First part of Mel Gibson’s long-awaited sequel to The Passion of the Christ will now release on May 6, 2027 (Ascension Day), followed by Part Two on May 25, 2028, aligning with Ascension Day and Memorial Day weekend, the studio announced Friday.
Keeping with the film’s religious themes, earlier, The Resurrection of the Christ was slated to hit theatres on Good Friday (March 26) in 2027 while Part Two was set to premiere 40 days later on Ascension Day (May 6).
“THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST: PART ONE - coming to theaters May 6, 2027,” reads the caption on Instagram alongside the first-look of actor Jaakko Ohtonen as Jesus Christ.
The photo shows Jaakko standing atop a hill, with disciples gathered around him, bowing in reverence.
In development for nearly ten years, the film is a follow-up to Gibson’s 2004 blockbuster The Passion of the Christ, which chronicled the final 12 hours of Jesus’ life and starred Jim Caviezel in the title role.
The original opened to a staggering USD 83 million and went on to gross USD 370 million in the US and more than USD 610 million worldwide. It also received three Academy Award nominations for Makeup, Cinematography, and Original Score.
Gibson, who directed The Passion of the Christ from a script co-written with Benedict Fitzgerald, is once again at the helm for the sequel. Both parts of The Resurrection of the Christ will be produced by Gibson and his Icon Productions partner Bruce Davey.
While The Passion of the Christ was released by Newmarket Films, Lionsgate is now officially on board for The Resurrection, with the partnership first announced in May, 2025.