Key Takeaways

• Cast Change: Jim Caviezel will not reprise his role as Jesus in Mel Gibson’s sequel.
• New Direction: Gibson is reportedly interviewing younger actors for the role.
• Release Dates: The films are scheduled for release on March 26, 2027, and May 6, 2027.
• Production Details: The sequel will not be filmed in Aramaic, unlike the original.

In a surprising move many of us didn’t see coming, Mel Gibson’s The Resurrection of the Christ — his two-part sequel to The Passion of the Christ — will be made without its original star. Indeed, Jim Caviezel will not be returning to play Jesus Christ in the sequel, with Page Six breaking the news earlier today. No reason has been given, but it’s not hard to imagine that Caviezel’s age had something to do with it.

According to scripture, Jesus was thirty-three when he was crucified, and Caviezel is now fifty-seven. Earlier reports suggested that Caviezel would still reprise the role, with CG-enhanced de-aging (or makeup), but now it seems Gibson is going in a new direction, reportedly interviewing younger actors in Rome, where he’s gearing up to shoot the two-part sequel. Page Six’s sources cite a mixture of the extensive digital work required and scheduling conflicts as reasons for the change. Monica Bellucci will also not be reprising her role as Mary Magdalene. Both actors were widely expected to return.

In interviews, Caviezel had always sounded confident that his return for the sequel was a done deal, often speaking highly of Gibson’s approach. “I won’t tell you how he’s going to go about it. But I’ll tell you this much — the film he’s going to do is going to be the biggest film in history. It’s that good,” he said earlier. Caviezel recently had a major hit with Angel Studios’ Sound of Freedom and is also set to appear in their upcoming biblical epic Zero A.D. as King Herod.

The Resurrection of the Christ is set for a 2027 release. Both installments will be distributed by Lionsgate, with the first set to drop on March 26, 2027 (Good Friday), and Part Two following on May 6, 2027 (Ascension Day). The films will tell the story of Jesus’ resurrection, but Gibson has described them as an “acid trip,” and rumors suggest that due to the challenging subject matter, the new films will not be shot in Aramaic like the original. While originally controversial due to its shocking level of graphic violence, the first movie quickly became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time until being dethroned by Deadpool & Wolverine just last year.

Are you disappointed Caviezel won’t be reprising his most famous role? Let us know in the comments!