Well, if you can remake The Magnificent Seven with Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt, why can’t Mel Gibson redo Sam Peckinpah’s classic The Wild Bunch? Deadline reports Gibson has agreed to co-write and direct a new version of the 1969 Western which starred William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, and Edmond O’Brien.
Gibson will pen the script with Bryan Bagby, but there’s no indication that he take on a role himself. He’d actually be kinda perfect for it, as the story centers on a group of older outlaws who shoot for one final score by robbing a railroad office of its precious silver. The film was somewhat polarizing due to its graphic violence, something Gibson should be more than comfortable depicting. Have you seen his movies, by any chance? The blood runs deep in those things.
Will Smith had been attached to an earlier remake attempt but that obviously fell through. These projects don’t appear to be related in the least. However it would be interesting to see if Smith is approached. Probably not, but you never know.
Production won’t begin until 2020 after Gibson finishes up with a couple of other projects first. He has his WWII film Destroyer which reunites him with Daddy’s Home 2 pal, Mark Wahlberg. After that he’s got War Pigs, which will find him co-starring alongside Colin Farrell.
