The Passion of the Christ Sequel Scores Mission Impossible Star as Jim Caviezel’s Jesus Replacement

Well, we finally know who is stepping into the sandals. After Jim Caviezel exited the long-gestating Passion sequel, Mel Gibson has picked a new Jesus: Jaakko Ohtonen. If the name does not ring a bell, he is the Finnish actor from All the Sins, The Unknown Soldier, and Vikings: Valhalla. Variety had the casting first. And he is not the only change. Monica Bellucci is out as Mary Magdalene, replaced by Cuban actress Mariela Garriga, who popped up in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning. In fact, Gibson is not just swapping a couple of faces. He is overhauling the entire lineup for The Resurrection of the Christ.

Why Gibson is recasting everyone

The Passion of the Christ hit theaters in 2004 and made a monster $609 million worldwide. That was more than twenty years ago. Back then, Caviezel was 33; now he is pushing 57. The story picks up three days after the crucifixion, so trying to sell a visibly older Jesus would have been... a choice. Sure, de-aging exists, but if you do it for Jesus, you have to do it for basically everyone else to keep the look consistent. That gets expensive fast, and it is a lot of digital work for a movie that is supposed to feel grounded. Going with a younger actor across a fresh ensemble is the cleaner move.

One thing Gibson did not go for here: casting someone who looks closer to the historical ethnicity of Jesus. He chose the fresh face part, less so the historically accurate part. Expect that conversation to continue.

Mary Magdalene and the rest

Monica Bellucci is not returning. Mariela Garriga is taking over as Mary Magdalene. And based on what is being put out there, this is not a piecemeal shuffle. It is a full recast for the sequel.

The language question

The original film famously leaned into period languages, with dialogue in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin. That choice set a tone. It is not clear yet if The Resurrection of the Christ will stick to that approach or pivot to something more conventional. If you are curious about the authenticity factor, this is a detail to watch.

Release plan: lining up with the church calendar

The sequel is being split in two: The Resurrection of the Christ Part One and Part Two. The dates are designed to map onto key points in the Christian calendar. The plan being circulated positions Part One on Good Friday and Part Two on Ascension Day. You may see two different dates floating around for Part One. One early mention had March 15, 2027, which does not actually match Good Friday. The more consistent plan is:

• Part One: March 26, 2027 - Good Friday
• Part Two: May 6, 2027 - Ascension Day
• Ohtonen takes over as Jesus; Garriga replaces Bellucci as Mary Magdalene; the whole returning ensemble is being recast
• The Passion of the Christ arrived in 2004 and grossed $609 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo
• Expectations vs. authenticity: the original used Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin; the sequel’s language approach has not been confirmed
• Filming started last week at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios and will move to southern Italy, including Matera and rural areas around Altamura, Gravina, Laterza, and Ginosa

Production is underway

Cameras are already rolling in Rome at Cinecittà. If Matera sounds familiar, that ancient hill town has doubled for the Holy Land before, so Gibson is sticking with a tried-and-true backdrop. After Rome, the shoot heads to those rural spots in Puglia and Basilicata: Altamura, Gravina, Laterza, and Ginosa.

Where I land on the recast

On a pure filmmaking level, the reset makes sense. Trying to digitally rewind everyone to three-days-after-the-crucifixion would be a VFX headache and a tonal risk. Casting a younger lead is the practical choice. The tougher debate will be around representation and whether the sequel leans back into the historical-language experiment that defined the first movie.

How are you feeling about the new face of Jesus, the Mary Magdalene swap, and the two-part rollout timed to Good Friday and Ascension Day? Would you rather see the sequel commit to the same language strategy as the original, or is that a one-and-done for you?