Gibson reveals Viking invasion film plans

Mel Gibson has spoken about his plans to recreate the Viking invasion of England and Scotland in his latest movie.

The actor/director said that he will follow a route similar to previous films such as The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto by filming some scenes using Old Norse language, with English subtitles.

He told the Daily Mail: "I think it's going to be [in] English - the English that would have been spoken back then - and Old Norse. Whatever the ninth century had to offer. I'm going to give you real."

Gibson was criticised for 1995 Oscar-winning film Braveheart, which was perceived by some critics as unrealistic.

The 54-year-old said of the movie: "Some people wanted me to feel guilty about that. You know, 'you have messed up history'.

"There is very little history about the man. There is some, but you have to make up the bits in between because there wasn’t somebody following him around writing. He did exist and he did have an impact."

He added of his current venture: "The very first idea I ever had about making a film was when I was 16 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. That was the first big, epic, wacky idea I ever had.

"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 want to see somebody who I have never seen before speaking low, guttural German who scares the living - out of me coming up to my house."

The script for the new movie is being developed by William Monahan (The Departed), with filming scheduled to begin in autumn.