[discostu]

Given the number of screens this is going to be on it will definitely be a top 10 (which means beating American Pie) grossling film, probably top 5 (which means beating any single installment of LOTR), and could be #1. There's HUGE prospective audience for this movie, by some counts theres around 150 million Christians in this country if half of them see the movie once (no multi-viewings, no non-Christians in attendance) it'll tie Titanic. If only a third go (same conditions) it's wedge inbetween ET and Star Wars for the number 3 spot.

I don't think the language thing is gimicky at all. The movie is in the same languages the Bible was originally written in, I wouldn't have a problem with somebody doing the Iliad in Latin (actually I think it would be cool), any fan of opera knows you've got a lot more things telling a story than the words and there's nothing wrong with telling the story in a language the audience doesn't know. I'd rather it wasn't subtitled actually, subtitles draw the eye and brain away from the images rhythm and inflection which are really the part that tells a story.

From what I've seen the message of the movie very much is "this is what Christ went through for your salvation".

[Sans-Culotte]

The thing that is the real "story" here is the fact that a movie about Christ's crucifixion is "controversial" at all. The Last Temptation, Corpus Christi, et al deserve controversy because they took a controversial approach from the get-go. Someone mentioned on another thread that King of Kings and The Greatest Story Ever Told did not cause such a ruckus back in the 60's. Sadly, they would today.

[oldfart]

The audience for this movie will be made up, in large part, by the ultra-conservative denominations, some of which consider movies a form of sin. It would only barely surprise me to find horse-drawn buggies parked in front of the theater.

[ArrogantBustard]

Iliad in Latin

I'd rather see the Illiad (and the Odyssey) in Greek, than in Latin. Maybe that's just me...

;'}

[maro]

It may be a perennial in the movie theaters every Easter. So it will be a tidy annuity for Gibson, making money every year the way that the Disney animated movies do.

[Gal.5:1]

The movie is in the same languages the Bible was originally written in,

--
The Bible was written in Hebrew, and GREEK.