Mel Gibson said his upcoming two-part sequel to the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ will address narrative elements left out of the biblical Gospels.

The Oscar-winning director made the comments in an interview with The Christian Post published this week. He noted that the synoptic Gospels do not tell everything about the life and works of Jesus Christ. Gibson referenced a passage from the Gospel of John indicating that many additional events occurred which could not all be recorded.

"If you look at the synoptic Gospels, and they are synoptic, which means they don't tell you everything," Gibson said. "And even John says, 'Y'know, hey, there were many other things [Jesus] said and did which, if they were to be written down, couldn't fill all the libraries of all the world,' right? So there's a lot of stuff that wasn't written, and the Gospels are synoptic."

The films, titled The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One and Part Two, are scheduled for release on May 6, 2027, and May 25, 2028, respectively. They follow the events after the crucifixion depicted in the original movie. Gibson described the story as non-linear, incorporating scenes before creation, in the firmament, and in realms of the just and the damned.

"One can look at these things and go, 'I wonder what was around that?' and try and analyze those things and make suppositions about what might have been," Gibson added. He emphasized that the additions aim to enhance orthodox Christian teaching rather than contradict it.

The project marks a shift from the original film, with the new entries filmed in English rather than Aramaic and Latin. Lionsgate is distributing the films, each with a reported budget near $100 million to $125 million. A new actor, Jaakko Ohtonen, portrays Jesus, while Mariela Garriga plays Mary Magdalene.

Gibson has worked on the screenplay for nearly a decade alongside Randall Wallace and his brother Donal Gibson. Principal photography wrapped earlier this year in Rome. The director has described the effort as a personal mission to present what he regards as verifiable history.

The announcement comes amid ongoing interest in faith-based cinema. The original The Passion of the Christ grossed over $600 million worldwide despite its graphic content and limited marketing.