(LifeSiteNews) — Mel Gibson’s new The Resurrection of the Christ movie left the filmmaker “spiritually different” than he was 23 years ago, Gibson told Raymond Arroyo on Wednesday.
The new movie, due out next year, “asks more” of the viewer than the wildly popular The Passion of the Christ, the filmmaker also said.
Gibson and the EWTN host discussed the ongoing success and interest in The Passion.
The Passion of the Christ, first released in 2004, is being shown again in theaters Sept. 10 through Sept. 17. Attendees will also get an exclusive sneak peek of The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One.
The release dates for both parts have been pushed back. Part 1 will now hit theaters on May 6, 2027, and Part 2 on May 25, 2028 (both on Ascension Day), as LifeSiteNews reported.
They were originally slated to be released on Good Friday and Ascension Day in 2027, respectively.
The movie and time have also changed the actor, Gibson said.
“You have to be (spiritually different),” Gibson said in response to a question from Arroyo about how he has changed.
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Arroyo also called the new movie a “wild ride” throughout “all of salvation history.”
Gibson gave further insights into the movie, noting there will be scenes about Abraham and others that establish the context of the movie. Viewers need to understand how salvation history is “fulfilled in one person,” the actor said.
The new movie took 10 years of writing, Gibson added.
This movie will be in English, unlike The Passion, which used subtitles.
Gibson explained the change is because of the complexity of the story.
“Well, you had a focal point, and it was it was about human suffering, and it was about way more than that,” Gibson said, referring to the 2004 message. “But that was a rather simpler message to get across.”
“I think the complexity of an event like the Resurrection, which is impossible to comprehend, really has to delve into more sources,” Gibson said. “And I thought it was just silly to make people read subtitles in a foreign language when they were dealing with such heady concepts.”
“It asks more of you, but we help them along with their own language,” Gibson explained.
The interview ended on a serious note, as Gibson repeated the Four Last Things: “Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell.”
“I’m glad there’s a Resurrection coming,” Arroyo concluded.