Mel Gibson’s landmark biblical drama The Passion of the Christ will return to cinemas this September, more than two decades after its original release, as the filmmakers prepare for the arrival of its long-awaited sequel in 2027.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate and Fathom Entertainment have announced a nationwide theatrical re-release in US of the 2004 film from 10 to 17 September. The film has been restored from its original camera negative and remastered in 4K resolution.
The re-release will pave the way for The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One, which is scheduled to open in cinemas on 6 May 2027. Lionsgate also confirmed that Cedar Hill and Mike Ilitch Jr. Productions will serve as executive producers and investors on the sequel.
Starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth, The Passion of the Christ depicts the final hours of Jesus Christ’s life. The film remains the highest-grossing Christian film and the highest-grossing independent film of all time.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president of worldwide distribution Kevin Grayson said the restored release would allow long-time audiences to experience the film in a new way while introducing it to a new generation of cinema-goers. He added that the re-release marks the beginning of the journey towards The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One, which he described as one of the most ambitious and eagerly anticipated faith-based films to reach the big screen.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the re-release will also be supported by a newly created theatrical trailer for the 2004 blockbuster.
