Following a decade of being blacklisted by Hollywood due to his arrest for drunk driving and making anti-Semitic comments, Mel Gibson made a remarkable comeback and even received an Oscar nomination.
Consequently, Warner Bros. reportedly showed interest in having Mel Gibson direct the sequel to Suicide Squad, considering his background as the director of Hacksaw Ridge and Mad Max. The news was revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, clarifying that although no official offer was extended, Gibson was actively acquainting himself with the project’s material.
Mel Gibson Isn’t A Fan Of The Superhero Genre
Notably, Mel Gibson also expressed his opinion on Warner Bros.’s other 2016 superhero film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, describing it as “a piece of sh*t.“ He asserted his disinterest in such content, stating that real superheroes differ from comic book superheroes as they did not wear spandex.
“I’m not interested in the stuff. Do you know what the difference between real superheroes and comic book superheroes is? Real superheroes didn’t wear spandex.”
With Gibson’s past remarks in mind, questions were raised about whether he will have a change of heart. Warner Bros., not wanting to rely solely on one option, explored other potential directors for the Suicide Squad sequel. Among them was Daniel Espinosa, who directed the film Life featuring Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Rebecca Ferguson. However, the film finally went to James Gunn, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Directed by David Ayer and featuring stars like Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Jared Leto, the first Suicide Squad film managed to rake in $745 million worldwide, despite facing critical backlash. The second installment, however, only managed to earn $167 million worldwide. But the film proved to be beneficial for director James Gunn, as he was promoted to DCEU’s head.
Mel Gibson Almost Made His MCU Debut
During a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Mel Gibson, who was 67 years old at the time, revealed that Marvel had offered him a role as a supporting character in Chris Hemsworth’s Thor arc. Marvel is renowned for its excellent casting, with characters often leaving a lasting impression on the audience’s hearts. However, when they approached Gibson to play the role of Odin, the former king of Asgard and Thor’s father, he ultimately turned down the opportunity.
“Yeah, long time ago, to play Thor’s dad. But I didn’t do it.”
The role of Odin eventually went to Anthony Hopkins, who made his debut as the character in Kenneth Branagh’s first Thor film. Hopkins reprised his role in the 2017 release of Thor: Ragnarok. Although Gibson missed the chance to be a part of the franchise, he had previously criticized it for its violent content.
Besides, Gibson garnered attention when he openly criticized the MCU for their portrayal of violence in their films. During an interview with The Washington Post, he discussed the graphic violence present in his own films and did not hesitate to point fingers at Marvel for depicting “violence without conscience.“
Source: Independent
