Can you guess what this movie will be about?

[Abbey Normal]

This sounds intriguing. Do any of our History buffs know what happened around 3,000 years ago that could possibly be the topic of this movie?


From YAHOO! News 7/27/05:

"In The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson revived the Aramaic language. For his next movie, he'll give new life to an ancient Greek term.

Apocalypto is the title of Gibson's next self-financed epic, Daily Variety reported Friday. Shooting is scheduled to begin in October, and a summer 2006 release is planned.

The film is described as an action picture, set 3,000 years in the past. Details otherwise are sketchy, and that's the way Gibson apparently wants it. According to Variety, the star requested studio execs read the script at his offices, less any pages get leaked.

As Gibson did on Passion, the Oscar-winning multihyphenate is directing, writing and producing, but not starring. Also as was done on Passion, his Icon Productions is footing the bill. While Hollywood studios were reluctant to distribute the religious epic that ended up grossing more than $611 million worldwide--the independent company Newmarket Films handled the honors--Disney beat out rivals for dibs on Apocalypto, the trade paper said.

Apocalypto is a Greek term meaning unveiling. It is not to be confused with Apocalypso, the 2003 album by vocalist Rita Calypso, or apparently even apocalyptic, the adjective of biblical doom. In fact, according to Variety, Gibson's Apocalypto is "not religious in theme."

 

[Abbey Normal]

Oops, dyslexic title: " movei".

 

[archangel]

Spartans vs Muslims! :huh:

 

[archangel]

Spartans vs Muslims! :huh:

opp's freudian slip...I meant Spartans vs Persia...oh well they became Muslims later down the road!

 

[archangel]

Has been reported via newsmax.com that Mel's new movie will be set 500years in the past not 3000 years as originally reported...It will be set in Central America and about the Mayans...using original language with sub-titles!

 

[-Cp]

Hi Abbey - this topic was already started here:

http://www.usmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23487

 

[Abbey Normal]

-Cp, that was nice of you, but you really should leave yours open and close mine again. Mine has a typo in the title, and frankly, is somewhat embarassing.

 

[no1tovote4]

-Cp, that was nice of you, but you really should leave yours open and close mine again. Mine has a typo in the title, and frankly, is somewhat embarassing.

Nobody has made fun of your typo, why would it be embarrassing?

 

[Abbey Normal]

Nobody has made fun of your typo, why would it be embarrassing?

Self-imposed standards.


Edited to add: Thanks to the kind anonymous soul who fixed it.

 

[Dan]

Apocalypto

Weird title. Sounds like a sequel to Mad Max (how cool would THAT be?).

I don't know about his decision to use the original language. It worked for The Passion because A) It was a VERY visual story that is already well-known to most watching the film, and B) he was going for realism.

Maybe he's going for realism here, too. But, if he's not, it's going to look really pretentious to have a typical historical "movie" entirely in subtitles. In addition, that choice may look like a desperate plea for realism or something, which in turn may negatively influence people's views on The Passion.

I'll watch it, though. If nothing else, he's a director that sticks to his guns, which you don't see much in Hollywood anymore. Even if it's good, it won't make Passion money, but it will make a lot either way. If it's no good, the 2nd-week dropoff will probably be bad due to bad word of mouth.

 

[Bonnie]

Weird title. Sounds like a sequel to Mad Max (how cool would THAT be?).

I don't know about his decision to use the original language. It worked for The Passion because A) It was a VERY visual story that is already well-known to most watching the film, and B) he was going for realism.

Maybe he's going for realism here, too. But, if he's not, it's going to look really pretentious to have a typical historical "movie" entirely in subtitles. In addition, that choice may look like a desperate plea for realism or something, which in turn may negatively influence people's views on The Passion.

I'll watch it, though. If nothing else, he's a director that sticks to his guns, which you don't see much in Hollywood anymore. Even if it's good, it won't make Passion money, but it will make a lot either way. If it's no good, the 2nd-week dropoff will probably be bad due to bad word of mouth.

Well said Dan!! I feel the same way. It will probably be very dramatic which Mel really has a natural flare for

 

[wolverine]

Weird title. Sounds like a sequel to Mad Max (how cool would THAT be?)

I heard the next Mad Max sequel was going to be Fury Road but is currently in hiatus due to security and logistical concerns.

The Road Warrior needs a better folllow up than Thunderdome.

 

[Bonnie]

I heard the next Mad Max sequel was going to be Fury Road but is currently in hiatus due to security and logistical concerns.

The Road Warrior needs a better folllow up than Thunderdome.

Boy Id love to see that if it ever gets made. Although I liked Thunderdome, it was just hoaky and clever enough.

 

[Dan]

The Road Warrior needs a better folllow up than Thunderdome.

Agreed. Thunderdome is to The Road Warrior what Rocky IV is to the first Rocky: it just kinda takes what made the movie popular and stretches that out to ridiculous lengths.

Tangent: Has anyone seen the very first Mad Max? It's really low-budget, but it's fun in an Evil Dead sort of way.

On Gibson's directing, I have to say that while I absolutely hate historical action epics, Braveheart is one of my favorite films of all time. I really think it's his best work by far.

 

[wolverine]

Tangent: Has anyone seen the very first Mad Max? It's really low-budget, but it's fun in an Evil Dead sort of way.

Yeah, it's like one of those early produced Roger Corman movies (Death Race 2000 awesome classic) Mad Max was originally released in the U.S. having been dubbed to cover the Aussie accent. The recent 5 star release version of Mad Max on DVD has it in it's orignal accent which makes the movie that much better.
Movie tidbit: The Road Warrior was released Mad Max 2 in Australia.

Mad Max DVD info

 

[Bonnie]

Agreed. Thunderdome is to The Road Warrior what Rocky IV is to the first Rocky: it just kinda takes what made the movie popular and stretches that out to ridiculous lengths.

Tangent: Has anyone seen the very first Mad Max? It's really low-budget, but it's fun in an Evil Dead sort of way.

On Gibson's directing, I have to say that while I absolutely hate historical action epics, Braveheart is one of my favorite films of all time. I really think it's his best work by far.

Mad Max is a great movie although the scene in the begining is somewhat disturbing. Question about that, is that supposed to be set in post apacalyptic times as well??

 

[Avatar4321]

500 years ago lots of things of significance happened. The Reformation, Scientific revolution, Renaisance, discovery of the new world, etc

3000 years ago, nothing of important happened in Greece. That was the middle of the Greek Dark ages. Greek didnt rise out of that till the time of Homer which was several hundred years after that, about the times Sparta and Athens gained power and then kicked the Persians out. Which was more 400-500BC rather than 1000BC.

About 1000BC or 3000 years ago was probably the reign of King David in Israel. Honestly, I can't really think of any other significant world history occuring at the time but that might just be because i havent studied in a few months. Im sure something happened somewhere though. Maybe the collapse of the minoan or mycanean empires, cant remember which one was the later one, but that might have happened then. other than that...who knows.

 

[Dan]

Just reading Avatar's post made me feel guilty about how bad I did in History!

 

[Abbey Normal]

Some things that happened in that general historical time period, but not necessarily exctly 1000 BC:

The tail end of Egypt's New Kingdom. Egypt's power was at it's height betwem 1567 and 1085 BC.

Ramses III ruled in 1190 BC.

Groups of Indo-Europeans started settling in Rome around 1000 BC, but Rome was considered to have been founded around 753 BC.

In the New World, the Mayan Empire started around 1000 BC.