Mel Gibson's long-awaited sequel to his 2004 biblical epic, The Passion of the Christ, is moving forward with a completely new cast, igniting outrage among fans. The film, titled The Resurrection of the Christ, will follow events three days after the crucifixion.
Due to the 20-year gap since the original, producers decided to recast all roles rather than use costly de-ageing technology. 'It made sense to recast the whole film. They would have had to do all this CGI stuff, all this digital stuff — de-ageing and all that — that would have been very costly,' a production source told Variety.
Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen, 36, known for his role in The Last Kingdom, will portray Jesus Christ. Cuban actress Mariela Garriga, 36, who appeared in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, will play Mary Magdalene. They replace Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci, who starred in the original.
Fans expressed fury on social media, with one calling the recasting 'blasphemous work'. Others questioned why Caviezel, a devout Roman Catholic who had spoken about the sequel since 2012, was not retained. Some speculated about a falling-out with Gibson, while others criticised the choice of white actors to play Middle Eastern characters.
Despite the backlash, some defended the decision, noting that de-ageing is expensive and complicated. 'Gibson is a great director. He can still deliver a solid film with any actor,' one fan wrote.
