Too bad a small role in the new movie could not be found for Caviezel, but maybe Director Mel wanted a complete change of all the main characters. Focused on the present work.
Caviezel is now 57 years old, so the parts available to him would be limited.
He might have played an apostle, but I don’t think any were that old at that time.................
He said the cost to de-age the actors using AI and computer technology was cost prohibitive but that was his original goal.