R-Rated Historical Epic Resurrects on Streaming for Easter Weekend

1 week ago 6

Claudia Gerini wears a green headdress as Claudia Procles in 'The Passion of the Christ'

Published Apr 7, 2026, 4:30 AM EDT

Rohan Naahar is a Weekend News Writer for Collider. From Francois Ozon to David Fincher, he'll watch anything once.

He has covered everything from Marvel to the Oscars, and Marvel at the Oscars. He also writes obsessively about the box office, charting the many hits and misses that are released weekly, and how their commercial performance shapes public perception. In his time at Collider, he has also helped drive diversity by writing stories about the multiple Indian film industries, with a goal of introducing audiences to a whole new world of cinema.

When a movie does well in theaters, it tends to do well on other platforms as well. On other occasions, movies that weren't able to find an audience during their theatrical runs find their people when they're released on home video. Sometimes, these two categories intersect. A box-office hit that has remained a fan-favorite over the last two decades was resurrected by audiences this past weekend. Over the years, it has emerged as something of an Easter tradition for its admirers, who are now looking forward to a long-awaited sequel that will be released in two parts in 2027. The movie in question remains the top-grossing religious film of all time, and was, until a few years ago, the top-grossing R-rated movie in domestic box-office history.

It grossed more than $610 million worldwide, of which around $370 million came from North American theaters. Released in 2004, the movie was highly controversial for its subject matter and was even banned in a handful of territories owing to its religious themes. A section of the public also accused it of being anti-Semitic, while others took offense to its portrayal of violence, which was perceived as excessive. The late critic Roger Ebert described it as "the most violent film" that he had ever watched. We're talking, of course, about The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson and headlined by Jim Caviezel.

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'The Passion of the Christ' Is Getting a Long-Awaited Follow-Up

The movie received divisive reviews upon release. It now holds a 50% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, "Director Mel Gibson's zeal is unmistakable, but The Passion of the Christ will leave many viewers emotionally drained rather than spiritually uplifted." However, the film's audience score on the aggregator is perched at a far more favorable 81%, which is one of the key reasons for its sustained success at home. According to FlixPatrol, The Passion of the Christ was among the most-watched movies on the domestic iTunes and Vudu charts on Easter. The long-awaited follow-up, The Resurrection of the Christ, will be released in two parts in 2027 and is currently in production. Caviezel won't be returning as Jesus, with Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen cast as his replacement.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.