This is the second coming of “Christ,” but the original cast will not be returning.
Director Mel Gibson’s long-anticipated “The Passion of the Christ” sequel will begin filming in Rome, but will feature a completely new cast, sources tell Page Six.
I’ve heard that Jim Caviezel won’t be returning to play Jesus in The Resurrection of Christ, and Monica Bellucci won’t be returning to play Mary Magdalene either.
“They are (currently) in talks with the actors in Rome,” said a source familiar with the project.
Another source said the change was made because “we had to do a lot of work with the[original]actors…digital stuff, scheduling, etc.”
“There was a lot of back and forth,” they said, adding that the film had been in pre-production for “several months.”
Gibson’s long-awaited sequel to the 2004 indie hit was derailed by several subsequent scandals for Gibson.
Controversies such as drunk driving and surfacing anti-Semitic and homophobic comments led to the once-big star being excommunicated from Hollywood and mainstream studios shunning him.
In 2010, power talent agency WME removed him as a client after audio leaked of him accusing his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva of misogynistic and racist remarks.
The now-low-key “Braveheart” star tasted his old Hollywood glory in 2016, when he was nominated for an Oscar for directing the war film “Hacksaw Ridge.”
If he returns to “Christ,” he may rejoin the list of candidates.
Variety reported in August that the long-delayed film would be split into two parts. Both are scheduled for release in 2027.
The original version made $610 million worldwide on a $30 million budget.
A spokesperson for Gibson did not return a call.
