Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:

Search

Distributor and Opening Are Set for Mel Gibson’s Film on Jesus

New York Times, USA
Oct. 23, 2003
BERNARD WEINRAUB
www.nytimes.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Friday October 24, 2003

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23 — Mel Gibson‘s film “The Passion of Christ” has found a distributor and will open nationwide on Feb. 25, Ash Wednesday, Mr. Gibson’s company and the distributor announced on Thursday.

Mr. Gibson’s company, Icon Productions, and Newmarket Films, a New York-based distribution and marketing company, said the film would be released in a joint partnership. It was initially called “The Passion,” but the title was recently changed because another movie had used it.

The announcement ends months of discussion and speculation about who would distribute the film, which depicts the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus. Mr. Gibson’s movies are usually distributed by 20th Century Fox, which chose not to release this one.

The movie, which vividly depicts Jesus’ suffering and death, has stirred intense reactions, positive and negative, even from people who have not seen it. Some Jewish groups have expressed fears that the movie is anti-Semitic because it suggests that Jewish officials were responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion. Mr. Gibson, who reportedly spent as much as $25 million of his own money to make the movie, has defended the film and has said it is not anti-Semitic.

Several Roman Catholic scholars have expressed concerns after reading the script, saying that it was not true to Scripture or Catholic teaching and that it twisted the role of Jews in the death of Jesus. But others who have seen the film at Mr. Gibson’s invitation, including evangelical leaders and conservative columnists, have lavishly praised it.

Newmarket Films, created last year as part of the Newmarket Capital Group, has most recently released the acclaimed movie “Whale Rider.” In the last few years the Newmarket Capital Group has produced or co-produced films that include “Memento,” “Cruel Intentions” and “The Mexican.”

William Tyrer, a partner in and a founder of Newmarket Capital Group, said it “was uniquely qualified to carefully handle this artistic achievement and honored to have the opportunity.”

He added, “We wouldn’t be supporting it if it was anti-Semitic.”