Mel Gibson has signed on to direct a remake of the classic 1969 western, The Wild Bunch, at Warner Bros. The original film was directed by the maverick Sam Peckinpah, and followed a group of ageing outlaws hunting for one last score as the industrial age begins to encroach on the American west.
Warner Bros., for some reason, has been keen to work with Gibson, as it was previously reported that he was approached to direct Suicide Squad 2 before ultimately turning down the project, which eventually went to Gavin O’Connor (The Accountant).
However this likely won’t be his next project, as he’s already committed to helming the World War II drama Destroyer, which revolves around the battle of Okinawa and is set to star Mark Wahlberg. Production on that is scheduled to begin next spring in Australia, so The Wild Bunch will likely come after that.
Gibson has also been trying to make a Passion Of The Christ sequel, The Resurrection, for a while. Jim Caviezel reportedly entered talks to reprise his lead role this past January, but since then word has been quiet on when the follow-up might happen, if ever, especially now with another major project on his plate.
Gibson most recently helmed the World War II biopic Hacksaw Ridge, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director and basically confirmed his “comeback” as a success, despite plenty of controversy surrounding him. Despite his history of offensive rants and domestic violence, his career rolls on. At least it’s apt that he’s helming a remake of a film that revolves around crude, violent men.
#Peace.Love.TheWildBunch
