Even the Messiah isn’t immune to Hollywood reshuffles… Mel Gibson has reportedly replaced Jim Caviezel in his upcoming Passion of the Christ sequel.
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The 57-year-old actor, who played Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson’s 2004 biblical drama The Passion of the Christ, will not reprise the role in the upcoming sequel, The Resurrection of the Christ, according to Page Six.
Sources told the outlet that digitally de-aging the actor might be a primary reason Gibson decided to recast. “They’d [have had] to do a lot of work with the [original] actors… digital stuff, plus the scheduling,” the insider said.
Monica Bellucci, who played Mary Magdalene, will also not return as the sequel will feature an entirely new cast, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed.
Pre-production for The Resurrection of the Christ is reportedly underway, with new actors being sourced in Rome.
The reports follow Caviezel’s recent discussion about reprising his role as Jesus in the highly anticipated sequel during an interview. “Now I get these bonus years, and I had no idea [on the original film]. At the time, after I was done, it was done,” he shared in the Arroyo Grande podcast.
Caviezel shared that he first heard about a sequel to The Passion of the Christ in 2013. When asked if he was worried about reprising the role, he said, “Of course I am, but that will never [go away] … but I was worried on the last one.”
Caviezel expressed his desire to “really stay in this moment” this time, adding, “I want to enjoy this one more than I did the other one.”
It Remains Unclear if Any Original Cast Members Will Return for Mel Gibson’s The Resurrection of the Christ
Meanwhile, IMDb lists Caviezel as still attached to The Resurrection of the Christ. Also listed are Maia Morgenstern and Francesco De Vito, who appeared in the 2004 The Passion of the Christ.
The Resurrection of the Christ will retell the story of Jesus’s resurrection. Filming was previously reported to have started in August at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios.
The sequel will have two parts. The first premieres on March 26, 2027, and the second on May 6, 2027.