Mel Gibson's Maccabee pic plan stirs ire

GibsonThe news that Mel Gibson is embarking on a project about the life of Jewish hero Judah Maccabee has been met with consternation among some Jewish orgs, questioning why Warner Bros. would put such a movie into development given the controversy over the star's past anti-Semitic remarks.Gibson has the first option to direct the drama, set up at Warner Bros and to be produced through his Icon Prods. banner. The parties are awaiting completion of the script, being penned by Joe Eszterhas.On Friday, Abraham Foxman of the the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement the org "would have hoped that Warner Bros. could have found someone better than Mel Gibson to direct or perhaps star" in the biopic."As a hero of the Jewish people and a universal hero in the struggle for religious liberty, Judah Maccabee deserves better. It would be a travesty to have the story of the Maccabees told by one who has no respect and sensitivity for other people's religious views," Foxman's statement said.The Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, told Variety that "to me, it is like asking (Bernard) Madoff to play the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is an insult."He said Gibson had not "resolved his mistakes by making amends" for his past remarks with actions like "having a dialogue with the Jewish community" or doing such things as writing op-eds in newspapers or even visiting a concentration camp during his travels."After having done all those things, the Jewish community could have said, 'Mel Gibson gets it. Let him go on with his life.'?"Shortly after his DUI arrest in 2006, in which he made anti-Semitic slurs to sheriff's deputies, Gibson issued an apology in which he called his remarks "despicable" and said that he was "reaching out to the Jewish community for its help." "I know there will be many in that community who will want nothing to do with me, and that would be understandable," Gibson said, "But I pray that that door is not forever closed."Hier said, "My issue is not a press release, probably written by a public relations agency. Anybody can do that. That is not what Mel Gibson should do in terms of reaching out. It is making that statement believable by deeds." The studio had no comment, other than to confirm that the project was in development. Gibson's spokesman, Alan Nierob, said of the ADL's objections, "I believe their comment is directed at Warner Bros. and not my client for comment." Hier's comments, he said, were "not worth a response." He added that he has heard nothing about the suggestion that Gibson would star in the movie, given that "it doesn't really make any sense, as the lead character of Judah Maccabee is a lot younger."Even though the script is still being written, The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg wrote on the publication's website Friday that Gibson had long been interesting in making the project. Goldberg, who is working on a book about Maccabee, met with Gibson for an afternoon to talk about the project, and the star told Goldberg his interest stemmed from reading the Book of Maccabees as a teenager and finding them "ripping good reads," before recounting the cinematic aspects of the story.Goldberg asked him about his famous outburst to Los Angeles Sheriff's deputies during a 2006 DUI arrest, and Gibson replied, "I was loaded, and some stupid shit can come out of your mouth when you're loaded."But Hier and Foxman object to Gibson's involement not just for remarks made during his arrest but for "The Passion of the Christ," which generated a storm of protest from Jewish orgs even as it became a breakout hit at the box office in 2004."Rather than listen to respected religious leaders, both Christian and Jewish, who voiced concerns then about the insensitive elements of his depiction of the last hours and crucifixion of Jesus, Gibson showed contempt for those voices and refused to make changes that might have helped turn his passion of hate into a passion of love," Foxman said. Contact Ted Johnson at ted.johnson@variety.com