Screenwriter Randall Wallace has disclosed that actor and filmmaker Mel Gibson warned him they could face spiritual attacks before beginning work on The Resurrection of the Christ, the sequel to the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. Wallace, 76, made the revelation during an appearance on Raymond Arroyo's podcast, Arroyo Grande, where he reflected on his long-standing collaboration with Gibson, which includes Braveheart, We Were Soldiers and Hacksaw Ridge.
Origins of the Sequel Idea
Wallace, who co-wrote the screenplay for The Resurrection of the Christ alongside Gibson and the director's brother, Donal Gibson, said he was the one who first suggested making a film centred on Jesus Christ's resurrection. "Mel didn't approach me. I approached him, actually," Wallace said. He explained that although Gibson had often thought about the Resurrection over the years, the original version of The Passion of the Christ did not include the resurrection sequence. "In fact, in the original The Passion of the Christ, the original cut didn't have the resurrection scene. He was getting feedback from people saying, 'We really want to see that,'" Wallace said.
Gibson later added a brief resurrection scene to conclude the film, showing Jesus rising from the tomb and revealing the wounds in his hands. Wallace said the idea for a full-length sequel was discussed while he and Gibson were promoting Hacksaw Ridge in 2016. "Having studied the Resurrection and being so consumed by it, I thought about it many times," Wallace recalled. "When we were promoting Hacksaw Ridge, we were sitting there talking about our lives, and I said, 'Look, you know, the story that you really need to tell is the Resurrection.'"
Gibson's Spiritual Warning
According to Wallace, Gibson paused before responding and stressed that the project should not be driven by financial gain or personal motives. "There was this long pause, and he said something profoundly beautiful. He said, 'If we do this, it can't be for the money, and it can't be to get back at people that have hated us or wronged us or been unhappy with us,'" Wallace said. Wallace said he agreed with Gibson before the filmmaker issued what he described as a spiritual warning. "Then he said, 'You know, Satan's going to come after you.'" Wallace said he initially joked about the remark but later reflected on its significance, leading to what he described as a meaningful discussion about grace between the two men.
Development and Production
He explained that the conversation marked the beginning of their collaboration on the screenplay, with both writers working together and separately over several years to develop the story. Gibson has previously disclosed that he, Wallace and Donal Gibson spent between six and eight years writing and refining the script for The Resurrection of the Christ, which will be released as a two-part film. Production on the sequel was completed earlier this year. The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One is scheduled for release on May 6, 2027, coinciding with the Christian observance of Ascension Day, while Part Two is set to premiere on May 25, 2028.
Gibson's Statement on the Project
In a statement announcing the completion of production, Gibson described the project as one of the most important works of his career. "This film represents a major part of my life's work, and it has demanded everything of me as a filmmaker and as an artist. This is far more than a film to me. It's a mission I've carried for over 20 years to tell what I believe is the most important story in human history," he said.
What to Expect from the Sequel
Reflecting on the upcoming sequel, Wallace said audiences should expect a unique portrayal of the Resurrection while remaining faithful to Christian belief. "The interesting thing is that, while in some ways... I want to keep it all secret about what's going to happen. But the ultimate movie, in some ways, will have elements that people have never seen before," he said. "In fact, in many ways, it'll be stuff nobody's ever seen. And yet I believe it'll be, in a certain way, the most orthodox telling. It'll be the most consistent telling of the overall belief, the awe and the mystery that Christians experience when they experience the Resurrection."
