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Earlier today I attended a press conference with Mel Gibson as he's out promoting his new film Edge of Darkness (which I really liked).  During the Q&A, he talked about his involvement in Mad Max 4 and he gave us some new details on his Viking movie.

Regarding Mad Max 4, Gibson said, "At one point I was involved and it fell to bits and then this and that...so now it's probably gone through a lot of changes and I can't wait to see it."  Does that mean he's definitely not in it?  Hard to say.  I wouldn't be surprised if he still does a cameo of some kind.

But the big news came when he was talking about his Viking movie.  While we reported about a month ago that he was developing a Viking film with screenwriter William Monahan (The Departed) and it was going to star Leonardo DiCaprio, what we didn't know is that he's going for absolute realism!  When we asked what language would be used in the film, Gibson told us:

"I think it's going to be English - the English that would have been spoken back then - and Old Norse.  Whatever the 9th century had to offer.  I'm going to give you real."

More after the jump:

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What was also interesting to learn is Gibson's first idea for a film was a Viking movie.  He told us:

"The very first idea I ever had about making a film...my first thought about ever being a filmmaker was when I was sixteen years old and I wanted to make a Viking movie.  And I wanted to make it in old Norse, which I was studying at the time.  It's odd because at that age that's a stupidly ridiculous idea cause how will I ever be a filmmaker.  It's just some kind of romantic pipe dream.  But that was the first big, epic, wacky idea I ever had was to show Viking real."

So anyone thinking this project isn't important to Gibson...think again.  This is clearly a passion project and he's going to go Passion of the Christ in terms of realism and language.  I cannot wait.  Here's exactly what he said on Mad Max 4 and the Viking movie.

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Question: Have you talked to George Miller about Mad Max 4?

Mel Gibson:  I've talked to George...yeah. We talk all the time anyway.  I'm abreast of that.  He's been trying to do this for years - the 4th installment.  At one point I was involved and it fell to bits and then this and that...so now it's probably gone through a lot of changes and I can't wait to see it cause everything he does is magic.  There is a touch of genius about George.  Probably any good trick I've learned I got from George and Peter Weir.

What are you doing next?

Gibson:  I'm working with Graham on the Viking movie.  The very first idea I ever had about making a film...my first thought about ever being a filmmaker was when I was sixteen years old and I wanted to make a Viking movie.  And I wanted to make it in old Norse, which I was studying at the time.  It's odd because at that age that's a stupidly ridiculous idea cause how will I ever be a filmmaker.  It's just some kind of romantic pipe dream.  But that was the first big, epic, wacky idea I ever had was to show Viking real.

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Does that mean the Viking movie will be in English or in old Norse?

Gibson:  I think it's going to be English - the English that would have been spoken back then - and Old Norse.  Whatever the 9th century had to offer.  I'm going to give you real.

Is that really important to you.

Gibson:  I want a Viking to scare you.  I don't want a Viking to say, "I'm going to die with a sword in my hand."  I don't want to hear that.  It pulls the rug out from under you.  I want to see somebody who I have never seen before speaking low guttural German who scares the living shit out of me coming up to my house.  What is that like?  What would that have been like?

How hard is that going to be to cast apart from Leo?

Gibson:  He'll be amazing.  He's a great actor.