Oscar-winning director and producers Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey and their Icon Productions banner have teamed with Lionsgate as the studio partner on “The Resurrection of the Christ,” the follow-up to 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ.” The announcement was made today by Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.
The deal is the latest collaboration between Gibson and Lionsgate, following his two most recent films as a director – this year’s “Flight Risk,” starring Mark Wahlberg, and the Oscar-nominated “Hacksaw Ridge.” It also adds to the studio’s previous faith-based projects “I Can Only Imagine” and “Jesus Revolution,” along with the forthcoming “I Can Only Imagine 2” and its handling of the global distribution for “The Chosen.”
“For many, many people across the globe, ‘The Resurrection of the Christ’ is the most anticipated theatrical event in a generation. It is also an awe-inspiring and spectacularly epic theatrical film that is going to leave moviegoers worldwide breathless,” Fogelson said in a statement. “Mel is one of the greatest directors of our time, and this project is both deeply personal to him and the perfect showcase for his talents as a filmmaker. My relationship with Mel and Bruce dates back 30 years, and I am thrilled to be partnering with them once again on this landmark event for audiences.”
“Lionsgate’s brave, innovative spirit and nimble, can-do attitude have inspired me for a long time, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect distributor for ‘The Resurrection of the Christ,’” Gibson added. “I’ve enjoyed working with Adam and the team several times over recent years. I know the clever ingenuity, passion and ambition the entire team commits to their projects and I’m confident they will bring everything they can to the release of this movie.”
Lauren Bixby, John Biondo and Grace Clements oversaw the deal on behalf of the studio. Bruce Davey and Vicki Christianson of Icon, Jim Osborne of IAG and attorney Joel VanderKloot oversaw on behalf of the filmmakers.
