Passion of the Christ Sequel Trades Ancient Tongues for English Dialogue

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Mel Gibson has shared that the sequel to The Passion of the Christ, titled The Resurrection of the Christ, will likely be filmed entirely in English. Unlike the original, which used Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin, the new film will feature dialogue only in English.

Choosing English was likely done to make the story easier for a wider audience to follow, given its complexity. However, this change might lessen the sense of immersion created by the historical languages used in the original film.

Background and Development

Mel Gibson’s 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ, showed the last hours of Jesus’s life. It notably used ancient languages like Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin, displaying subtitles for viewers. Critics and audiences often commented on the film’s use of these less common languages.

Okay, so I’m super excited about this – there’s a sequel finally coming out, it’s called The Resurrection of the Christ, and it’s going to be released in two parts. They’re planning to launch the first part on Good Friday, March 26th, 2027, which is perfect timing, and then the second part on Ascension Day, May 6th, 2027. It’s all in English, which is great for me, and I’ve been waiting ages for this!

Gibson’s production company, Icon Productions, is making the film alongside Lionsgate, which will distribute it.

Filming started at Cinecittà Studios in Rome, Italy, this August, and the production will also shoot on location in southern Italy, including the city of Matera.

Why a Language Departure?

Mel Gibson has discussed how challenging the story is and that it requires a unique filmmaking style. He described the script as incredibly mind-bending and broad in its themes, comparing it to an intense psychedelic experience. The film is very ambitious, featuring scenes like Christ’s journey into hell and epic battles between angels and demons.

Switching to English for the follow-up to The Passion of the Christ likely aims to attract more viewers and make the film easier to understand for a broader audience.

Budget

As a huge cinema fan, I was really struck by the scale of these films – each one cost around $100 million to make, bringing the total for both to $200 million. That’s a seriously impressive amount of money, especially considering they weren’t made by the big Hollywood studios – it’s unusual for independent productions to have budgets like that.

The original movie was made with a modest budget of just $30 million. Surprisingly, it went on to become the highest-grossing R-rated film in two decades, earning a worldwide total of $610 million.

Mel Gibson financed the movie himself through his production company, Icon Productions. Larger film studios wouldn’t provide funding because of the film’s challenging content, including its violence, historical accuracy, and use of ancient languages.

Casting Changes

Casting for The Resurrection of the Christ marks a notable shift from the original 2004 film.

Jaakko Ohtonen will be taking over the role of Jesus from Jim Caviezel. Mariela Garriga is now set to play Mary Magdalene, a part formerly held by Monica Bellucci. The changes in casting are likely due to the significant time that has passed since the original movie and a new vision for the film.

Conclusion

The new movie continuing the story of The Passion of the Christ, called The Resurrection of the Christ, will be filmed in English, a change from the original film’s language.

Choosing English dialogue and releasing the film in two parts in 2027 suggests the filmmakers are prioritizing a wider audience, a more detailed story, and potentially a different overall feel. These changes make us wonder how the film will manage to stay true to its historical and linguistic roots while also appealing to a broader range of viewers. We won’t know for sure how it all comes together until the film is released.

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2025-11-08 17:56