Where to watch The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Trivia & production notes

• Mel Gibson financed the entire production and marketing costs himself through Icon Productions, totaling approximately $45 million, without securing outside studio backing.
• Gibson reused part of the set from Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York, which had recently wrapped, saving significant time and money on construction.
• The screenplay was written in English by Gibson and Benedict Fitzgerald, then translated into Latin and reconstructed Aramaic by William Fulco, a Jesuit professor.
• Gibson deliberately chose ancient languages without subtitles because he believed the well-known story of the Passion would lose its impact if told in modern dialogue.
• During filming, set production assistant Jan Michelini was struck by lightning twice and earned the nickname "Lighting Boy" in the credits; actor Jim Caviezel was also struck minutes later.
• Multiple priests were stationed on set daily, including one who provided Jim Caviezel with regular confession and communion, and several celebrated Traditional Latin Mass for cast and crew.
• Gibson self-distributed the film in the United States with the help of independent distributor Newmarket Films after 20th Century Fox declined to release it amid public protests.
• John Debney's orchestral score was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Music Score, and the soundtrack received a Dove Award in 2005.
• Gibson screened the film for over eighty audiences between mid-2003 and its February 2004 release, including evangelical leaders and pastors at major churches.
• Screenwriter Benedict Fitzgerald sued Gibson in 2008 for allegedly being defrauded of millions and for incorrectly losing co-writing credit, settling for an undisclosed amount in 2009.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article The Passion of the Christ, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Rewritten for StreamShack; errors are ours — tell us about them.