Mel Gibson, who Trump praised as special envoy, embraces Las Vegas movie production as Hollywood struggles

Mel Gibson, who just directed Mark Wahlberg in the thriller “Flight Risk,” is eager to return to Las Vegas for another film. “Mark Wahlberg is an industrious guy and great to work with.The production experience in Vegas was topnotch,” the “Lethal Weapon” star told the Las Vegas Review-Journal over the weekend.

“I am certain Vegas will accommodate Mark in a big way.I look forward to coming back for big-budget movies.”The “Braveheart” star and Wahlberg have also worked together in the past on 2022’s “Father Stu” and “Daddy’s Home 2.” He played Wahlberg’s dad in both movies. Gibson is one of three Hollywood icons – along with Jon Voight and Sylvester Stallone – whom President Trump in January named as special ambassadors to Hollywood.“They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!” Trump wrote at the time. Gibson told Sean Hannity in January that he found out he had been appointed a Hollywood ambassador when Trump posted about it, but he is “ready, willing and able to be of service in any way I can.” The “Pocahontas” actor said that tax incentives to shoot projects in California haven’t been enough to keep the Golden State competitive.“I had to shoot a film for one day in L.A., and it was cheaper for me to take the whole crew and fly them to Europe and shoot for three days, lodge them, fly them, everything, than it was to shoot one day just down the road,” Gibson explained.

“So, there’s something really wrong there.” Gibson noted that former California Gov.Arnold Schwarzenegger “tried to level the playing field years ago, he couldn’t do it because there were obstacles.” Hannity noted that many stars have left the state, asking why Gibson has decided to stay in Malibu. “A lot of people have left, and I don’t blame them,�...