How To Watch Passion Of The Christ At Home (And Whatever Happened To The Sequel?)
Each year, when Easter arrives, many feel the need to rewatch "The Passion of the Christ." Mel Gibson's faith-based masterpiece maintains an emotional, thought-provoking draw despite (and in many cases because of) the overwhelming and uncomfortable aspects of the subject matter. It's on theme with the season, and it is undoubtedly a well-produced version of the story. But where can you stream it?
"The Passion of the Christ" is available to stream on Plex, Kanopy, and the Family Apple TV Channel. It is also accessible via a subscription to UP Faith & Family Apple TV Channel, while you can watch "La Pasión de Cristo" in Spanish on ViX. As usual, if you want to access the movie via a more mainstream option, you can pay a few bucks (usually around $4) to rent the film on either Apple TV, Google Play Movies, or Vudu.
For many, "The Passion of the Christ" is the definitive cinematic depiction of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The entire movie takes place within a few days and most of it occurs within a single day. On that day, we see Jesus Christ (Jim Caviezel) captured, questioned, imprisoned, beaten, whipped, and forced to carry his own cross before being nailed to it and hung to die for the sins of all humanity. The depiction is brutal and understandably personal for many viewers. It gives imagery to an aspect of the Christian faith that is often too terrible to even imagine, let alone sit through for over two hours. And yet, it remains appointment viewing for a holiday that centers, for many, on Christ's devastating death and joyous resurrection, both of which are central to the Christian faith.
What's the situation with the sequel to The Passion of the Christ?
"The Passion of the Christ" wasn't a shoo-in for success. Backed by controversial director Mel Gibson, the film could have easily flopped. And yet, its original release window over the spring and holiday season of 2004, along with the compelling and controversial content of the movie itself, propelled it to box office success. It raked in $371 million domestically and $612 million overall during its theatrical run and remains one of the highest-grossing R-rated movies of all time in the United States.
The incredible success begs the question, what about a sequel? The original film ends as Jesus leaves the tomb, and sequel rumors have swirled for years. In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter claimed "Braveheart" screenwriter Randall Wallace had been tapped to write a script for the "Passion" sequel. In early 2023, nearly 20 years after the original movie was released, the project seemed more alive than ever when a further update claimed the sequel, called "The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection," had reportedly set a filming window and was set to break ground in the near future. Jim Caviezel would return as Jesus, but no other casting was announced. It's worth noting that, at the time of this writing, IMDb calls the film "Chapter I," implying that the follow-up films may be split into multiple parts. Caviezel himself seems to have confirmed this in an interview in mid-2023 when he said of the sequel story, "It will be the biggest film in history. It might be two films. Could be three, but I think it's two." Regardless of the number, there is no release date yet. It appears audiences will have to content themselves with a rewatch of the original for the time being.