The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson's controversial 2004 film, was a massive box office success, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film at the time. After two decades, Gibson is finally moving forward with a sequel, The Resurrection of The Christ, which will be split into two parts: Part One and Part Two.

Even before filming began, the filmmaker used grand terms to describe these anticipated installments. Now that production is wrapped, Gibson is doubling down on his ambitious claims.

Jesus 2: The Return

The Passion of the Christ: Bigger, Grandeur

Once described as "an acid trip," The Resurrection of The Christ will explore Jesus's experiences after his crucifixion, venturing into the afterlife. This includes witnessing "angelic and demonic battles" and a literal descent into hell. In an interview with the Christian Post, relayed by World of Reel, Gibson elaborated on the expansive scope:

"We're going into several realms, of course. I mean, you'll be in the firmament before creation. You'll be in the hell of the Righteous, and then in the hell of the damned. So it's kind of jumping around. We don't just stay on the planet here. We move around a bit."

A much less concise narrative for The Resurrection of The Christ

With a reported budget of $250 million for both films, Gibson appears to have the resources to match his vision.

"Of course, we had more funds to play with, so we have more toys, more tools and we were able to make it bigger and stronger."

Gibson also indicated that the narrative would extend beyond the literal interpretations of the Bible.

"If you look at the Synoptic Gospels, they are synoptic, which means they don't tell everything. And even John says: 'You know, there were plenty of other things that Jesus said and did which, if they were written down, could not fill all the libraries of the world,' right? So, there are many things that were not written down, and the Gospels are synoptic."

The Resurrection of The Christ will feature a new cast and, unlike The Passion of the Christ, will be filmed in English. Jaakko Ohtonen will portray Jesus, Mariela Garriga will play Mary Magdalene, and Pier Luigi Pasino will take on the role of Peter. Part One is slated for a May 6, 2027 release in the United States, followed by Part Two on May 25, 2028. French release dates have not yet been announced.