Backlash has erupted among fans following the news that Jim Caviezel will not reprise his role as Jesus in “The Resurrection of the Christ,” Mel Gibson’s long-awaited sequel to “The Passion of the Christ.”
Production began last week in Rome, but reports from Variety and Metro confirm that Caviezel and the entire original cast have been replaced.
Caviezel’s performance in the 2004 film remains widely regarded for its intensity and physical realism.
The actor reportedly endured injuries during filming and was even struck by lightning on set.
His exclusion from the sequel has come as a surprise to many, with no public explanation given before production began.
A source told Variety that the decision was largely financial.
“They would have had to do all this CGI stuff, all this de-aging and all that — that would have been very costly,” the source said.
Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen, best known for his role in Netflix’s “The Last Kingdom,” has been cast as Jesus.
The new lineup also includes Cuban actor Mariela Garriga as Mary Magdalene, Polish actor Kasia Smutniak as Mary, Italian actor Pier Luigi Pasino as Peter, and Riccardo Scamarcio as Pontius Pilate.
The replacement of Caviezel has drawn widespread criticism from longtime fans of the original film.
Many expressed disappointment on social media, with one user writing on X, “I would’ve just cancelled if he couldn’t keep Jim Caviezel.”
Another stated, “I will not see the movie,” while a third commented, “Yes, I guess we’ll pass on the movie with this clown.”
Some viewers, however, have taken a more hopeful view of the changes.
“There’s always another good choice or two out there to be found, if they are honestly prayerful souls. This guy looks potentially good,” one post read.
Another added, “I genuinely look forward to Mel Gibson’s Resurrection of the Christ. The ‘Passion’ was a rare film that transcended belief — it didn’t preach, it immersed.”
“Gibson’s new film may rise or fall not on theology, but on incarnation,” the commenter continued.
“His embodiment of torment was so complete that belief became irrelevant. Replacing him with Jaakko Ohtonen risks rupture, yet perhaps that fracture is fitting; resurrection is, after all, the art of becoming unrecognizable.”
“The Resurrection of the Christ” will be released in two parts.
The first installment is scheduled for Good Friday, March 26, 2027, with the second part following 40 days later on Ascension Day, May 6.
The project marks Gibson’s return to biblical filmmaking after nearly two decades of speculation, delays, and rewrites since “The Passion of the Christ” became one of the most successful religious films in cinematic history.
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