Casting choices for the roles of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene in Mel Gibson’s upcoming film, Resurrection of Christ, have been announced.
The anticipated follow-up to Gibson’s 2004 movie, The Passion of the Christ, has revealed that Finnish actor Jakko Otonen will portray Jesus, while Cuban actress Mariela Garriga has been cast as Mary Magdalene, according to a report from Variety.
Filming began last week at Cinecittà Studios in Rome, Italy. The film is set to debut as two separate installments in 2027, and notably, the entire cast has been replaced.
Otonen takes over the role originally played by Jim Caviezel in the 2004 film, while Garriga steps in for Italian actress Monica Bellucci.
Gibson’s original The Passion of the Christ became a major success, earning $610 million globally and establishing itself as one of the highest-grossing independent films ever, also filmed at Cinecittà Studios.
A production source indicated to Variety that since the sequel’s events occur just three days after the original film’s conclusion, it was logical to recast the entire project, given that over 20 years will have passed by its release. “They would have had to use CGI, digital processing, de-aging, and all that, which would have been quite costly,” the source explained.
Otonen, age 36, gained recognition for his role as a warrior named Woland in Season 5 of Netflix’s The Last Kingdom. Garriga, also 36, is recognized for her performance as Marie in a Mission Impossible film.
In addition to the leads, the cast features 46-year-old Polish actress Kasia Smutniak stepping in for Maia Morgenstern as Mary, with 44-year-old Italian actor Pier Luigi Pacino appearing as Peter.
Pontius Pilate will be portrayed by 45-year-old Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio. Rupert Everett, famous for his role in My Best Friend’s Wedding, will take on a limited yet significant role, as noted by Variety.
Australian producer Bruce Davey is collaborating with Gibson on new material for Resurrection of Christ, which will also film in Matera, a historic city in southern Italy’s Basilicata region.
Other shooting locations will include the ancient city of Ginosa, the countryside of Gravina Laterza, and Altamura in the Puglia region.
Resurrection of Christ Part 1 is set to be released in theaters by Lionsgate on March 26, 2027—Good Friday. The second part is scheduled for release 40 days later on May 6, coinciding with Ascension Day in 2027.
