Apocalypto now for Gibson

[edonline]

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1534120,00.html

Apocalypto now for Gibson

Staff and agencies

Friday July 22, 2005

Guardian Unlimited

Mel Gibson is returning to his action roots with Apocalypto, a follow up to global smash The Passion of the Christ, which will be set in an ancient civilization 3,000 years ago.

The Australian superstar will write and direct but not star in the film, which reportedly includes substantial violence but no religious theme.

Story details remain under wraps, however Gibson has already begun preproduction and has chosen a number of locations ahead of an expected summer 2006 release.

Disney will release the picture in North America, while Gibson, arguably the shrewdest actor-turned-producer in the business, holds on to the highly lucrative international rights through his company Icon.

Gibson and Disney previously collaborated on Signs and Ransom. Variety reports that under the terms of the deal, Gibson will finance the project and Disney will distribute for a fee, rather like the deal he struck with US company Newmarket Films for The Passion of the Christ, which sold more than $600m (£341.7m) in tickets worldwide to become the most successful independent film of all time.

[DestructioN]

Sounds sorta exciting...though, I'd love to hear some more of the storyline and such.

[thedudeman69]

Thank god this isn't The Passion Of The Christ 2 : Back From The Dead. Besides, what is with Gibson and unknown directors in the lead role?

[Shockwave]

Gibson is coming back with a very cool sounding action movie?

Count me in!

Ive always liked the guy, and feel that alot of people took some really cheap shots at him over his success with "THE PASSION" and stuff his father said.

[Cronos]

interesting

sounds like it could be very kool, id like to hear a bit more about the plot though

[The Young Son]

I like this idea.

I agree with wanting to know more about the stroyline.

Gibson is fantastic. I think its shitty that he copped a lot of criticism for the Passion. I thought it was a great movie. The man told it like it was, and didn't give a shit what everyone was going to be thinking.

Go Mel!

[Criminal Rock]

Originally posted by Shockwave
Gibson is coming back with a very cool sounding action movie?

Count me in!

Ive always liked the guy, and feel that alot of people took some really cheap shots at him over his success with "THE PASSION" and stuff his father said.

I agree, it rather made me mad too. Nevertheless, his next project sounds interesting, I'll be waiting for the next bucket of news for this one.

[LegionX]

if the scripts that good that he has security guards watching the people reading it it has to be good. He hasn't failed me yet as a director and I dont think he really will. I cant wait to find out what the story line is.

[outsyder]

So . . . . what is it about?:confused:

[RavenBlade]

My guess about what it will be about, is the strong persecution of the Early Christians at the hands of Emperor Nero, wait, is that right?
Back in A.D. 70, which some Christians say the End of the World and
Christ's return happened, they are of course wrong in their assumptions, but I won't go into that here. Wait, this isn't right,
that happened 2,035 years ago, if I recall. Well this is my speculation,
so don't go by me.

I could be wrong, being that Mel said it won't have a religios theme,
but he could be saving face for the time being.

I'll be there though.

Raven

[edonline]

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1535754,00.html

Mel Gibson's new film, Apocalypto, will be set in ancient central America and filmed in a dialogue used by descendants of the Mayan civilisation, according to reports. The movie will focus on Mayan activities around 1,000 BC, during the period in which that people were building their most impressive monuments. Gibson reportedly plans to use a cast of unknowns for his follow-up to The Passion of the Christ - much of whose dialogue was in Aramaic - according to Empire Online.