Cinema is unique in bringing together groups of people who may otherwise not connect naturally. When The Passion of The Christ hit theaters in 2004, it was a huge success, earning more than $623 million worldwide. The film was the most well-made and brutal depiction of the crucifixion ever committed to film.

Many regard the film as the most successful faith-based film of all time. It does what any great piece of cinema should do: it moves and makes us think. It challenges audiences to reconcile one of the most iconic images of our culture, a bleeding, tortured man nailed to a cross with a crown of thorns atop his head. The film also inspires the imagination in the realm of miracles, celestial beings, good and evil, and the meaning of loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness.

For all these reasons and more, regardless of worldview, Mel Gibson’s next installment will bring curiosity, fear, love, excitement, pity, and shame; choose your emotion. According to actor Jim Caviezel, who read a recent script draft, we’re in store for Mel Gibson’s magnum opus. The film is tentatively set to premiere in February 2024.

The book is by Helen Bond, a celebrated professor of Christian Origins and the New Testament. While Satan only had a couple of cameos in Passion, it sounds like much of the film will take place in hell, where we will likely be treated to Gibson’s interpretation of eternal suffering. This experience will probably put Clive Barker’s Hellraiser 2: Hellbound to shame. Horror hounds will undoubtedly flock to the theater for this nightmarish entry.

There is a necessity in a film to communicate an idea effectively, and textures of nature often appear as a kind of universal metaphor. It will not be surprising if sentient trees or rocks represent celestial beings in the sequel to The Passion of the Christ. Still, considering Mel Gibson’s instincts toward conventional wisdom, we may be in store for something more specific and potentially divisive.

Gibson has seeded what some have interpreted as leanings toward embracing ancient alien theory. When discussing his plans for The Passion sequel on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2016, Gibson emphasized “another realm” that may or may not be isolated to the confines of hell. The talk was vague enough to invite cosmic purists to the table, allowing for a full-scale, no-holds-barred approach to the biblical mythology, which quickly invites cosmic speculation.

A visually imaginative take on God’s physical form and technology would surely excite genre fans but may alienate the faith-based target audience. It’s unclear how Gibson plans to bring it all to life, but the film is sure to be a smash hit regardless. Hopefully, there will be some news about the film’s production start date.