Warner Bros. Passes on Mel Gibson's JUDAH MACCABEE Script

Last year it was announced that Mel Gibson would be developing a movie based on Jewish warrior Judah Maccabee with screenwriter Joe Eszterhas (Footloose, Basic Instinct). This was pretty shocking to a lot of people, because of his past issues with the Jewish community. For those of you who aren't familiar, Maccabee was a warrior who teamed with his father and four brothers to lead the Jewish revolt against the Greek-Syrian armies that had conquered Judea in the second century B.C. 

The script was completed and turned into executives at Warner Bros. who apparently didn't really care for it. According to Deadline The studio hasn't completely rejected the script, but they're trying to figure out what exactly they want to do with it. I don't think it will happen. Hell, it may not have happened had the script been good. There's just so much controversy surrounding the actor/director that there's a lot of people and studios who don't want to work with him. If they do end up passing on it I don't think the project will die. Gibson has the means to make the movie himself. If he really wants to make the movie then he might end up funding the whole project himself like he did with Passion of the Christ. 

This seems to have been a passion project for the director so if he feels he can turn it into a success I'm sure he'll find a way to get it made. Regardless of Gibson's issues, I think he's a very talented director, who has a very unique eye at bringing these old world stories to life on the big screen. I wouldn't mind seeing this movie get made, but I'd rather see the Viking film he was planning get made more. 

Would you like to see Gibson make this movie? Or any other movie for that matter?