Looking to the Resurrection
Jim Caviezel says Passion sequel is in the works.
Jim Caviezel is very much on board with director Mel Gibson’s plan to shoot a sequel to The Passion of the Christ.
Caviezel, 49, confirmed he will reprise his role as Jesus in the planned film about the resurrection of Christ.
“There are things that I cannot say that will shock the audience,” he says. “It’s great. Stay tuned.”
Gibson and his star have been tightlipped on details of how the new film will move forward.
The actor says he has been inspired in his talks with Gibson by the direction the project is taking.
“I won’t tell you how he’s going to go about it,” Caviezel says. “But I’ll tell you this much, the film he’s going to do is going to be the biggest film in history. It’s that good.”
It’s a prediction that could prove true.
2004’s The Passion of the Christ, which Gibson directed, co-wrote and produced, was a major milestone in faithbased filmmaking, earning more than
$611 million worldwide on a $30 million budget. It’s the highest-grossing R-rated film in North America, pulling in
$370.8 million.
The original followed the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus, as portrayed by Caviezel.
The actor didn’t return to biblical films until this year. He’ll play Luke in
Paul, Apostle of Christ (in theaters March 28) alongside James Faulkner as Paul.
Gibson talked about his plans for the Passion follow-up to USA TODAY in 2016. “The resurrection. Big subject. Oh, my God,” he said. “We’re trying to craft this in a way that’s cinematically compelling and enlightening so that it shines new light, if possible, without creating some weird thing.”
Caviezel says the Oscar-winning director “cracked” that story, and they have tentatively scheduled a shooting window (which he declined to disclose). “Braveheart, that’s a film that took a long time to be able to crack,” Caviezel says. “The same thing for Pas
sion. And the same thing for this. He’s finally got it. So that is coming.”