Controversial Mel Gibson Movie Surges on Netflix 21 Years Later!

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A contentious film featuring actor-director Mel Gibson is causing a stir on Netflix. Known for his beginnings in the Australian film industry, Gibson gained recognition as the lead in the 1979 movie “Mad Max” and its subsequent sequels. He later starred in various well-known films such as Franco Zeffirelli’s 1990 adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, the 1995 Disney animated film “Pocahontas”, and the four-part action-comedy series “Lethal Weapon” from 1987 to 1998.

It’s worth noting that, in addition to acting in several films, Mel Gibson has also taken on the role of director. For instance, he directed “The Man Without a Face” from 1993 and “Braveheart” in 1995, which won an impressive five Oscars, including Best Picture. However, as his career progressed, he predominantly worked behind the scenes for various notable productions like the 2016 war movie “Hacksaw Ridge” starring Andrew Garfield, the 2025 thriller “Flight Risk” featuring Mark Wahlberg, and a controversial classic that has been garnering attention on streaming platforms.

The Passion Of The Christ Has Found New Life On Netflix

The Movie Is Now A Global Hit

In 2004, Mel Gibson’s directed film titled The Passion of the Christ has achieved global success on Netflix. This movie, with Jim Caviezel portraying Jesus Christ, chronicles the last 12 hours of the revered religious figure’s life. However, it was a contentious production, with reasons ranging from its graphic violence, depiction of Jesus as an embodiment of pain and suffering instead of love, and certain characterizations that sparked allegations of antisemitism. Despite these controversies, the movie was incredibly successful, earning a massive $612.1 million against a budget of only $30 million, placing it among the top 5 highest-grossing films globally for that year.

For the week of April 18 to April 24, Netflix has compiled its global chart of the most-watched Non-English films on their platform. Interestingly, The Passion of the Christ has entered this list at position 2, having been watched by 8.5 million users who collectively spent 17.1 million hours viewing it. The movie appeared in the Top 10 lists in a total of 46 countries and secured the top spot in 10 nations, including Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, El Salvador, and Lebanon.

This debut on the chart comes several weeks after the movie arrived on the platform, on March 28.

What This Means For The Passion Of The Christ

Can It Stay On The Chart?

The real proof that Mel Gibson’s movie is a success on Netflix will come from whether it stays on their chart, as it debuted during Easter week. This holiday has a strong connection to the story of Jesus, which may have prompted many celebrants to watch or rewatch the film. If the movie disappears from the chart the following week, the renewed interest in the project could signal that the upcoming Passion of the Christ sequel, The Resurrection of the Christ, is set to debut at an opportune moment to appeal to its primary audience.

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2025-04-24 18:00