Mel Gibson Goes to Panama?

"Apocalypto" drew director Mel Gibson to Central America for his Mayan epic, and now there are rumors that he has set his sights on another location in that region, namely Panama. According to ComingSoon.net, tourism officials have spread the word that the Oscar-winning director ("Braveheart") may want to shoot his next movie in Panama. A tourism spokesman by the name of Ruben Blades supposedly had dinner with Gibson to discuss such a possibility.

Reports are that Blades suggested Gibson remake "Panic in the Streets," the 1950 film noir starring Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, and Jack Palance. The film, which was set in Panama, earned an Academy Award for Best Writing. Reports also indicate that Panamanian filmmaker Jose Severino claims to be in negotiations with Gibson to produce a explorer epic about Vasco Nunez de Balboa of Spain whose great claim to historical fame is that he was the first to see the Pacific Ocean from its eastern shore.

One way or another, Panama is trying to lay claim to Mel Gibson’s next film, and as the rumor mill turns over a bit, time will tell if he’s going to be involved in any productions down there or not. Personally, I think the more interesting option is the remake, but with Gibson’s tastes being what they have been lately, he might just wind up going with the explorer.