Passion of the Christ, The

By: Corona's Coming Attractions
Date: Monday, June 14, 2004

Genre:
Historical/Religious.

Studio:
Unknown.

Production Company:
Icon Entertainment/Marquis Films.

Project Phase:
In the Can.

Who's In It:
Jim Caviezel (Jesus Christ); Monica Bellucci (Mary); Maia Morgenstern (Mary Magdalene); Francesco Cabras; Rosalinda Celentano; Ivano Marescotti; Sergio Rubini.

Who's Making It:
Mel Gibson (Director); Benedict Fitzgerald, Mel Gibson (Screenwriters); Mel Gibson, Steven McEveety, Bruce Davey (Producers); Caleb Deschanel (Director of Photography).

Premise:
Chronicling the final 24 hours of life of Jesus Christ as he is tried, sentenced and crucified by Roman soldiers.

Release Date:
February 25, 2004.

Comments:
Regardless on how you may feel about this film's sensitive subject matter, you've got to give Mel Gibson props for taking creative chances that any other A-list actor would shy away from.

Before the picture began shooting in 2002, Gibson has told members of the press that he planned on having the actors speak in Latin and Aramaic, as people at that time and place used. However, Gibson also expressed his desire to not use subtitles in his film, feeling that the power of the scenes and the acting would connect with audiences even if they didn't understand the words spoken on-screen. It remains to be seen if Gibson will release The Passion in this way or if he will add subtitles.

Scoop Feedback:

August 1, 2003... Our page for THE PASSION goes online. At the present time the film is without a distributor and as such does not have an official release date.

August 12, 2003... The controversy surrounding Mel Gibson's chronicle of the final 24 hours of Christ's life, THE PASSION, has intensified. Members of the Anti-Defamation League watched the film last week and released a statement this past Monday calling on Gibson to change the film because they believe it contains material that's anti-Semetic.

"The film unambiguously portrays Jewish authorities and the Jewish mob as the ones responsible for the decision to crucify Jesus," said Abraham Foxman, the National Director of Anti-Defamation League. "We are deeply concerned that the film, if released in its present form, will fuel the hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism that many responsible churches have worked hard to repudiate."

A representative for Gibson said that was never the intension of the director nor the film. "This film is about love, hope, faith and forgiveness," claims Gibson's spokeperson Alan Nierob.

This hasn't been the first time THE PASSION has been embroiled in controversy, often polarizing religious Christian and Jewish leaders who have been invited to see an early screening of the picture. Even with Gibson's Oscar-winning track record the $30 million dollar production has yet to acquire domestic distribution.

Four minutes of THE PASSION will be screened today to prospective distributors at the Australia Movie Convention. [The Hollywood Reporter.]

August 25, 2003... Variety

reports that Mel Gibson's latest movie, THE PASSION, may be close to finding a domestic distributor. According to the trade, at least four indie divisions and/or Hollywood studios -- Newmarket Capital Group, Paramount Classics, Sony Classics and Lions Gate Films -- are interested in releasing the film to North American audiences. So far the movie hasn't been screened to any representatives from the distributors.

It's a positive sign that, even with the controversy sparked by the film among religious organizations, audiences will have the chance to see the movie shortly. Gibson has stated that he hopes for a release of THE PASSION around April of next year. [Variety.]

October 22, 2003... Mel Gibson's controversial film about the final hours of Jesus Christ has finally found a domestic distributor. Newmarket will handle the North American roll-out of THE PASSION OF CHRIST, which is the slightly altered title that THE PASSION is now known by. Newmarket will get a percentage of the film's gross while Gibson's Icon Productions retails all of the movie's rights. The director is hoping for a release to coincide with next year's Ash Wednesday, February 25. [Variety.]

December 2, 2003... Thanks to a scooper, we were informed that an internet presense for Mel Gibson's upcoming film THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST has been established. While it's little more than a bare bones placecard for what will be the film's official website, the URL www.thepassionofthechrist.com does take you to an active webpage that promises further details will be coming shortly. [Anonymous.]

January 9, 2004... An anonymous scooper wrote in to tell us that Mel Gibson is hard at work supervising the scoring of his film THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST right now in London. The same scooper also reports that Gibson will also screen the film to two more groups of religious leaders, pastors and church clergy later this month in Lake Forest, CA and Chicago, IL. Both screenings will take place at an undisclosed "church location".

We'll have the chance to see THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST when it opens in release on February 25.

[Anonymous.]

January 16, 2004... Yahoo! Movies is hosting the trailer for Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, the controversial film about the final hours in the life of Jesus Christ. The trailer is available in three formats, Windows Media Player, QuickTime and Real Player. It opens in theaters on February 25.

You can choose which format you want to download by clicking here. [Yahoo.]

February 4, 2004... The New York Times reports that director Mel Gibson is making a minor cut to his latest film, the controversial story about the final hours in the life of Jesus, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. The scene in question is, according to a Times source, where the Jewish priest Caiaphas utters the line to his people "His blood be on us and on our children."

Jewish religious leaders have attacked Gibson and claimed that the film would cause a new wave of anti-Semitism because it depicts Jews as being partially responsible for the death of Jesus. While many passion plays and the story of Christ's death in the Bible do include the material featuring Caiaphas and the crowd's request for Christ to be crucified, a wave of anti-Semitism in Europe has left Jewish leader worried that Gibson's film could fan the flames of intolerance even further.

Responding to the reason why Gibson reportedly removed the scene in question, the Times' source said "It didn't work in focus screenings. Maybe it was thought to be too hurtful, or taken not in the way it was intended. It has been used terribly over the years."

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST opens in theaters on February 25. [The New York Times.]

After Its Release:

June 14, 2004... Fox Home Video will bring THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST to home video on August 31, 2004. The DVD will come in both widescreen and full-screen versions and include the film's theatrical trailer. Follow our link below to order the widescreen version.