Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey, and their Icon Productions banner, have chosen Lionsgate as the studio partner on “The Resurrection of the Christ,” the follow-up to their landmark 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ.”
Until last year, “The Passion” was the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time domestically. It debuted to an opening weekend of $83 million before earning $370 million in North American theaters and more than $610 million globally off a $30 million production budget.
“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 Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam 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.”
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.
From Variety US
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