Vintage original 26.75 x 39.25 in. US pre-release one-sheet poster from the 2000's Biblical drama, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, released in 2004 by Newmarket Films and directed by Mel Gibson. The film focuses on the final twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth (Jim Caviezel), on the day of his crucifixion in Jerusalem. The cast includes Monica Bellucci, Moia Morgenstern, Christo Jivkov, Francesco De Vito, Mattia Sbragia, Toni Bertorelli, and Luca Lionello.
We obtained this poster directly from the film's distributor, who was giving them out for only the cost of postage at the time in order to promote this film. This poster was released before the standard advance and regular one-sheets were issued. This massive ad campaign apparently worked, as this film had more pre-ticket sales than any other film in history until the Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015) pre-sales beat it. Printed on a slightly thicker and somewhat textured stock, it is folded as originally issued in very fine+ condition without any pinholes, tears, creases, stains, writing, or other flaws.
The Passion of the Christ is the highest grossing foreign language film or subtitled film in U.S. box office history. It is also the highest grossing religious film in the worldwide box office of all time. In interviews with Newsweek magazine and several other media, Jim Caviezel spoke about the difficulties he experienced while filming. This included being accidentally whipped twice, which has left a 14-inch scar on his back, and dislocating his shoulder from the weight of the cross. Caviezel also admitted he was struck by lightning while filming the Sermon on the Mount and during the crucifixion. His hair actually caught fire from this, but he was otherwise miraculously unharmed. The scenes of him hanging on the cross in the dead of Italian winter (with temperatures of 25°F/-4°C and 30-knot winds) caused him to contract hypothermia and pneumonia. Finally, because make-up was used to create a swollen eye, his lack of depth perception gave him migraine headaches.