Jim Caviezel Returns as Jesus
Filed under: Drama, Casting, Newmarket, Home Entertainment, Religious
There aren't any plans for an official sequel to The Passion of the Christ (unofficial is another story), but one Bible publisher is producing what seems to be a related product. This October, Nelson Bibles will release a 25-hour audiobook of the New King James Version complete with a star-studded cast, including Jim Caviezel as the voice of Jesus. The rest of the Passion cast has been substituted with other big names, and there doesn't seem to be any affiliation with Newmarket Films or Mel Gibson, but obviously Nelson is using the connection to its advantage. Otherwise the real appeal of the audiobook, entitled The Word of Promise: New Testament, should be Terrence Stamp, who provides the voice of God, and Richard Dreyfuss, who plays Moses.
There will be a follow-up (or, should I say prequel?) to the audiobook that will be based on the Old Testament, and Stamp and Dreyfuss will return in their respective parts. Unfortunately, Caviezel's role will not be included. Neither will the parts played by Marisa Tomei, Lou Diamond Phillips, Kimberly Williams, Ernie Hudson, John Heard or Luke Perry (try to imagine Judas with Dylan McKay's sideburns).
Nelson's press release mentions that a number of Hollywood stars are expressing interest in the next release. The Christian Post points out that the Nelson audiobooks are following on the heels of another publisher's well-casted reading, Zondervan's The Bible Experience: New Testament. That controversial release, which is based on the Today's New International Version of the Bible and features Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett and Blair Underwood, arrived last fall with enormous success.
So, what I want to know is, what sells better, Christianity or Hollywood stars?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-17-2007 @ 2:34AM
Ted said...
You say, "There will be a follow-up (or, should I say prequel?) to the audiobook that will be based on the Old Testament, and Stamp and Dreyfuss will return in their respective parts. Unfortunately, Caviezel's role will not be included."
Um, why should it? Jesus isn't in the Old Testament.
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1-17-2007 @ 9:41AM
Christopher Campbell said...
Right. That is what I mean. There's no Caviezel Jesus to market the second product with. Not that they need it, I know.
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1-17-2007 @ 3:11PM
JD said...
I wonder how Moses found his way into the New Testament? That sneaky Richard Dreyfuss.
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2-24-2007 @ 5:43PM
Eric, OneWhoJesusLoves said...
Hey-
As an avid bible scholar & Christian mystic student, I couldn't let this pass! LOL Moses IS in the New Testament, but actually doesn't speak in the text on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17). Are they doing a freeform "creative" Bible? Not sticking to text & exact Bible reading like other BiblesOnCD? I guess they could have Moses "read" any Old Testament references quoted throughout the NT.
And technically, Jesus IS in the OT in many forms that theologians call "Christophonies" or "Theophanies" which are pre-incarnate forms of Jesus such as the Burning Bush (which Jesus claimed to be to the Pharisees who took up stones to kill Him for Blasphemy), Melchizadeck (with Abraham), when God walked with Adam in the cool of the day in Eden, 4th man in the fire that saved Shadrack & friends from the fiery furnace in Daniel, etc. Again, many of those appearances do not involve textural talking though. Some actually believe that when Moses was getting the 10 Commandments & God hid him in the cleft of the mountain rock, that Moses at that point was "shown" Jesus and transported at that time into the future (Matthew 17) to have a "briefing mission" with Jesus & Elijah, and then returned with his face being "lit" so that he had to cover it due to the Glory. Somehow, I can't see a regular company putting those kind of cool things in their audiobook, just like they usually suck at taking their own creative liscenses while missing great stuff ALREADY THERE like Jesus turning invisible, Jesus teleporting himself & apostles in boat from the middle of the Sea of Galilee to the shore where the Legion came running (both in Gospel of John only), Philip in Acts teleporting, etc. Mel Gibson totally missed a few opportunities disappointingly with the opening garden scene. When Jesus responded to the guards saying "I am He.", it actually says in Greek that He said "I am that I am" (a la Burning Bush) and the number of men (also in the Greek) was between 600-1200 men that fell backwards like dead men when He said this. Then He put out His hands for them to take Him as the loving sacrificial Lamb Savior. How dramatic would THAT have been??? Or Matthew 28 (?) at the crucifixion. The sky became totally black as an eclipse for 3 hours. Earthquakes. Dead Old Testament saints were raised up from "Abraham's Bosom" as they were being set free & released to "Heaven" from sATAN's butt being kicked in Hades. But many walked around town & people recognized them as such. Then the Roman soldier said "Surely this was the Son of God." DOH!
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3-26-2007 @ 12:13PM
janine said...
I have a question and a comment about the comments already posted.
Question: Since when are Christianity and Hollywood necessarily mutually exclusive? I know of a few "Hollywood" stars who are proud to profess their Christianity.
Janine
Comment: If you read Romans 10:19 you will find that Moses is quoted. I don't think it takes much "creative license" or creating a "freeform" Bible to have Moses speak these lines. From what I read, this is to be a "true to text" recording of the NKJV.
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