Date: 1st March 2004

Gibson's epic takes £60m in five nights


Mel Gibson's controversial film, The Passion Of Christ (2004), has broken box office records in the US after taking £60m in its first five nights.

Its opening day alone grossed £15million - the third biggest ever. Only Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, earned more.

It went to the top of the US box office charts on Sunday, and its weekend takings beat those of Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on its first weekend, says The Sun.

The controversial, gory film about the last hours of Jesus, which is directed and produced by Gibson, has been criticised as anti-Jewish.

Source: Press Release