Mel Gibson is preparing to begin principal filming on The Resurrection of the Christ, a long-awaited follow-up to his 2004 hit film about the crucifixion of Jesus.
Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ chronicled the last day in the life of Jesus Christ as he faced persecution and death at the hands of the Romans. It was one of the top performing movies of the year and grossed $612.1 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.
Gibson is now preparing to film his long-gestating sequel, said Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, according to Catholic News Agency.
“I can confirm that the next film directed by Mel Gibson, produced by Icon Productions, The Resurrection of Christ, will be shot entirely in Cinecittà starting in August and requires many theaters and stage constructions,” Cacciamani said in an interview with an Italian newspaper.
In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Gibson said he intends to employ a wide scope for the film about the Son of God’s resurrection.
“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,” Gibson said.
The Braveheart star admitted that he has been thinking for a long time about how to craft this story without being “cheesy.”
“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’ve got to do, right? Walk up to the plate, right?” he said.
Gibson also said he wanted to recast Passion star Jim Caviezel as Jesus, but would de-age him digitally since twenty years have passed since the first film.
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