Mel Gibson’s New Jesus & Mary Magdalene Revealed: Jaakko Ohtonen & Mariela Garriga Join ‘Resurrection’ Cast!

Mel Gibson’s upcoming film, “The Resurrection of the Christ,” a sequel to his 2004 hit “The Passion of the Christ,” has now cast Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen, known from “The Last Kingdom,” as Jesus, taking over from the originally cast Jim Caviezel.

Filming for the movie commenced last week at the iconic Cinecittà Studios in Rome, where the entire main cast has been refreshed. Over two decades earlier, Gibson filmed the original “Passion of the Christ” at the same location, which amassed over $610 million globally, making it one of the highest-earning independent films ever. “The Resurrection of the Christ” is planned to be released in two separate installments, both scheduled for 2027.

In this sequel, Mariela Garriga, who appeared in the “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning” series, takes on the role of Mary Magdalene, originally played by Monica Bellucci. Kasia Smutniak, born in Poland and featured in “Domina,” will portray Mary, replacing Maia Morgenstern. Italy’s Pier Luigi Pasino, from Netflix’s “The Law According to Lidia Poët,” will play Peter, and Riccardo Scamarcio, also Italian, known from the Johnny Depp-directed “Modì,” will assume the role of Pontius Pilate. Additionally, Rupert Everett is set to appear in a minor yet significant role.

Due to the specific timeline of “The Resurrection of the Christ”—which occurs just three days after Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday—the decision to recast the entire film was logical, as explained by a source close to the production to The Bangin Beats. They noted that using extensive CGI for de-aging would have been prohibitively expensive.

Earlier this year, 57-year-old Caviezel had expressed on the “Arroyo Grande” podcast his willingness to return to his iconic portrayal of Jesus. However, the role has now been assigned to 36-year-old Ohtonen, who gained recognition playing the Danish warrior Wolland in the fifth season of Netflix’s “The Last Kingdom.”

“The Resurrection of the Christ” is being produced by Gibson, Bruce Davey, and their Icon Productions banner, with Lionsgate partnering as the studio.

The original film, presented in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin, aimed to offer a historically authentic and immersive experience, depicting the final 12 hours before Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Gibson has described the sequels as an “acid trip,” praising the unique and compelling scripts he co-wrote with “Braveheart” screenwriter Randall Wallace. As the title suggests, the plot will center around the resurrection of Jesus Christ, though specific story details remain confidential.

“The Resurrection of the Christ Part One” is scheduled for release on Good Friday, March 26, 2027, with “Part Two” following on Ascension Day, May 6. Lionsgate will distribute the films in theaters.

Besides shooting at Cinecittà, using the new Studio 22 facility, additional filming for “Resurrection” will take place in Matera, a historic town in southern Italy. Gibson plans to capture other scenes in the ancient rural locales of Southern Italy, including Ginosa, Gravina Laterza, and Altamura.