By Michaela Gordoni
Lionsgate is joining Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey under their Icon Productions banner for their latest project — THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST.
The movie continues the story told in THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, with Jim Caviezel, which was the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time in America until last year.
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST premiered to $83 million its opening weekend. It made $370 million in America and $610 million at the global box office. It cost $30 million to make.
Gibson previously partnered with Lionsgate for FLIGHT RISK, starring Mark Wahlberg, and HACKSAW RIDGE, starring Andrew Garfield.
“For many, many people across the globe, THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST is the most anticipated theatrical event in a generation. It is also an awe-inspiring and spectacularly epic theatrical film that is going to leave moviegoers worldwide breathless,” Adam Fogelson, chair, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group said in a statement.
The chairman called Gibson one of the best directors of our time, saying that he was thrilled to work with his long-time friends.
“Lionsgate’s brave, innovative spirit and nimble, can-do attitude have inspired me for a long time, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect distributor for THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST,” said Gibson. “I’ve enjoyed working with Adam and the team several times over recent years. I know the clever ingenuity, passion, and ambition the entire team commits to their projects and I’m confident they will bring everything they can to the release of this movie.”
Related: Mel Gibson Explains Why Christ’s Resurrection Is ‘Verifiable History’
Variety observed that the move marks Lionsgate’s dedication to faith-based movies. The studio also distributes JESUS REVOLUTION, THE CHOSEN, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE and will distribute I CAN ONLY IMAGINE’s 2026 sequel.
THE RESURRECTION will begin shooting in Italy this August, according to Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of Rome’s Cinecittà Studios.
“I can confirm that the next film directed by Mel Gibson, produced by Icon Productions, ‘The Resurrection of Christ,’ will be shot entirely in Cinecittà starting in August and requires many theaters and stage constructions,” she said in an interview with an Italian newspaper earlier this year.
Gibson shared about the movie on Joe Rogan’s podcast recently.
“I think in order to really tell the story properly you have to really start with the fall of the angels, which means you’re in another place, you’re in another realm,” he told Rogan. “You need to go to hell. You need to go to Sheol.”
“It’s about finding the way in that’s not cheesy or too obvious. I think I have ideas about how to do that and how to evoke things and emotions in people from the way you depict it and the way you shoot it. So I’ve been thinking about it for a long time,” he said. “It’s not going to be easy, and it’s going to require a lot of planning and I’m not wholly sure I can pull it off; to tell you the truth, it’s super ambitious.”
The release is scheduled for 2026, according to IMDB.
Read Next: Jim Caviezel on Being Struck by Lightning on THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
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