A controversial director who achieved his first box office success in nearly 20 years

It was a very quiet weekend at the box office as January 2025 got off to a very slow start. The entire first half 2024 has been pretty tough, but at least January saw hits like “The Beekeeper.” And “mean girls” to help carry the load. No such breakthroughs have emerged yet this year, but hey, something has to top the charts even when we look at weed-equivalent ticket sales. Mel Gibson’s new thriller “Flight Risk” was the film to open last weekend, taking the crown with an estimated $12 million. With this, Gibson achieved his first success in nearly 20 years.

Any weekend in which a film manages to take the top spot with $12 million is going to be very difficult, which is something we should mention up front. Regardless, Lionsgate claims to have the number one movie in the country, albeit briefly. “Flight Risk” was met with a terrible response from critics and audiences alike. It won’t hold up well in the coming weeks. However, it had a modest budget of $25 million (before marketing), which means this picture will make some money after all is said and done. However, the controversial director is in the spotlight once again, opening the door to a whole other can of worms. Gibson may have directed “Braveheart,” but that was a long time ago.

The thriller “Flight Risk” follows a pilot (Mark Wahlberg) who is assigned to fly an air marshal (Michelle Dockery) and a key witness (Topher Grace) to testify in a high-profile trial. However, while flying over the Alaskan wilderness, it turns out that not everyone aboard this small plane is what they seem. Chaos ensues.

If things had shaken out differently over the past 20 years, we wouldn’t be having this exact conversation. But the fact of the matter is that Gibson has done a lot to tarnish his good reputation in Hollywood. From his alleged history of anti-Semitism For not pleading any contest for Battery charge against his ex-wifeGibson’s transgressions are well known, and difficult to overlook. And yet, here we are, with the man sitting in the chair of the number one film director in the United States

Despite Gibson’s reputation, he has continued to work consistently as an actor, appearing in films such as “Boss Level” and the “John Wick” spin-off series “The Continental.” However, as a director, he was more selective and/or had more difficulty obtaining financing. His last directorial effort was in 2016 with Hacksaw Ridge. While the war drama grossed $180.5 million worldwide, it debuted at No. 3 behind it “Doctor Strange,” which was in the middle of a big box office hit for Marvel.

The last time Gibson was behind the camera for a No. 1 film was in December 2006, when his drama “Apocalypto” topped films like “The Holiday” and “Blood Diamond” with a $15 million opening. It grossed $120.6 million against a budget of $40 million. Since then, due to Gibson’s various transgressions, it has become difficult for him to be at the center of a high-profile project. Even if a studio wanted to work with him, the baggage that comes with him is too heavy to take into consideration.

Whether this leads to a Gibson comeback or not, who knows? once again, “The Perils of Flying” was met with mixed reviewsSo, it’s not like this is critical, my dear. It seemed likely that “Hacksaw Ridge” would have sparked a bigger comeback. It didn’t happen. Most likely, this is just an example of a problematic character getting an opportunity that could have gone to someone else. Clearly, in the eyes of many moviegoers, the Gibson name isn’t enough of a problem to ward them off.

“Flying Danger” is in theaters now.