Mel Gibson wants to produce limited series on Great Siege of 1565

Actor and director Mel Gibson has announced he is working on a limited series about the Great Siege of Malta.

“I'm also working on a TV limited series about the Siege of Malta, which is an incredible story, and there's only one place to film that, I mean, in Malta. Because that's where it happened, at these fortresses where 700 knights defended Malta against an onslaught from the Turkish and Suleiman sent 40,000 men and ships and, wow, the knights won. So, it's a pretty crazy, great story,” he told Movieweb.

Gibson was recently in Malta to scout locations for a series which expected to start filming in the coming years. He also met with Prime Minister Robert Abela where they discussed details on a production Gibson look to shoot in Malta.

Asked on how involved he wants to be in the limited series about the Great Siege, he said: “I'd like to be in it, but I don't know if I'll have the time, you know? But I certainly want to be like a producer of it, and I've worked with a very talented writer on the script, so it's going to be good for somebody. I know that it's a great story.”

The Great Siege of 1565

The Ottoman Empire, under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, sought to capture the island of Malta, which was strategically located in the Mediterranean. Defending Malta were the Knights of St. John, an elite military order, alongside the Maltese. The siege, which lasted from May to September, saw brutal fighting, with the Ottomans using overwhelming force and numbers. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the defenders held firm, using their fortress city of Birgu and the stronghold of Fort St. Elmo to great effect.

Ultimately, the Ottomans were forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses, marking a turning point in the Mediterranean struggle between Christian and Muslim forces. The victory bolstered European morale and solidified the Knights’ reputation as defenders of Christendom.