Actor Jim Caviezel, world-famous for his portrayal of Jesus in the blockbuster 2004 movie The Passion of the Christ, has confirmed that he is joining forces with director Mel Gibson to reprise his role in a sequel about the Resurrection, now on the drawing board.
“There are things that I cannot say that will shock the audience," said the actor in a USA Today interview. “It's great. Stay tuned.”
“The Resurrection. Big subject. Oh, my God,” said Director Mel Gibson in a 2016 interview. “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.”
The Academy Award-winning director who also co-wrote and produced The Passion of the Christ is still conceptualizing how the story will be told on the big screen.
“I won’t tell you how he’s going to go about it,” Caviezel told USA Today. “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.”
The Passion of the Christ brought to life the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus Christ in a powerful, graphic way that had never before been achieved. Despite Hollywood’s disdain for movies about Christianity, audiences flocked to theatres to see it, making it one of the most successful, highest grossing films in history.
Caviezel, who besides being an acclaimed actor, is a man of faith who publicly challenges his fellow Catholics to live their faith out loud in this darkening world.
Earlier this month, the actor spoke before a huge crowd of college students in Chicago at the SLS18 (Student Leadership Summit 2018) conference sponsored by The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).
“Set yourselves apart from this corrupt generation,” the actor challenged those in attendance. “Be saints. You weren’t made to fit in. You were born to stand out.”
“We must shake off this indifference, this destructive tolerance of evil. But only our faith and the wisdom of Christ can save us,” he said. “But it requires warriors, ready to risk their reputations, their names, even our very lives, to stand for the truth.”
“By God, we must live,” Caviezel concluded, “and with the Holy Spirit as your shield and Christ as your sword, may you join St. Michael and all the angels in sending Lucifer and his henchmen straight right back to Hell where they belong!”