Mel Gibson doesn't do "quiet" comebacks. He does earthquakes.
If you’ve been following the trades lately, you know the man is currently deep in the trenches of the most ambitious—and arguably the most bizarre—project of his entire career. It’s called The Resurrection of the Christ, and honestly, it’s not just a sequel to the 2004 juggernaut The Passion of the Christ.
Gibson himself has described it as an "acid trip."
That’s a hell of a way to describe a biblical epic. But when you look at the sheer scope of what he’s trying to pull off, the label starts to make sense. We aren't just talking about a guy walking out of a tomb. We’re talking about a descent into hell, the fall of angels, and a metaphysical journey that supposedly spans multiple realms.
The Long Road to The Resurrection of the Christ
People have been asking about a sequel for over twenty years. For a long time, it felt like vaporware—one of those projects directors mention in interviews just to keep the buzz alive. But as of 2026, the gears are officially turning.
Writing this thing took over six years. Six years of Mel, his brother Donal Gibson, and Braveheart writer Randall Wallace "poking at" the script until it felt right. They didn't just want a linear story. They wanted something that felt, well, otherworldly.
Why Jim Caviezel is Still the Guy
One of the biggest hurdles was the age of the lead actor. Jim Caviezel is now 57. In the original film, he was playing a 33-year-old. You do the math.
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Gibson isn't recasting, though. He’s doubling down on Caviezel, using a mix of practical prosthetics and high-end de-aging technology to bring him back to that 33-year-old look. It’s a massive gamble. De-aging can often land you straight in the uncanny valley where everything looks like a video game from 2012, but Gibson is banking on the fact that the tech has finally caught up to his vision.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Plot
There’s a common misconception that this movie is just a three-day waiting room drama. You know, the apostles crying in a dark room until Sunday morning.
Nope. Not even close.
According to various interviews Gibson gave, specifically on The Joe Rogan Experience, the movie is basically an exploration of "the other side."
- The Descent into Hell: A huge chunk of the narrative focuses on the "Harrowing of Hell."
- The Cosmic War: It supposedly starts with the fall of the angels.
- The Timeline: It doesn't just end at the tomb; it reportedly stretches all the way to the death of the last apostle.
Basically, if the first movie was a visceral, bloody look at physical suffering, this one is a psychological and spiritual explosion. It’s less about the lashes and more about the "cosmic" significance of what happened between Friday and Sunday.
What’s the Deal with Lethal Weapon 5?
Look, we can't talk about Mel Gibson’s newest movie efforts without mentioning the elephant in the room: Lethal Weapon 5.
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For a while, it seemed like Riggs and Murtaugh were going to beat the Resurrection to the finish line. Since Richard Donner passed away in 2021, Gibson has been tasked with directing the final chapter himself. He’s repeatedly said the script is fantastic—funny, serious, and emotional.
But Warner Bros. has been a bit of a mess. Between the Discovery merger and constant executive shake-ups, the project has been stuck in the "we're almost ready to shoot" phase for what feels like an eternity. Danny Glover is pushing 80. Mel is 70. If they don't pull the trigger soon, the "I'm too old for this" line isn't going to be a joke anymore; it’ll just be a medical fact.
The Reception of Flight Risk (2025)
Before we get the big biblical epic, we had Flight Risk. Released in early 2025, it was Gibson’s first time back in the director's chair in nearly a decade.
It was a weird one.
The movie stars Mark Wahlberg as a pilot who may or may not be a hitman, trapped on a small plane with a U.S. Marshal (Michelle Dockery) and a witness (Topher Grace). It was a contained, "B-movie" style thriller.
Critics weren't exactly kind. It sat at a measly 21% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences gave it a "C" CinemaScore. But here’s the kicker: it still opened at No. 1 at the box office. People still show up for a Mel Gibson directed film, even if the critics are throwing tomatoes at the screen. That box office pull is exactly why Lionsgate and other studios are still willing to write $100 million checks for projects like The Resurrection of the Christ.
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Production Realities and the 2027 Release
Filming for The Resurrection of the Christ is currently slated for 2026. They’re heading back to Italy—Cinecittà Studios in Rome and the ancient, rocky town of Matera. If Matera looks familiar, it’s because it’s the same place they filmed the original Passion. It has that perfect, dusty, first-century vibe that you just can't fake on a green screen in Georgia.
Lionsgate snatched up the distribution rights, and they’ve already carved out a release date: March 26, 2027.
Wait, 2027? Yeah.
Because the movie is so effects-heavy and so ambitious, the post-production is expected to be a nightmare. Also, there’s been talk of splitting the movie into two parts. Gibson’s "acid trip" is apparently too long for a single sitting.
Actionable Steps for the Gibson Completist
If you’re trying to keep track of this chaotic production schedule, here is what you actually need to do to stay in the loop:
- Watch the Cinecittà updates: Production leaks from the Rome sets usually hit the Italian trades long before they reach Hollywood. Keep an eye on local Italian film blogs.
- Revisit The Passion (2004): Seriously. Gibson has said the visual language of the sequel is built directly on the foundations of the first. If you don't remember the specific "non-linear" jumps or the way he portrayed the supernatural elements (like the demon baby), the new movie might leave you confused.
- Check the Lionsgate investor calls: This is where the real release dates live. If Resurrection gets delayed again, the first people to know will be the shareholders.
This isn't just a movie for Mel Gibson. It’s clearly a legacy play. He’s taking the most successful independent film of all time and trying to do something even more radical with it. Whether it’s a masterpiece or a beautiful disaster, it’s definitely not going to be boring.
To get the most out of the upcoming release, you should start by tracking the official production start in Matera, as local casting calls for extras often provide the first real hints about the specific biblical scenes being filmed.