In this Nov. 16, 2017 file photo, Mel Gibson arrives at the premiere of "Daddys Home 2," in London. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) --
Mel Gibson will co-write and direct a remake of Sam Peckinpah's classic 1969 Western "The Wild Bunch."
Warner Bros. on Monday confirmed that Gibson will helm the production, with Bryan Bagby to co-write the script with him. It will be Gibson's first time directing since his 2016 World War II drama "Hacksaw Ridge," for which Gibson earned a best directing Oscar nomination.
"Hacksaw Ridge" was nominated for six Academy Awards including best picture. The Oscar reception was seen by some as a comeback for Gibson in Hollywood years after he pleaded no contest in 2011 to spousal battery of his former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. In 2006, he went on an anti-Semitic tirade while being arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.
No production start or release date for "The Wild Bunch" was announced. Gibson is first prepping a World War II drama to star Mark Wahlberg.
Indian film directors Shyam Benegal, right, is seen during a discussion on Indian Cinema in Hyderabad, India, Monday, Feb. 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A, File)
Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a new wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after suffering from chronic kidney disease. He was 90.
His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He was also credited with a new genre of filmmaking.
Benegal passed away on Monday at Mumbai's Wockhardt Hospital, and his cremation will take place on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing his daughter Piya.
"Benegal had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That's the reason for his death," Piya said.
Many paid tribute to the legendary filmmaker on social media platform X.
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wrote that Benegal told stories without pretense. "They were raw and real, about the struggles of ordinary people. His films had craft and conviction."
"Deeply saddened by the passing of Shyam Benegal, whose storytelling had a profound impact on Indian cinema. His works will continue to be admired by people from different walks of life," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.
He was a mentor to top Indian actors, including Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Om Puri who made their mark in Bollywood's popular cinema as well.
"I have lost my foster father, a man to whom I owe more than I can say," posted Naseeruddin Shah.
"Shyam Benegal was not just a legend; he was a visionary who redefined storytelling and inspired generations," said actor Manoj Bajpayee.
Benegal came into the limelight in the 1970s, with a series of films that challenged mainstream Bollywood. His films Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), Manthan (1976), and Bhumika (1977)... Read More
