Mel Gibson’s The Pᴀssion of the Christ 2 is confirmed, but the sequel has been mired in delays for years. In 2004, The Pᴀssion of the Christ took the world by storm with particular appeal to American evangelicals, and it was successful in many international markets as well. Principally inspired by the Gospel of John, The Pᴀssion of the Christ also incorporated a number of Catholic traditions and even the visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824). Its release became particularly controversial due to charges of antisemitism — not helped by Gibson’s own personal controversies.

Since 2004, Gibson has openly talked about the possibility of making a sequel that continues the narrative. The Pᴀssion of the Christ was undeniably one of the most important Biblical epics ever made by Hollywood, so it’s not really a surprise to see Gibson finally attempt to turn this into something of a loose franchise — especially at a time when franchises tend to have more drawing power than individual actors and directors. But it remains to be seen whether Gibson can pull off another hit, appealing to the same evangelical audience who responded so positively to the first movie.

The Pᴀssion Of The Christ 2 Latest News

A Filming Start Time Is Revealed

Though previous updates have fallen through in the past, the latest news comes in the form of a production start time for The Pᴀssion of the Christ 2. The news was broken by Cinecittà Studios CEO Manuela Cacciamani, who mentioned that the Mel Gibson sequel is due to begin filming in Italy in August 2025. This comes a bit sooner than even Mel Gibson’s timeline which he revealed in the first weeks of 2025. In those comments, Gibson mentioned 2026 as a potential start time.

While this news is exciting for viewers looking forward to the sequel, it also comes after many other updates proved to be incorrect. The Pᴀssion of the Christ 2 has been in the works for years, and has even had previous production start times announced. It remains to be seen if Cacciamani’s statements are accurate, or if it is another example of wishful thinking. Gibson himself hasn’t confirmed the Cinecittà Studios CEO’s statements yet, so the varacity of her claims is unknown.

The Pᴀssion Of The Christ 2 Is Confirmed

A Sequel Is Coming Soon

The Pᴀssion of the Christ 2 is confirmed, and it was due to begin filming in spring 2023. Star Jim Caviezel confirmed the script had been completed in September 2020, and claimed it would be “the biggest film in world history.” Gibson has worked with Randall Wallace on the script, with Wallace acknowledging interest in the sequel. “I always wanted to tell this story,” Wallace confirmed back in 2016, “The Pᴀssion is the beginning and there’s a lot more story to tell… a sequel will be even bigger.“

Gibson came forward in early 2025 and put many previous rumors about the movie to bed. The director and actor mentioned that 2026 was the target year for the production to start, and that original Jesus star Jim Caviezel would not be reprising the role. It remains to be seen if the movie will actually start filming in 2026, since many other production updates have proven false. Cinecittà Studios CEO Manuela Cacciamani revealed that the movie would film in Italy starting in August 2025, but it’s unclear which date is accurate.

The Pᴀssion Of The Christ 2 Cast Details

Jim Caviezel Is Not Reprising His Role As Jesus

One of the biggest pieces of news to come out of the Pᴀssion of the Christ 2 camp was that Jim Caviezel was expected to return as Jesus. The first film was one of his highest-profile movies, and he’s subsequently gone on to appear in a wide range of films and TV shows, including the likes of Outlander, The Prisoner, and Person of Interest. He also returned to the world of biblical epics for Paul, Apostle of Christ, where he played the apostle Luke alongside James Faulkner’s Paul.

However, Mel Gibson has now revealed that Caviezel is out as Jesus, and he has explained that the cost of de-aging the actor using CGI would be too expensive. It’s unclear if that means other previously announced returns are off the table, since the de-aging problem would apply to them too. However, Maia Morgenstern was announced to reprise her integral role as Mary. Actor Francesco De Vito was announced again as Peter, and Christo Jikov was rumored to be reprising the role of John. Gibson’s update puts all that in doubt, and the cast should be considered uncertain for now.

The rumored cast of The Pᴀssion of the Christ 2 includes:

Actor	The Pᴀssion of the Christ Role
Maia Morgenstern	Mary
Francesco De Vito	Peter

The Pᴀssion Of The Christ 2 Story Details

The Harrowing Of Hell May Be The Movie’s Subject

Though the plot of The Pᴀssion of the Christ 2 is still being kept under wraps, speculation has abounded. Over the years, there have been consistent reports that Jesus’ resurrection will not be the main focus; rather, that the film will focus on the three days between Jesus’ death and resurrection, where many Christians believe Jesus descended into Hell. Many of The Pᴀssion of the Christ‘s scenes weren’t in the Bible, and the sequel could continue that trend.