“The War in Heaven: A terrifying, cataclysmic visualization of the original fall of Lucifer and his rebel angels, drawing heavily from the cosmic imagery of Revelation 12 and the Book of Enoch.”

Twenty-two years after rewriting box office history and deeply moving the faithful with The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson has officially wrapped production on his monumental, long-delayed follow-up. Lionsgate announced yesterday that after a rigorous 134-day shoot across the rugged, ancient landscapes of Italy—including Rome, Matera, and Craco—The Resurrection of the Christ is finally in the can.

But for those expecting a standard, linear retelling of the empty tomb on Easter Sunday, brace yourselves. Gibson is stepping completely out of the historical realm and plunging headlong into a cosmic spiritual war.

Divided into a massive two-part biblical epic, Part One is officially set to premiere on May 6, 2027 (Ascension Day), with Part Two following on May 25, 2028. And according to early reports from the set, the most jarring, highly anticipated elements of this masterpiece aren’t found on earth—they are found in the depths of Hell.

The “Acid Trip” of Spiritual Warfare

Gibson has famously and repeatedly described the script, co-written with Randall Wallace (Braveheart), as an absolute “acid trip.” To truly capture the magnitude of Christ rising from the dead under His own power, Gibson realized he couldn’t just look at the upper room or the Roman guards. He had to look at what was happening in the unseen world.

Reports indicate that the film features highly disturbing, visceral sequences depicting:

• The War in Heaven: A terrifying, cataclysmic visualization of the original fall of Lucifer and his rebel angels, drawing heavily from the cosmic imagery of Revelation 12 and the Book of Enoch.

• The Harrowing of Hell: A journey into the abyss during the three days Christ lay in the tomb, showing the destruction of Death’s domain and the shattering of demonic strongholds.

Insiders close to the production have whispered that the fallen angels sequences were so intensely haunting and visually jarring that Gibson himself allegedly wrestled with how to edit them without completely alienating mainstream audiences. It is an exploration of raw, terrifying spiritual malice—the ultimate “origin story” of the evil that Christ conquered on the cross.

A Radical New Creative Direction

Beyond the supernatural narrative, The Resurrection of the Christ is making waves for its bold production choices. In a surprise shift, Jim Caviezel will not be reprising his role as Jesus. To avoid the massive reliance on de-aging CGI over a demanding shoot, Gibson has cast Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen to portray Christ, alongside Mariela Garriga taking over the mantle of Mary Magdalene.