Mel loses legal battle to block his latest movie
HE played one of Scotland’s greatest heroes in an Oscarwinning blockbuster loved by millions worldwide.
Now, Mel Gibson’s bid to prevent the story of another famous Scot being told on the big screen has hit the skids.
The 62-year-old – who directed and starred in the 1995 William Wallace biopic Braveheart – has lost a legal battle to stop the release of a film in which he plays lexicographer Sir James Murray, editor of the first Oxford English Dictionary.
Murray was aided in his task by a prolific contributor, William Chester Minor – a convicted killer and inmate at the Broadmoor asylum.
Filming took place in Dublin in 2016 but a row broke out after production
‘Refusing to watch the picture’
company Voltage started showing a cut of the £20million movie which Gibson was unhappy with.
He wanted extra scenes to be shot at Oxford University, where much of the story actually took place, but claims the firm refused.
In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles, Gibson alleged that Voltage had violated an agreement that gave him approval of the final cut of the film.
But Judge Ruth Kwan refused a request to hand the film rights over to Gibson and ruled that Voltage was not in breach of contract.
She said: ‘The plaintiff did not submit admissible evidence showing the existence of an actual controversy with defendants.’
Director Farhad Safinia has said he was thrown off the film and is suing for copyright infringement and defa- mation. He has asked for the current version of the movie to be destroyed.
Voltage chief executive Nicolas Chartier said Gibson and Mr Safinia had agreed to shoot the Oxford scenes – involving 200 extras – at Trinity College, Dublin, but changed their minds. He said this ‘caused additional costs to the production, which was over budget by approximately $1.3million [£986,000]’.
He added: ‘Mr Gibson claims to have final cut while refusing to watch the picture, work on [it] or edit it.’
Gibson’s lawsuit stated: ‘The agreements require that things such as material changes to the screenplay, change of director... the final production budget and schedule, and selection of filming locations be agreed to by Icon and Mr Gibson.
‘As extra insurance that his vision of the film was protected, Mr Gibson has the right to select the final cut.’