SUBMITTED BY Timbo

March 8, 2004 — A movie about Jesus Christ is about to become the highest-grossing film that Mel Gibson has been involved in ("Signs" is number one, with $228m). This past weekend, it grossed $51.4 million at its second weekend at the box office.

"The Passion," Gibson's bloody re-enactment of Christ's crucifixion, has grossed $212 million so far in the United States and Canada. The movie is expected to top $300 million, said Bob Berney, president of Newmarket Films. The independent distributor was hired by Gibson to release "The Passion" after Hollywood studios passed on it.

The film, which stars Jim Caviezel as Christ, held up strongly, with receipts down just 39 percent from its huge opening weekend of $83.8 million. Movies debuting to such high numbers often drop 50 percent or more in their second weekends.

"The Passion" propelled Hollywood to a second straight weekend of rising revenues after a prolonged slump. The top 12 movies grossed $131.5 million, up 39 percent from the same weekend last year.

In the next week, "The Passion" will climb past the $228 million total take for "Signs," the top-grossing movie Gibson has been connected with. Even adjusting Gibson's "Lethal Weapon" grosses for inflation, "The Passion" will be his biggest hit.

"Here's one of the most popular movie stars in the world. Who would have thought he would out-gross all his big summer blockbusters with a movie about the crucifixion?" said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations.

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