September 9, 2011 16:12

Mel Gibson set to make movie about Jewish warrior

'Braveheart' director to tell the tale of Judah Maccabee

Mel Gibson has teamed up with screenwriter Joe Eszterhas to tell the tale of Judah Maccabee, the Jewish warrior who led his people to freedom against the Greek-Syrian army. As reported by Deadline, Gibson has the first option to direct the picture, but will definitely produce the film with his production company Icon.

The news has come as a shock to many in Hollywood as Mel Gibson unleashed a drunken anti-Semitic rant in 2006. In the rant he accused Jewish people of being "responsible for all the wars in the world".

He has since apologised for the comments and undergone treatment for alcoholism.

The tale of Judah Maccabee has been on Mel Gibson's wishlist for some time, with the warrior's tale being similar to that of the Scottish hero featured in Braveheart, William Wallace.

The project will be co-written by Joe Eszterhas, once the highest paid screenwriter in Hollywood for Basic Instinct. Eszterhas has recently fought, and won, a battle with cancer.

The untitled Judah Maccabee project has been set up by Warner Bros. No release date has yet been announced.