Fox Set to Distribute Mel Gibson's Film

Newsmax ^ | 7/24/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[DPB101]

Despite critics' claims that Mel Gibson has no distributor to put his blockbuster film "The Passion" into theaters around the country, Gibson does have at least one.

According to Fox News's Roger Friedman, Gibson's company, Icon Entertainment, which produced "The Passion," has a distribution deal with 20th Century Fox.

20th Century Fox is owned by News Corp, which also owns Fox News.

According to Friedman, 20th Century Fox has a first-look option with Icon and right of refusal.

Fox News says they also have the right to outbid another studio. As a result, "The Passion" right now is a 20th Century Fox film.

Executives from that studio and others have now seen "The Passion," and Friedman says 20th is "rumored to be very interested in distributing the film."

So when the emotionally charged film, which portrays the final 12 hours of Christ's ordeal, premiers next Easter, it shouldn't have any problems showing up in your neighborhood theater.

Distribution aside, the film remains contoversial.

Friedman writes, "As he did in Washington and in a couple of other cities, Gibson showed the controversial film about Christ's final 12 hours to politicians and clergy who would not argue with his point of view. Question-and-answer sessions after these screenings, according to one insider, have had more to do with the movie's length and whether Gibson will release it with subtitles."

More to come . . . no doubt.

[Mr. Silverback]

Fox (Passion) vs. Disney (Michael Moore's 9/11 movie)? I'll take some of that action! Go get 'em, Mel!

[Pyro7480]

Way to go Fox!

[Pyro7480]

Ping!

[Paul C. Jesup]

Someone should remind Gibson that with DVD you can set it to default WITHOUT subtitles (termed as RAW), but you can still leave subtitles as a selection if the viewers of the movie wants to use it.

[Petronski]

This is fabulous news!

[smith288]

Someone should remind Gibson that with DVD you can set it to default WITHOUT subtitles (termed as RAW), but you can still leave subtitles as a selection if the viewers of the movie wants to use it.

I dont take Gibson to be so technically retarded not to hire someone who might know that. ;)

[Dr. Eckleburg]

A TWENTIETH CENTURY-FOX BUMP FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS!

Zanuck would be proud! He always knew movies consisted of a great story.

This is one that needs to be told.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

A Passionate BUMP!

[Paul C. Jesup]

Notice I used the word 'remind', I am sure Mr. Gibson already knows that, but reminding him would probably help.

[Chewbacca]

Was 20th Century Fox the company that produced all the old biblical movies like The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, Soddam and Gahmorra?

[auggy]

"Was 20th Century Fox the company that produced all the old biblical movies like The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, Soddam and Gahmorra? "

I think they did on the first 2 movies, but not sure about Sodom & Gomorrah.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Fox produced a lot of them in the '50-'60's like, "The Bible," "The Robe," and "Demetrius and the Gladiators."

MGM made "Ben Hur" and Paramount did "The Ten Commandments."

[Dr. Eckleburg]

See post #13.

[horse_doc]

I like Fox as much as anyone else, but I can safely say that their reality shows, like "Paradise Island", do Sodom & Gomorrah almost every night.

Not that I've ever seen it, you know. Err . . . Umm . . .

[Cicero]

Fox got scared off Charlie Chan, so there's still probably some uncertainty. But in this case they presumably knew beforehand what they were getting into.

I'm looking forward to seeing this movie.

[HenryLeeII]

I consider it my duty to go to the theater and see this, which is saying something considering I have a four-year old and a one-year old at home. I think the last movie my wife and I saw in a theater was "Castaway" (don't laugh).

[Libertina]

BUMP Great news I believe. Go Fox Go! Best wishes, Mel Gibson.

[DPB101]

If liberals don't stop bitching about Christians, I may even have to start going to church now and then.

[HenryLeeII]

...I'll one-up you and even throw a buck in the collection plate!