The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Mel Gibson's visceral depiction of Jesus' final 12 hours grossed $612 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film ever at release—surpassing *The Matrix* by $200 million in initial run. Performed entirely in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin, it cost $30 million and used 500 extras for crowd scenes. Unlike many biblical epics, it excludes the Resurrection, centering exclusively on the Via Dolorosa. A box office phenomenon that remains the top-grossing religious film adjusted for inflation, it demonstrated that faith-driven cinema could outperform the average Hollywood blockbuster.