Is Mel Gibson Making a Comeback with The Wild Bunch Remake after a decade of being Backlisted in Hollywood?

Warner Bros announced to hire Mel Gibson to direct and co-write the remake of “The Wild Bunch”, no 4 best action and war film of all time. Gibson is likely to write the screenplay with Bryan Bagby and responsible for the role of executive producer as well. The Wild Bunch was originally directed by Sam Peckinpah followed an aging group of outlaws to adapt to the oncoming of the industrial age.

Although its graphic violence was controversial at the time hitting screens, it later became a stylistic masterpiece. It starred Robert Ryan, William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Edmond O'Brien, Ben Johnson, and Warren Oates. Moreover, the AFI (American Film Institute) ranked The Wild Bunch as the sixth-best Western in 2008.  The Wild Bunch is a hit for revolutionary cinema technique from quick-cut editing to slow-motion images.

Has Mel Gibson completed his Hollywood comeback?

Warner Bros has tried to mount the remakes of the film in the past, but it seems in good hands with Gibson. Gibson has a history of controversial behavior, ranging from making anti-Semitic comments to domestic violence and heavy drinking. After hitting rock bottom due to his eyebrow-raising opinions, Mel Gibson made a comeback in 2016 with the release of “Hacksaw Ridge.”

As a result, this World War II drama earned him six Oscar nominations, including best picture and best director. Additionally, he returned to acting with a role in Daddy’s Home 2 in 2017. Gibson will plan to prep Destroyer, starring Mark Wahlberg, which centers on the Battle of Okinawa in April 1945. “The Wild Bunch” will become Gibson’s first directorial effort since “Ridge”,  which will begin shooting in Australia next spring.