The Great Siege of Malta is one of the most extraordinary military events in history, but it has rarely been depicted on screen. Mel Gibson wants to change that, and believes that this is a story that desperately needs to be told.
The Hollywood filmmaker will turn his attention to the smaller screen for this one, as he wants to make it as a limited series. There hasn’t been an official announcement yet, but if this comes to fruition, it could be epic.
Series is Not Yet Fully Greenlit
If Gibson’s project is made, it will be the highest-profile offering ever based on the Siege of Malta. There have been some in the past, such as God’s Soldiers – Siege of Malta in 2020. This was a 90-minute TV special produced by Urban Canyons and Parker Films, but it didn’t receive major international streaming distribution.
There have been some games based on the event as well, including the 1565 Siege of Malta tabletop offering from Worthington Publishing. There’s also the recently released Megaways casino game, Valletta Megaways, which includes powerful imagery of the ships approaching across a fiery sea.
Gibson’s television series is still in its early stages, and even though there’s a lot of buzz around it, it hasn’t received a full production greenlight. With Gibson behind it and reportedly another well-known scriptwriter, however, it could attract interest from major streaming services. It may require a huge budget, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Netflix or Amazon Prime Video splash the cash on it.
Gibson Believes This Incredible Story Needs to Be Shown on Screen
The Great Siege of Malta happened in 1565. It involved a small garrison of knights and Maltese fighters, who managed to resist a massive Ottoman invasion ordered by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The defenders managed to hold off a relentless bombardment against all odds until reinforcements arrived to push the Ottomans back.
It seems strange that a battle of this magnitude hasn’t been represented more in film or television over the years, as it’s up there with one of the greatest moments in history. Gibson wants to change that, and make more people aware of it. There’s so much excellent material for entertainment as, along with the sheer visual spectacle of the battle, there will be opportunities to portray powerful characters that audiences can root for.
Will Gibson Explore Other Famous Events in Future Series?
With Gibson’s potential new offering planned as a limited series, it means that there will only be one season based on the Great Siege of Malta. If it’s successful, though, there’s a chance that the filmmaker could then turn his attention to other great battles in history.
It would be amazing if it became an anthology series like True Detective or Fargo, with each season featuring a different historical event. Gibson could explore other sieges such as the Siege of Leningrad or the Fall of Constantinople.
Gibson is currently working on The Resurrection of the Christ, which will be released in two parts in 2027. That means that his series may come later, if it is picked up by a streaming service. Judging by the scale of the historical event it’s set to portray, it could be worth the wait.
