Mel Gibson’s Sequel To The Passion of The Christ Will Not Feature Actor Jim Caviezel

Mel Gibson has announced his sequel to the “Passion of the Christ” but it will not feature a familiar face.

Actor Jim Caviezel who played Jesus in the “Passion of the Christ” will not being playing in Gibson’s new film “The Resurrection of the Christ.”

Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen will replace Caviezel as the role of Jesus in the new film.

Variety reported more inside information on the cast of the Resurrection of the Christ:

Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of the Christ,” his long-delayed follow up to 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ,” has cast Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen (“The Last Kingdom”) in the role of Jesus, replacing original star Jim Caviezel.

Shooting started last week at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios on the film, with its main ensemble having been entirely recast. More than 20 years ago, Gibson shot the original “Passion of the Christ” at Cinecittà, which became one of the largest-grossing independent films of all time with a worldwide box office of $610 million.

As previously announced, “The Resurrection of the Christ” will be split into two films, with each part set to release in 2027.

Mary Magdalene, a role held in “Passion” by Monica Bellucci, is being played in “Resurrection” by Cuban actress Mariela Garriga, who starred in the “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning” films as Marie.

Polish-born actor Kasia Smutniak (“Domina”) is replacing Maia Morgenstern as Mary; Peter is being played by Italy’s Pier Luigi Pasino, who stars in Netflix Italy original “The Law According to Lidia Poët”; and the Pontius Pilate role will be played by Italy’s Riccardo Scamarcio, who recently led the Johnny Depp-directed biopic “Modì.” Rupert Everett will appear in an unspecified small but important role.

Because of the time frame in which “The Resurrection of the Christ” takes place — three days after Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday — “it made sense to recast the whole film,” a source close to the production told Variety. “They would have had to do all this CGI stuff, all this digital stuff — de-aging and all that — that would have been very costly,” the source noted.

In April, the 57-year-old Caviezel had suggested on the “Arroyo Grande” podcast that he was ready to reprise his career-defining role of Jesus in the follow up. Ohtonen, who is 36, is presently best known for his role as the Dane warrior Wolland in the fifth season of Netflix’s historical epic “The Last Kingdom.”

“The Resurrection of the Christ” is being produced by Gibson, Bruce Davey and their Icon Productions banner with Lionsgate as the studio partner.

Jim Caveizal will no longer return as Jesus in ‘THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST’ sequels.

They are currently looking for someone to fill the role.

(Source: https://t.co/sUFrf2g3t4) pic.twitter.com/oupcDAe0NS

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 10, 2025

Fox News reported Caviezel was struck by lightning twice while filming the Passion of the Christ:

Gibson’s biblical film. The actor, now 54, was also hit in the head with a cross weighing over 150 pounds.

Caviezel was struck by lightning “on the last shot of the movie,” he told Fox News Digital in a new interview. The cast and crew were filming the Sermon on the Mount scene and, on the fifth take, Caviezel was struck.

The lightning strike led to two heart surgeries, including an open-heart surgery, along with “lots of medication.” The actor said the issue was “finally corrected” in 2014.

In addition to the lightning strike, Caviezel was also toppled by a cross weighing over 150 pounds while filming.

“It fell on my head, and I bit through my tongue and my cheek,” Caviezel recalled.

“And it was actually in the film,” he added. “You see blood streaming out of my mouth” during the scene. The actor’s left shoulder was also dislocated.

“I had really struggled with that all film.”

What do you think?