According to Deadline, Mel Gibson (Dragged Across Concrete, Blood Father) has signed onto the leading role of Santa Clause in the dark action comedy, Fatman.
Artist’s depiction. Except Mel would make the role scary.
Telling the tale of rowdy Santa dealing with a failing business (possibly, you know, due to giving all his products away every year) Fatman will also focus on 12-year-old Billy, who on receiving a lump of coal, hires a professional assassin to put jolly Santa out of everyone’s misery.
Fatman is written and directed by brothers Ian and Eshom Nelms (Small Town Crime, Waffle Street and Lost on Purpose) and is produced by Brandon James of Rough House Pictures, Fortitude’s Nadine de Barros and Skywolf’s Lisa Wolofsky.
“I am excited to be working with the incredibly talented Nelms brothers who have written a unique, highly entertaining script,” de Barros said. “Mel is the perfect choice as Chris Cringle like we’ve never seen him before. I couldn’t be more thrilled to watch this darkly comedic Christmas film come to life.”
Executive producers include James’ Rough House partners David Gordon Green, Danny McBride and Jody Hill, with filming to begin in Canada early next year.
Yes, we are involved with this.
So I love Mel Gibson in pretty much everything he’s ever been in. Except for a Christmas-themed comedy called Daddy’s Home 2, doing what 8 Crazy Nights and The Night Before couldn’t, which is ruin the holidays for me forever.
Sooo…a new Christmas-themed comedy starring Mel Gibson. I guess caution would be advised.
What are your thoughts on Gibson donning a Santa suit, Wasteoids?