Lionsgate Teams Up with Mel Gibson's Icon Productions for 'The Resurrection of the Christ'

SANTA MONICA, California (PRESS RELEASE)— Multiple Oscar-winning director and producers Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey, and their Icon Productions banner, have chosen Lionsgate to be the studio partner on the highly anticipated motion picture The Resurrection of the Christ, the follow-up to their landmark 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, which until last year was the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time domestically. The announcement was jointly made today by Adam Fogelson, chair, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, and Mel Gibson.

The Passion of the Christ debuted to an opening weekend of $83 million on its way to taking in $370 million in North American theaters and more than $610 million globally off a $30 million production budget.

The deal continues Gibson’s long association with Lionsgate, where he made his two most recent films: the Oscar-nominated Hacksaw Ridge and the thriller Flight Risk. The studio is also the distributor for the Icon library, including The Passion of the Christ.

“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,” said Fogelson. “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,” added Gibson. “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.”

‘The Resurrection of the Christ’ is set to begin production in Italy this August, with its official release date yet to be announced.