It was announced yesterday that “The Passion of Christ” is now officially coming. The opening date is Ash Wednesday and the North American distributor is Newmarket Films, which specializes in art-house movies. It was the distributor for “Memento,” among other movies.
I can’t wait to see it, partly because I’m tired of people making judgments on the thing without having seen but only based on the testimony of others who haven’t seen it, but have an axe to grind about it. Now, in February we can see it for ourselves and make out own judgments.
If Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos and Archbishop Charles Chaput are to be believed, it will be one of the most inspirational cinematic experiences ever. And they’ve actually seen it.
My guess is that it will be in the big theatres, but won’t be placed in blockbuster status: not prime times, one screen, and so on. But with the response it will get, I think it will quickly change and get moved up the ladder quickly.