Jim Caviezel NOT Returning for Mel Gibson’s ‘Passion of the Christ’ Sequel

There is a very surprising update in regard to Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” sequel. Apparently, Jim Caviezel will not be part of the project. They’re looking for a new Jesus!

“They’re [currently] meeting with actors [in Rome],” a source familiar with the project tells The New York Post.

Another source said they switched it up because “they’d [have had] to do a lot of work with the [original] actors… digital stuff, plus the scheduling.”

Caviezel, 57, was supposed to undergo digital de-aging to portray Jesus at age 33. It doesn’t help that the sequel takes place right after the end of the original film, which was released 21 years ago.

Just a few months ago, Gibson wasn’t that worried about Caviezel having aged 20 years since the first film.

So it's like, you know, I have ways of dealing with that, because, you know, twenty years ago is [supposed to be] three days later. So it has its own peculiar set of problems, which I think I can solve.

To prepare, Caviezel was fasting, praying the rosary, and planning to receive Communion daily while on set. He was also in the middle of reading “The Screwtape Letters,” Lewis’ satirical exploration of spiritual warfare from the perspective of a senior demon mentoring a junior one. Caviezel said the book helped him understand the subtle influence of evil and deepen his portrayal. “I’m not a sheep,” he said. “I was a wolf who’s been changed.”

Gibson’s sequel to “The Passion of the Christ” was supposed to start filming this month in Rome, and now we’re not entirely sure if it’ll be hitting that date. Lionsgate had announced that “The Resurrection of the Christ” would be released in two parts. Part One is set to open on March 26, 2027 (Good Friday), with Part Two following exactly 40 days later, Thursday, May 6, 2027 (Ascension Day).

This is Gibson’s long-awaited follow-up to his controversial and wildly successful 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ,” which grossed $612M on a scant $30M budget, making it one of the most successful independently financed movies ever. Up until recently, it was also the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.

Gibson has continuously delayed shooting “Resurrection.” The film was originally supposed to shoot in 2023, then 2024, and now, 2025. The sequel to Gibson’s 2004 mega-blockbuster has been ruminating in development for almost two decades.