Described as 'darkly comedic' movie by producer Nadine de Barros, this Christmas project will be directed by brothers Ian and Eshom Nelms who also write its script.
- May 9, 2019
AceShowbiz - Mel Gibson is set to become the latest actor to try on the Santa suit for a new action comedy.
The "Braveheart" star has been tapped to lead the cast of "Fatman", which is one of the many films up for grabs at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Filming is scheduled to begin early next year (2020) in Canada, according to Deadline.
The project revolves around a rowdy Santa attempting to survive a hit put on him by a naughty 12-year-old, unhappy with a lump of coal instead of a Christmas present. Brothers Ian and Eshom Nelms will direct from their own script.
Producer Nadine de Barros says, "I am excited to be working with the incredibly talented Nelms brothers who have written a unique, highly entertaining script. 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."
Oscar winner Gibson is enjoying somewhat of a career resurgence as an actor of late with a handful of films in development, including "Every Other Weekend", "Black Flies", "Waldo", and "War Pigs (2019)". He is also working on directing the remake of classic western "The Wild Bunch", while his "The Passion of the Christ" sequel, "Resurrection (2018)", is in pre-production.
He joins a long list of stars who have played versions of Father Christmas, including Tim Allen, Bryan Cranston, Tom Hanks, Ed Asner, and Leslie Nielsen.
