HOLLYWOOD – Following up on the success of his blockbuster smash The Passion of the Christ, director/producer Mel Gibson confirmed Thursday that a sequel is in the works, tentatively titled Passion 2: Revenge of the Christ.

Gibson said the new film will have some pleasant surprises for fans of the original Passion.

“Naturally, I was leery of a sequel at first,” said Gibson, “but the general consensus is that there is a lot of unfinished business that needs to be resolved in a second movie.”

Gibson also mentioned that Christ will have garnered a bit of an edge since his first appearance, adding, “I don’t know about you, but if I had just been tortured and killed, I’d be pretty mad.”

The film could see a release as early as 2006.

EXT.  THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM - NIGHT

It is raining heavily.

A lone ROMAN SOLDIER patrols the deserted street, moving in and out of long, eerie shadows.

As he moves past one such shadow, a DARK FIGURE emerges behind him, and comes silently to stand in the middle of the street.

The SOLDIER, sensing the presence, pauses and turns to face the FIGURE.

SOLDIER
You... you're that JESUS!

The FIGURE, now identified as JESUS CHRIST, takes a step forward, and his face is revealed by a strategically placed beam of light. He wears black robes, dark sunglasses, and an expression that tells us he is on a mission.

SOLDIER
But... you're dead. We drove a spear through your heart. I watched you die!

JESUS
You're right. You did watch me die.
(steps forward again)
But you're also wrong. I'm not dead.

SOLDIER
What are you?
(he finally gives over to fear)
Some kind of DEMON SPAWN?!

With that, JESUS whips a huge mace out from under his robes, and brutally decapitates the soldier.

When the weapon finally comes to rest beside him, we pull in for a close-up on JESUS as he says:

JESUS
I am THE CHRIST.

JESUS melts back into the shadows as we pull up and back to show the lifeless, headless body of the soldier lying "face" down and copious blood flowing down the street with the rain water ...

[Ed. Of course the dialogue will all be translated into the appropriate languages]