Mel Gibson’s 2004 biblical epic The Passion of the Christ is returning to theaters nationwide from Sept. 10-17, with screenings offering audiences an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming two-part sequel, The Resurrection of the Christ.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
More than two decades after becoming a worldwide box-office phenomenon, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ is returning to theaters for a limited Lionsgate re-release as the director prepares to continue the story of Jesus Christ with a two-part sequel scheduled for May 2027.
The theatrical engagement runs from Sept. 10 through Sept. 17 and will include an exclusive behind-the-scenes preview of The Resurrection of the Christ, giving audiences an early look at Gibson’s return to the biblical story that produced one of the most commercially successful religious films ever made.
The renewed theatrical run comes 22 years after The Passion of the Christ first reached cinemas on Feb. 25, 2004. Gibson’s graphic depiction of Christ’s final hours, suffering and crucifixion went on to earn approximately $612 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film at the time.
The film’s impact has endured long after its original theatrical release, with audiences continuing to revisit it during Holy Week and its portrayal of the crucifixion earning it a place alongside major biblical productions such as Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments and Jesus of Nazareth.
Gibson has said the film’s intense physical depiction of Christ’s suffering was deliberate. In a recent interview with EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo, he explained that he wanted viewers to experience the severity of the events rather than encounter a softened cinematic version.
“I just wanted to make it as real as possible for people to enter into that journey, which is pretty grueling,” Gibson said. “Previous depictions of it had been pretty much sanitized, and they made it look easy, and it wasn’t. So I wanted to emphasize that this was not easy. In fact, he [Jim Caviezel] didn’t want to do it.”
Jim Caviezel portrayed Jesus in the film, which concentrated heavily on the physical and spiritual ordeal surrounding the crucifixion.
Audiences can revisit that portrayal through the limited theatrical event, while an official trailer for the special screening promotes the return of the 2004 film to the big screen.
The brutality of Gibson’s approach was one of the defining elements of the original release and generated extensive discussion among critics and audiences. Roger Ebert awarded the film four stars and argued that it should be considered in terms of what Gibson sought to accomplish.
“I prefer to evaluate a film on the basis of what it intends to do,
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