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(NewsNation) — Academy Award-winning director and actor Mel Gibson says he’s working on a new film about Christ’s resurrection.
Gibson told podcaster Joe Rogan that it took him, his brother and screenwriter Randall Wallace seven years to write the script.
“I regard the gospel as history. It’s a verifiable history. Some people say, oh, it’s a fairytale. He (Jesus Christ) never existed, but he did. And there are other accounts, verifiable historical accounts outside biblical ones that also bear this up. That yes, he did exist.”
In 2004, the filmmaker directed, produced, co-wrote and funded “The Passion of Christ,” a movie that depicts Christ’s final twelve hours including his death on the cross. The film sparked controversy but was a blockbuster hit, grossing $370 million in the United States, and more than $600 million internationally, according to IMDbPro. It was nominated for three Academy Awards in 2005.
During a wide-ranging conversation with Rogan, which lasted over two hours, Gibson suggested the movie would start with the fall of the angels, including a depiction of Satan, and end with the death of the last apostle. He said he’d like to cast Jim Caviziel, star of “The Passion of Christ,” as Jesus, and said the title would be “The Resurrection of the Christ.”
Mel Gibson embraced his faith as an adult
When asked by Rogan if he believes in Christ’s resurrection, Gibson said he did, describing his upbringing in a Catholic family. But he said he embraced his faith as an adult. “I came to it through intellect and through reading and putting things together in accounts and then occurrences … in my own life.”
In reference to “The Passion of Christ,” Gibson said, “There was a lot of opposition to it and I don’t know … I think if you ever hit on that subject matter, you’re going to get people going.” The actor described the obstacles he says he encountered in terms of distribution as well as stonewalling by studios because he produced the film outside Hollywood.
Gibson said he’s preparing spiritually for this next project. “I’m not a great example of Christianity. … I’m flawed and I make a lot of mistakes, but I have to try and be better somehow in order to go in and make that film.”
Gibson called the project “ambitious” but said he hopes to begin filming in 2026.