In a recent appearance on the “Arroyo Grande” show, Caviezel opened up about his return to the role 20 years after “The Passion of the Christ,” offering a glimpse into his mental, physical and spiritual approach to what he calls a spiritual war.
“I’m not going to play Jesus,” Caviezel said. “I need Him to play me.”
His preparation includes reading Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters.
The sequel is set to begin filming in Rome this August, with a targeted 2026 release date. Mel Gibson, who is directing the film, recently told podcaster Joe Rogan the movie will be an “acid trip,” a surreal and intense exploration of the aftermath of Christ’s Crucifixion.
Caviezel, now 56, will reportedly be digitally de-aged to portray a 33-year-old Jesus.
Caviezel recalled the physically grueling and spiritually taxing conditions on the set of “The Passion of the Christ,” which included dislocated shoulders, hypothermia and being struck by lightning while filming the Crucifixion scene.
Despite the trauma, Caviezel said he didn’t hesitate when Gibson approached him about the sequel.
The actor said he’s been reading The Screwtape Letters, Lewis’ classic work that imagines demonic correspondence, to help him get into the mindset of “the thoughts of evil.”