Shortly after Mel Gibson announced he is moving ahead with a sequel to "The Passion Of The Christ", Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt compared the 2004 faith-based film to Scientology propaganda.
During a recent interview with Marlon James for The New York Times Style magazine, Pitt talked about wanting to make a film about Pontius Pilate that "won't be for the 'Passion' crowd."
In response, James quipped that Gibson's hit film compelled him to leave the church, to which Pitt laughed and replied, "I felt like I was just watching an L. Ron Hubbard propaganda film."
While he didn't like "The Passion," the 52-year-old "Fight Club" actor said he did appreciate Gibson's use of violence on the big screen, saying he portrays it "extremely well ... 'Apocalypto' is a great film."
MovieGuide notes that in the past, Pitt has said he identifies as "80 percent atheist and 20 percent agnostic" after finding Christianity "stifling."
"Many people find religion to be very inspiring. Myself, I found it very stifling. I grew up with Christianity and I remember questioning it greatly. Some things didn't work for me. Some things did...I grew up being told God is going to take care of everything and it doesn't always work out that way. And then you're told 'Well, it's God's will.' I got my issues. Man, you don't want to get me started."
Meanwhile, Gibson revealed his next project may be a sequel to the 2004 epic drama, which he may title "The Resurrection".
"We're talking about that. Of course, that is a huge undertaking," the "Braveheart" actor said. "And you know, it's not the 'Passion 2.' It's called 'The Resurrection.' Of course, that's a very big subject and it needs to be looked at because we don't want to just do a simple rendering of it - you know, read what happened."
Starring Jim Caviezel, "The Passion of the Christ" was a major commercial hit, earning a whopping $612 million worldwide on a $30 million production budget, making it the highest grossing religious film in history. The film also received three nominations at the 77th Academy Awards.
Gibson is currently gearing up for the release of his latest film, "Hacksaw Ridge", which tells the true story U.S. Army medic Desmond Doss during World War II.
"Desmond Doss received the Congressional Medal of Honor for courage under fire. He was singular in that most guys who get the Medal of Honor, they do something in a split second and it's a decision that they do something courageous and heroic," Gibson said of the upcoming film, which received a 10-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival.
"Desmond did what he did over and over and over again in different places in the Pacific. His greatest achievement was in Okinawa, where he saved a lot of men."
Gibson added, "Another interesting thing about Desmond was that he was a conscientious objector and he went into battle without a weapon as a medic and what he did was supernatural and He only did it through faith. He was armed only with his faith."
"Hacksaw Ridge" will premiere in American theaters on November 4, 2016.
