Lionsgate has made a strategic shift in the release dates for Mel Gibson's highly anticipated film, "The Resurrection of the Christ." The two-part epic will now premiere on May 6, 2027 (Ascension Day) for Part One, and Part Two will follow on May 25, 2028—a weekend that coincides with both Ascension Day and Memorial Day. The previous release dates, which had been set for March 26, 2027 (Good Friday) for Part One and just 40 days later on Ascension Day, were deemed too close together given the scale of the productions.
The studio has also announced that "Day Drinker," starring Johnny Depp, will take the March 26, 2027 slot. Principal photography for the follow-up to Gibson's 2024 epic "The Passion of the Christ" has been completed after 134 days of shooting in Italy across various locations such as Rome, Bari, Ginosa, Craco, Brindisi, and Matera.
The film stars an impressive cast including Jaakko Ohtonen, Mariela Garriga, Pier Luigi Pasino, Kasia Smutniak, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Rupert Everett. Lionsgate will release the film in North America and the UK, as well as in Latin America through its JV with IDC. The studio has also partnered with international distribution partners such as Leonine (Germany), Metropolitan Film (France), Diamond (Spain), Dutch Filmworks (Benelux), Mis. Label (Scandinavia), Sun Africa (South Africa), Monolith (Poland), Vertical Entertainment (Eastern Europe), Blitz Film (Ex-Yugo), Ascot Elite (Switzerland), Pris Audiovisuais (Portugal), and Acme (Baltics) for distribution in other territories. Icon will release the film in Australia/New Zealand.
"Mel is a true visionary with an artist's eye for scale and a storyteller's instinct for emotional truth," said Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. "Every image we've seen from set feels like a masterwork painting brought to life. There are very few directors who can operate at this level of epic spectacle while at the same time delivering such depth and conviction. Mel has crafted a film of extraordinary ambition that audiences worldwide have been waiting to experience for over 20 years."
Gibson expressed his gratitude to his talented cast and crew for their dedication to the production. "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," he said. "Reuniting with many of my original collaborators from 'The Passion of the Christ' allowed us to bring this story to the screen exactly as I envisioned it, with the tremendous support of my longtime partners at Lionsgate."
The original "The Passion of the Christ," which debuted in 2004, grossed over $610 million globally off a $30 million production budget—an early indication of the box office clout of faith-based films. It garnered three Oscar nominations for Makeup, Cinematography, and Original Score.
Lionsgate has been home to Gibson's recent films such as the WWII drama "Hacksaw Ridge" starring Andrew Garfield and the thriller "Flight Risk" starring Mark Wahlberg. The studio is also the distributor for the Icon library, including "The Passion of the Christ."
