Martin Scorsese says his new film about Jesus will not be a faithful adaptation of the gospels

A few months ago, after the successful premiere of Killers of the Flower Moon – 100% at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Martin Scorsese announced an ambitious new project, a new film about Jesus, more than three decades after The Last Temptation of Christ – 82% (1988). At that time the only thing we knew about the project was that it arose in response to a call from Pope Francis to artists, and now the filmmaker has finally given some details about what we will see.

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Throughout his career Scorsese has used his cinematic art as a means to explore questions of faith, morality and spirituality, themes deeply rooted in his own Catholic upbringing. Although he chose cinema instead of the priesthood, the dilemma of redemption and the struggle between sin and salvation are recurring themes in his work. Even in films focused on crime and corruption, like Dangerous Streets – 98% and Goodfellas – 96%, the notions of guilt and redemption are present, although more subtly.

In his films, Scorsese does not offer easy answers; rather, they pose questions that lead the viewer to confront the complexities of faith and morality, often in contexts filled with ambiguity and human suffering. Thus, the filmmaker’s work serves as a mirror in which his own spiritual concerns and those of an audience seeking to understand the place of religion in an imperfect world are reflected.

We owe the little we know about the Jesus movie he is developing to a new interview with TIME Magazinewhere he confirmed that it will not be a literal and faithful adaptation of the gospels, although some passages will be in the film, and he will even appear in it:

I don’t know what it will be exactly. I don’t know what you would call it. It won’t be a direct narrative. But there would be staged scenes. And I would be in them.

After that TIME clarifies that the film will be built on ideas explored in Silencio – Martin Scorsese’s 84%, from 2016, which is about two Christian monks sent to Japan to find a missing priest.

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Jesus in the cinema

Jesus of Nazareth has been a recurring theme in film history, capturing the imagination of directors, actors and audiences alike. From silent films of the early 20th century to modern productions filled with special effects, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ have been interpreted in various ways. Each adaptation reflects not only the biblical narratives but also the concerns and questions of the time in which it was created.

From biblical classics like Ben-Hur – 88% and The Greatest Story Never Told – 37%, passing through King of Kings (1961) by Nicholas Ray, to The Passion of the Christ – Mel Gibson’s 49% (2004) character has been of great interest, and Gibson’s film caused an unprecedented impact both at the box office and in controversy, due to its graphic focus on the crucifixion and accusations of anti-Semitism.

Other adaptations have explored more conceptual or controversial angles, among these is the aforementioned The Last Temptation of Christ, based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis, which generated a wave of controversy for its speculative treatment of the life of Jesus. In a more commercial vein, Jesus Christ Superstar – 55% (1973), adapted from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, used rock to tell the story, becoming a milestone in pop culture.

More recent examples of Jesus, and very far from the traditional, are those of The Last Days in the Desert – 76% and Mary Magdalene – 49%, where a rather human and confusing approach is offered. Jesus of Nazareth remains an influential cinematic figure whose life and legacy have been interpreted in numerous ways. These films not only offer different perspectives on the figure of Jesus, but also serve as time capsules that reveal how society’s attitudes and beliefs about spirituality and religion have evolved over time.

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