portrays Mary Magdalene. Notably, Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci, who starred in the original film, do not return for the sequel.

The cast also includes Rupert Everett, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Kasia Smutniak.

Gibson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Randall Wallace, has described the material as unlike anything he has encountered before in terms of tone and scale. He says he has “never read anything like it.” At the same time, he emphasises that the project is not merely a film for him, but a personal mission — an attempt to retell what he considers one of the most significant stories in human culture.