Filming for “The Resurrection of the Christ,” Mel Gibson’s long-touted two-film sequel to “The Passion of the Christ,” has begun, and a recent interview revealed that Protestantism may be partly to thank. Screenwriter Randall Wallace recently joined the “Intersections Podcast,” where he discussed the germination of the film. Wallace has worked with Gibson on a number of successful films, including “The Passion,” “Braveheart,” and “Hacksaw Ridge.”

“I can tell you nothing about it and everything,” joked Wallace. He said he had been “fascinated” by the resurrection all his life. “We were having dinner one night, just the two of us in Dallas, and I said, ‘You know, the thing we need to do is the Resurrection. It’s an interesting thing. Catholic friends have said, and I don’t want to over-characterize anyone’s particular practice, but in Catholicism, there’s much more emphasis on the Crucifixion, on the Passion. One Catholic friend of mine said we almost never talk about the Resurrection,” Wallace, who is Baptist said. The discussion began as early as 2016, while the two were working on “Hacksaw Ridge” and promoting the film at a number of Protestant films.

Gibson, who is Catholic, seemed intrigued by the idea. “Mel is absolutely brilliant, and I knew he was listening really intently,” said Wallace. He highlighted the differences between Protestants and Catholics in the type of cross they use, with Protestants displaying the empty cross in remembrance of Christ’s resurrection while Catholics display crosses with Christ still on the cross in the midst of his crucifixion. “For a Protestant, it’s Christ has risen,” he said. “He’s off the Cross.”

Wallace acknowledged the risk Gibson was taking for spiritual warfare in telling a story that Satan doesn’t want to get out. “One of the things [Gibson] said to me was, ‘This can’t be for the money, it can’t be to prove anything to anybody. [With] this, our hearts have to be pure. I knew, at that moment, how dedicated he was, and that this was really going to be a ride,” said Wallace. The two are co-writing the screenplay for “Resurrection,” with Part One due to come out March 26, 2027 which is Good Friday and Part Two due to be released on May 6, 2027, which is Ascension Day, the day when Jesus returned back to Heaven after his resurrection.