(Image courtesy of Newmarket Films)
After nearly 20 years in development, Mel Gibson’s two-part sequel to "The Passion of the Christ," "The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One" and "Part Two," has finally wrapped production and is headed to theaters. Unfortunately, none of the original cast will return. Although the story picks up just three days after Jesus’ crucifixion, more than two decades have passed since the first movie was filmed, and the actors have visibly aged. Rather than spend heavily on digital de-aging, the production opted to recast the roles.
Among those replaced is Jim Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in the original film. During a recent appearance on the "Arroyo Grande" podcast, Caviezel opened up about the decision: "Honestly, I had already read the first and second drafts of the script, and Jesus’ role in them... He [Gibson] really didn’t need to bring me back. Jesus has a smaller role this time."
Still, Caviezel offered his best wishes to Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen, who will succeed him as Jesus. "I wish the next actor playing Jesus good luck. It isn’t an easy job. As I’ve said before, Jesus is harder to play than Superman." Caviezel admitted that missing out on the sequel was deeply disappointing: "If you’re asking whether I wanted to return, of course I did. I was heartbroken. I was going to continue in the role, and as you know, this project had been discussed for 20 years. Unfortunately, the director ultimately changed his approach."
(Image courtesy of Newmarket Films)
Jesus is not the only role being recast. "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning" star Mariela Garriga takes over from Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, while Polish actress Kasia Smutniak succeeds Romanian actress Maia Morgenstern as Mary. Other newcomers include Italian actor Pier Luigi Pasino as Peter and Riccardo Scamarcio as Pontius Pilate.
Gibson co-wrote both installments of "The Resurrection of the Christ" with "Braveheart" screenwriter Randall Wallace. The two films reportedly carry a combined budget of $250 million, roughly eight times the cost of the original. "Part One" is scheduled to open on May 6, 2027, Ascension Day, followed by "Part Two" on May 25, 2028, which also falls on Ascension Day.