Mel Gibson Hearts Maccabees

Making biopic of Judean revolutionaryTo say it hasn't been the most glorious few years for Mel Gibson would be an understatement. The Beaver was shunted around the release schedule like a furry-tailed puck at an ice hockey match, eventually seeing the light of day but very few actual cinemagoers. Then there was the whole anti-Semitism thing, a scandal that looked likely to sink his career for good. He's addressing it, albeit obliquely, with his next project, a biopic of Jewish warrior Judah Maccabee. Maccabee was the leader of a Jewish rebellion against the Greeks and Syrians in the 2nd century BC. Cast all thoughts of the Peoples' Front of Judea or the Judean People's Front from your mind, though. Judah was one seriously badass dude who did a lot more fighting than semantic squabbling. In fact, he got so biblical on the Seleucid Empire that he managed to storm Jerusalem, restore worship to its Temple and have a big holiday, Hanukkah, dedicated to him. Not bad going for the humble son of a priest. No decision has been made yet on whether Gibson will direct the movie, or on timings. According to Deadline, the production pairs him with '80s thriller scribbler Joe Eszterhas, writer of such box-office beasts as Jagged Edge and Basic Instinct. Eszterhas will write the script with some input from Gibson, while the Oscar-winning actor/director will produce for Warner Bros. via his Icon Productions company. So is this the beginning of Mel's long road to redemption? Tell us your thoughts below.

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