Mel Gibson Says ‘The Resurrection’ Will Flesh Out Gaps In The Gospels
Mel Gibson has said his upcoming two-part film "The Resurrection of the Christ" will expand on episodes not explicitly detailed in the Gospels, describing the four biblical accounts as "synoptic" and therefore incomplete. Speaking to The Christian Post, the director explained he wants to use supposition and analysis to fill narrative gaps around the crucifixion and resurrection without contradicting orthodox Christian teaching, aiming to surprise audiences with new interpretive detail.
Gibson has previously described the films' scope as unusually expansive, saying the story requires depicting the fall of the angels, the underworld realm of Sheol, the "firmament before creation" and both the "Hell of the just" and the "Hell of the damned". Lionsgate will distribute the films in North America, the UK and, via its joint venture IDC, in Latin America, with other international partners covering remaining territories. Part One is scheduled for release on 6 May 2027 (Ascension Day), with Part Two following on 25 May 2028.
- Gibson says new film will fill in Gospel narrative gaps
- Story spans Hell, Sheol and creation, not just Earth
- Part One out 6 May 2027; Part Two 25 May 2028
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Mel Gibson, the actor and director behind the 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ," is making a follow-up focused on what happens after the crucifixion. The new project, "The Resurrection of the Christ," is split into two films telling the story of Christ's death and resurrection, and Gibson has been discussing how he plans to handle parts of the story that the Bible doesn't spell out in detail.
The Gospels, the four New Testament accounts of Jesus's life, don't describe everything that happened during this period, and Gibson has said he intends to use his own interpretation to fill in some of those gaps, while trying to stay consistent with mainstream Christian belief. He has also spoken of depicting supernatural elements such as heaven, hell and the fall of the angels, suggesting the films will go beyond a straightforward retelling.
The films are being distributed by Lionsgate across several major markets, with Part One due for release in May 2027 and Part Two the following year. Given the size of the audience for the first film and the sensitivity of religious subject matter, how Gibson chooses to portray these untold episodes is likely to draw significant attention from both religious communities and general audiences.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of Gibson's approach would argue that filling narrative gaps in the Gospel accounts is a long-established creative and theological tradition, drawing on apocryphal writings, Church Fathers and centuries of religious art that have similarly speculated about episodes such as the Harrowing of Hell or the nature of Sheol. They would note that Gibson has explicitly committed to remaining consistent with orthodox Christian teaching, framing his work as reverent extrapolation rather than invention, and that cinema has always used imaginative licence to bring scripture to life for modern audiences without undermining its authority. For many believers, a thoughtfully researched dramatisation could deepen engagement with the Easter story rather than diminish it.
The case against
Others, particularly those from traditions emphasising scripture alone as the final authority, would caution that adding speculative detail to the Gospels risks blurring the line between divinely inspired text and human imagination, however well-intentioned. They might worry that audiences unfamiliar with theology could come away treating invented scenes, such as depictions of Hell or the fall of the angels, as biblically grounded rather than artistic conjecture. Given Gibson's history of contested creative choices in his previous Passion film, some would argue that such an ambitious expansion of the narrative deserves careful theological scrutiny before it reaches a mass audience, lest it inadvertently shape popular belief in ways scripture itself does not support.