Mel Gibson's ‘Flight Risk' Sets October 18 Theatrical Release

Mel Gibson’s “Flight Risk,” starring Mark Wahlberg, is officially scheduled for theatrical release on October 18, 2024. A prime fall slot that will see it pitted that same weekend against Paramount’s “Smile 2.”

Gibson, who has directed five films over a thirty-year timeframe, shot “Flight Risk” in June 2023. The film was allowed to continue production during the strikes — SAG exempted it as a “truly independent” film production.

Gibson will be seated in the director’s chair for this one. It marks the first time he’s directed a movie since his 2016 Oscar-nominated wartime flick “Hacksaw Ridge,” which earned multiple Oscar nominations and a strong following on home video.

Lionsgate, the studio behind ‘Hacksaw’ is backing “Flight Risk” which has Wahlberg playing a balding and psychotic mob hitman who tricks a federal agent into allowing him to pilot a plane carrying an informant (Topher Grace) out of a remote area. It sounds very commercial and, given Gibson’s obsession for strong violence in his films, one would expect a hard R rating for this one.

Gibson, as a director, has never been one to shy away from gore: “The Passion of the Christ” “Braveheart,” “Hacksaw Ridge” and, his best work, “Apocalypto,” are four extremely violent movies. Like him or not, Gibson has proven himself to be a very good filmmaker over these last three decades. He even won a Best Director Oscar for 1995’s “Braveheart” — which I still think is a very good movie.

Obviously, he is also a very controversial figure. His downfall started when he lost his sobriety and went into the deep pits of alcoholism (primarily between 2005 and 2011). During that time he sexually harassed a police officer, yelled racist slurs, blamed the Jews for various things, and was caught on tape verbally abusing and harassing his girlfriend.

There’s a reason why they call him “Mad Mel”