Mel Gibson will start work on The Resurrection of the Christ in August.

The actor-director will be heading over to Italy in the summer to begin production on his long-awaited sequel to 2004's Biblical epic The Passion of the Christ, Rome's Cinecittà Studios CEO Manuela Cacciamani had let slip.

Speaking to Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, she said: "I can confirm that the next film directed by Mel Gibson, produced by Icon Productions, The Resurrection of the Christ, will be shot entirely in Cinecittà starting in August and requires many theatres and stage construction."