'The Passion of the Christ' streaming this Holy Week
MANILA, Philippines — Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" will be available for streaming locally on Lionsgate Play beginning Maundy Thursday, April 17.
The film stars Jim Caviezel as Jesus Christ during His final 12 hours, from the Agony of the Garden to the Crucifixion.
Interspersed throughout the movie are other key moments in Jesus' life, briefly ending with the Resurrection.
With $612 million (P36.1 billion) at the global box office, it is the highest-grossing Christian film of all time (unadjusted for inflation) and remains the highest-grossing independent film ever as it was distributed by Newmarket Films.
Despite being controversial and polarizing for some viewers, it received Oscar nominations for its makeup, cinematography, and score, and still receives praises from annual screenings.
Gibson recounted at the time how his inspiration for "The Passion of the Christ" came from a period of "spiritual bankruptcy" that prompted him to turn towards the Bible for guidance.
Related: 'Acid trip': Mel Gibson gives updates on 'Passion of the Christ' sequel
In a 2004 interview with Sight Magazine, the filmmaker said he hopes the movie spurs viewers to investigate Christ's life for themselves, adding it's hard not to be impacted by the film and he didn't hold back on the strong images.
"[Caviezel] said there will be some people that it will freak out… (b)ut there will be other people who can't stop watching it, and even though they are horrified and terrified by it they will sit through the whole thing," Gibson also said. "By speaking very loudly, image and sound wise, it's going to make people think very deeply."
The director is currently working on a sequel "The Resurrection of the Christ" with his brother Donal and "Braveheart" screenwriter Randall Wallace.
"I think in order to really tell the story properly you have to really start with the fall of the angels, which means you're in another place, you're in another realm. You need to go to hell," Gibson said on Joe Rogan's podcast.
Gibson plans on tapping Caviezel again might admitted "a few techniques" would be needed to de-age the 56-year-old actor.
He also described it as "very ambitious," where the story moves from "the fall of the angels to the death of the last apostle," the latter being John the Evangelist.
RELATED: 'The Chosen' Season 5 part 1 being screened in theaters; Stations of the Cross to be launched
- Latest
- Trending
