Mel Gibson to cast de-aged Jim Caviezel in ‘acid trip’ sequel to Passion of the Christ

Mel Gibson says that he is going to cast a de-aged Jim Caviezel in his long-planned sequel to The Passion of the Christ, and that the film will be an “acid trip”.

Gibson was speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, and when asked who “the next Jesus” was going be, Gibson replied that he was aiming to use Caviezel, who had played the lead role in the first film in 2004, in a story about Jesus’ resurrection. Asked how he would handle the 20-year time gap for a story that is supposed to take place three days after the events depicted in Passion of the Christ, Gibson said he would use de-ageing techniques that are “so good now”.

Asked when the film would start shooting, Gibson said he hoped to begin “next year sometime”, adding: “There’s a lot required because it’s an acid trip. I’ve never read anything like it.”

Gibson said the film, titled The Resurrection of the Christ, had been written by himself and Braveheart writer Randall Wallace, along with Gibson’s brother Donal, and contains “some crazy stuff”. Gibson added: “I think in order to tell the story properly you have to really start with the fall of the angels, which means you’re in another place, you’re in another realm. You need to go to hell.”

Gibson has long been planning a follow-up to The Passion of the Christ, which was a huge hit on its release, taking about $622m at the global box office and trailblazing a type of “faith film” that has proved lucrative for producers. The project marks another stage in Gibson’s rehabilitation after his career was derailed in the 00s; he apologised for antisemitic abuse after being arrested in 2006, and pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge after an argument with then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva in 2010.

Gibson later revealed that his home in Los Angeles had burned down while he was in Texas to appear on Rogan’s podcast.