LONDON - Mel Gibson is to turn Manchester United's soccer players into film stars.
The Hollywood star's film company, Icon Productions, is making a fly-on-the-wall documentary about the champion club.
Filming began this season, and the cameras followed United to Tokyo to witness their triumph over Palmeiras in the Intercontinental Cup and were also with them in Brazil for their abortive World Club Championship campaign.
The documentary-makers were given permission to film the club's board meetings and were on hand to record the clinching of United's record $97 million sponsorship deal with Vodafone.
Icon Productions, which Lethal Weapon star Gibson runs jointly with Bruce Davey, has given the film the working title of Manchester United: The Movie, but keen United fans will have the chance to choose the final name through a competition being run on the club's Website.
The feature is being directed by American Bob Potter, who has made numerous similar films about sporting greats such as tennis stars Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi and basketball king Shaq O'Neal.
The film is due to be premiered in Manchester in October.
- NZPA
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