Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 05/16/25

Note: I was planning on using this post to continue my rant about the future of network television in the streaming era but then my inbox got flooded with a whole lot of  interesting news notes so I’ve decided my pearls of wisdom can wait until next week.

Mel Gibson’s next “Passion” project. The Resurrection of the Christ is a followup to Gibson’s 2004 landmark film The Passion of the Christ that is likely to attract much of the same audience. In any event, Gibson, Bruce Davey and their  Icon Productions banner have chosen Lionsgate to be their studio partner as the project moves forward. The announcement was jointly made yesterday by Gibson and Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chairman Adam Fogelson.

Gibson has a long association with Lionsgate, including working with the studio on such films as Hacksaw Ridge and Flight Risk, the recent thriller starring Mark Wahlberg. Lionsgate is also the distributor of the Icon library which, it should be noted, includes The Passion of the Christ.

Calling The Resurrection of the Christ “the most anticipated theatrical event in a generation,” Fogelson goes on to say that “It is also an awe-inspiring and spectacularly epic theatrical film that is going to leave moviegoers worldwide breathless…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.”

Gibson adds, “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…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.”

In 2004 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.
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Not your father’s rabbi. A small-town rabbi becomes an unlikely gunfighter after his community is violently attacked. That’s the logline for Guns & Moses, the new action film starring Mark Feuerstein (Royal Pains) set to hit theaters nationwide this summer. Directed by Salvador Litvak and co-written with his wife Nina, the story is inspired by the 2019 shooting and murder at the  Chabad of Poway Orthodox synagogue in California. In the movie, Rabbi Mo Zaltzman (Feuerstein) becomes an unlikely gunfighter after a violent attack on his community. As the  director explains, “In crafting Guns & Moses we aimed to make Rabbi Mo an iconic character, dedicated to the proposition that even the least likely among us will step up when we need him or her the most.” The film, of course, arrives at a time of rising antisemitism in the U.S. and around the world exemplified by much of the reaction to the murders of October 7th  as well as the recent attack on the home of  Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

The movie includes authentic firearms training based on Salvador Litvak’s own experience as a member of Magen Am, a volunteer organization that trains and licenses members to protect their synagogues and other Jewish institutions, while emphasizing safety and situational awareness.

On how recent events have affected him, Litvak says  “I did not grow up around guns. Like many American Jews, I didn’t consider the Second Amendment to be very important. As an adult, however, I became an Orthodox Jew – which is to say a visible Jew – and I grew increasingly aware of the danger to our community. So, like Rabbi Mo, I stepped up and became a guardian. I hope that our movie will inspire others to do the same and, having hardened our perimeter, I pray we’ll never be put to the test.”

You can check out the film’s trailer here.
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Will this be a Superman summer? The new trailer for the latest iteration of the Man of Steel just dropped and it’s clear Warner Bros. thinks it has a winner in the James Gunn written and directed movie. I’m inclined to agree. In the film, Superman/Clark Kent (David Corenswet, Twisters) finds his traditional values of protecting the weak from the strong under political fire. His arch enemy Les Luthor even seeks to dehumanize him by declaring that “Superman is not a man. He’s an it.” My belief is beware of anyone from either side of the political argument who literally has a problem with humanizing their opponents.
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Following the success of the 2024 feature film Homestead, the film and TV platform Angel has greenlit its TV series spinoff for a second season. The show stars Bailey Chase (Longmire), Charles Esten (Nashville), Dawn Oliveri (1883), Jill Wagner (Lioness), and Jesse Hutch (Freddy vs. Jason).

Speaking of the renewal, Angel President Jordan Harmon says “Homestead has captivated audiences worldwide with its bold and uplifting vision of the post-apocalyptic genre…The stellar cast, fueled by the unwavering support of our Angel Guild, has not only has allowed us to greenlight the completion of Season 1 but also secured an early greenlight for Season 2, ensuring fans can dive back into the story sooner than ever.”

Directed by Ben Smallbone and produced by Ben Kasica and Andrea Royer, Season 2 will continue to follow the residents of the Homestead as they navigate new threats, internal conflicts, and the ongoing struggle to rebuild in a fractured world.

Looking ahead Kasica, who serves as showrunner, explains that upcoming episodes will follow Homestead as it transitions from a survivalist stronghold “into the fragile heart of a new civilization – where rising hope collides with the threat of war.”

Based on the bestselling Black Autumn book series by Jeff Kirkham and Jason Ross, Homestead has captivated viewers with its unique blend of action, faith-driven hope, and themes of resilience and community. The story follows ex-Green Beret Jeff Eriksson (Chase), who leads his family to a fortified prepper compound after a nuclear detonation in Los Angeles plunges the nation into chaos. Alongside key characters played by Esten and Hutch, the series explores survival, unity, and the strength of the human spirit in a collapsing world.
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Finally… former Lost star Josh Holloway spoke with Hollywood Reporter about several things, including his upcoming movie western Flint (based on an acclaimed Louis L’Amour).

Toward the end of the interview, Holloway says “I’ve been chasing L’Amour’s son, Beau, for 20 years for this role. I was on Lost for our first meeting about Flint. I wasn’t the right age then, because Flint was an older character. It took all that time, and I kept presenting him with different ideas. Finally, I got a call that some billionaire wants to fund it. We all fly down to Sarasota, got picked up in a chopper, went to this beautiful farm, and the next thing you know, we’re making Flint. So I’m like, “Wow! I guess that’s how this industry works.”

That billionaire is Life of Your Dreams author and entrepreneur Mark Pentecost who told me about the project in a conversation I posted last week. Glad that things are moving forward!

John W. Kennedy is a writer, producer and media development consultant specializing in television and movie projects that uphold positive timeless values, including trust in God.