Mel Gibson working on 'Passion of the Christ' sequel

LOS ANGELES, June 10 (UPI) -- Mel Gibson is working on a sequel to The Passion of the Christ that will tell the story of the resurrection of Jesus, the film's writer said.

Randall Wallace, an Academy Award nominee for writing Gibson's 1995 film Braveheart, confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter the two began serious work on a sequel to Passion as they finished working on their current film Hacksaw Ridge, due out in November.

"I always wanted to tell this story," said Wallace, who studied religion at Duke University. "The Passion is the beginning and there's a lot more story to tell."

Wallace, who also co-wrote and directed the 2014 faith-based film Heaven Is for Real, wrote Gibson's new movie about World War II Army medic Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Wallace said the sequel doesn't yet have financial backing, but The Passion, Gibson's 2004 story of the persecution and crucifixion of Jesus, was the highest grossing independent film in movie history, earning $612 million. It was also the highest grossing R-rated film until this year's Deadpool.

Gibson's career has struggled since his 2006 DUI arrest when went on a racist and sexist rant to California police officers. He has been working his way back with supporting roles in films like Machete Kills and The Expendables 3. He is only directing Hacksaw Ridge.