Mel Gibson arrived in Toronto to talk about the future of The Passion of the Christ at Toronto's Fan Expo.
During a Q&A at Fan Expo Canada on Aug. 29, Gibson revealed that he is currently editing The Resurrection of the Christ and handling its post-production work in Toronto. The long-awaited sequel to his 2004 religious blockbuster has been split into two films, with the first scheduled for 2027.
“I’m editing and doing all the post-production work here in Toronto,” Gibson told the crowd, according to the Toronto Sun.
The Resurrection of the Christ was filmed in Italy over 135 days and has grown considerably in scope from the original conception of a single sequel.Gibson said the production recreated Jerusalem, Damascus and parts of Egypt, describing the new films as larger than The Passion of the Christ, which earned more than $600 million worldwide.
That revelation, however, was not the headline of that chat. Rather, video from the event circulated online showing the actor making exaggerated hand gestures behind an American Sign Language interpreter as he walked onto the stage. The footage prompted widespread criticism, with some viewers accusing Gibson of mocking the interpreter and describing the gesture as disrespectful to the deaf community.
Gibson subsequently apologized in a statement to Variety, characterizing what happened as “spontaneous thoughtless idiocy” and saying there was no malicious intent.
It's the latest in a career plagued with controversy for Gibson, including his 2006 antisemitic tirade during a DUI arrest and subsequent allegations concerning offensive and abusive behaviour.
