“It’s Not Going To Be Easy”: Passion Of The Christ 2 Will Depict Hell & Falling Of The Angels, Mel Gibson’s Filming Plan & Ideal Jesus Actor Revealed

Mel Gibson reveals The Passion of the Christ 2 will depict hell and fallen angels, revealing his filming plan and thoughts on his ideal Jesus actor. The upcoming Passion of the Christ 2has had many details kept under wraps since it was first announced, however the aftermath of Jesus' death was guaranteed. This included the reaction of his followers in the three days before his resurrection, alongside his resurrection in general likely being explored. However, concrete details were not made available, with the movie having been in development since June 2016, according to Gibson's co-writer, Randall Wallace.

Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience(via Deadline), however, Gibson offered details about The Passion of the Christ 2, revealing the "very ambitious" narrative he's crafted alongside his brother, Donal Gibson, and Wallace. The filmmaker explained how the movie follows "the fall of the angels to the death of the last apostle," depicting events that happen in Sheol. He also confirmed plans to start filming in 2026:

I’m hoping next year sometime. There’s a lot required because it’s an acid trip. I’ve never read anything like it.
My brother and I and Randall all sort of congregated on this. So there’s some good heads put together, but there’s some crazy stuff. And I think in order to really tell the story properly you have to really start with the fall of the angels, which means you’re in another place, you’re in another realm. You need to go to hell. You need to go to Sheol.

In addition, he confirmed the title of the movie will be The Resurrection of the Christ, and that Jim Caviezel will not be coming back due to the necessity of having to de-age him using CGI. Instead, he'll be choosing a younger actor to follow in his footsteps, acknowledging the ambition he has for film as a whole. Check out more of what Gibson had to say below:

It’s about finding the way in that’s not cheesy or too obvious. I think I have ideas about how to do that and how to evoke things and emotions in people from the way you depict it and the way you shoot it. So I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. It’s not going to be easy and it’s going to require a lot of planning and I’m not wholly sure I can pull it off to tell you the truth, it’s super ambitious. But I’ll take a crack at it because that’s what you got to do, right, walk up to the plate, right?

What Gibson's Statements Say About The Passion Of The Christ 2

It Might Be His Most Ambitious Project So Far

The Passion of the Christ is considered one of the best Biblical epics of all time, due to its unflinching look at Jesus' death and use of Aramaic throughout. The movie has been criticized, however, namely for its violence and perceived antisemitism, both of which have been the subject of debate since it came out. However, Gibson has proven himself a talented director since then, having directed Apocalypto in 2006 and Hacksaw Ridge in 2016, with his next movie, Flight Risk, scheduled for release January 25, 2025.

Gibson also directed The Man Without a Face and Braveheart.

Gibson's statements emphasize just how ambitious the sequel is going to be, pulling from various parts of the Bible to tell its story about Jesus' resurrection. Given the movie has been expected to start shooting at multiple points over the years, however, there's no guarantee it will be ready by the time 2026 rolls around. However, if shooting does start next year, then it could end up being released in 2027 or 2028. Whether it gets the same critical praise as The Passion of the Christis unknown, but the director is clearly aiming high for this next installment.

Our Take On Gibson's Passion Of The Christ 2 Update

The Resurrection Is The Best Direction The Film Can Take

Saint Veronica and Jesus Christ in Passion of the Christ

The ambition Gibson has for The Passion of the Christ 2 is a good sign for the religious film, especially when it comes to the accuracy of everything Biblical it depicts. While its filming start window is still a year away, the concrete details its director has laid out means the story has found its footing, and will be moving forward with its approach to fallen angels and the resurrection. Since some elements, like who's playing Jesus, aren't known yet, more updates are likely to follow before shooting begins.

Source: The Joe Rogan Experience (via Deadline)