The Mercury News reports on April 17:

"LOS ANGELES - Movie fans will have to wait a bit longer to see Mel
Gibson's Mayan epic "Apocalypto."

A spokesman for Disney, which is releasing "Apocalypto," said Sunday
the production had fallen behind because of heavy rains in Mexico,
where Gibson is shooting the film.

The action adventure has been bumped from Aug. 4 release to Dec. 8.

Like Gibson's religious blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ,"
which was shot in Aramaic and Latin, "Apocalypto" is being done in an
ancient tongue, Yucatec Maya.

"Apocalypto" follows the journey of a Mayan hero on the run through
the rain forests of pre-Columbian Mexico."

It's not surprising also the new release date of the film since
December 8 is the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the most famous
religious female icon in Mexico and around the world. Is there
another hidden connection of Gibson's beliefs with religion?
The Pakalian Group of Mexico