Mel Gibson's upcoming sequel to The Passion of the Christ, titled The Resurrection of the Christ, has sparked controversy after it was revealed that the entire main cast has been replaced, including Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ. The film, which began shooting last week in Rome, now features Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen in the lead role, best known for Netflix's The Last Kingdom.
Mary Magdalene will be played by Cuban actress Mariela Garriga, known for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, while Polish actress Kasia Smutniak (Domina) takes on the role of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Italian actors Pier Luigi Pasino and Riccardo Scamarcio play the Apostle Peter and Pontius Pilate, respectively. Rupert Everett is also set to appear in an unspecified small but important role.
A source told Variety that recasting was necessary because the sequel takes place three days after the crucifixion, making de-aging technology for the original cast too costly. '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 said.
The announcement has drawn criticism online, with some calling the recasting 'blasphemous' and expressing disappointment that Caviezel, whose personal faith was evident in the original, will not return. Others pointed out the irony of casting a Nordic actor as a Middle Eastern figure, with one user saying, 'Another white Jesus? I'll pass.' However, some fans remain optimistic, noting that de-aging could have negatively affected the film's quality.
The original 2004 film, which grossed $612.1 million worldwide and earned three Oscar nominations, faced backlash for its graphic violence and accusations of antisemitism. Gibson has described the sequel's script as either 'very structured' or 'like an acid trip.' Caviezel, who had expressed interest in reprising his role just months ago, has not commented on the recasting but was announced to star in the upcoming action film Archangel.
