Mel Gibson Flees Hollywood With Mark Wahlberg – Reveals Why It’s Way Better To Film Movies In Vegas

Movie star Mark Wahlberg has spent the past few years trying to turn Las Vegas into the ‘New Hollywood.’ Mel Gibson, who just directed Wahlberg in the new movie Flight Risk, has now joined this effort in a big way by fleeing Hollywood himself.

Gibson Loves Filming In Vegas

Gibson, 69, has been working in Hollywood for decades. Despite this, he loved filming his and Wahlberg’s latest movie in Las Vegas.

“Mark Wahlberg is an industrious guy and great to work with,” Gibson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “The production experience in Vegas was topnotch.”

“I am certain Vegas will accommodate Mark in a big way. I look forward to coming back for big-budget movies,” he added.

Gibson previously appeared with Wahlberg in the 2022 movies Father Stu and Daddy’s Home 2.

Wahlberg’s ‘Hollywood 2.0’ Plan

Wahlberg, 53, moved to Las Vegas in 2022 with his wife and their four children. At the time, he said that he was hoping to turn Las Vegas into “Hollywood 2.0.”

“I moved to Nevada where, after this gubernatorial election, hopefully it will go to legislation and get a bill passed, so we can get a tax credit for the state — build a state-of-the-art studio here and make this Hollywood 2.0,” Wahlberg told Fox News.

“We’re always looking for new opportunities and new adventures,” he continued. “I hope to create of a lot of opportunity here. And I moved to California originally to make movies. I’ve made three movies in the last 15 years in LA. So, as you know, it’s been difficult.”

Gibson Weighs In

Back in January, Gibson opened up about why it’s so difficult to film movies in Hollywood, California these days.

“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,” he explained. “So, there’s something really wrong there.” 

Gibson went on to say that the former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of The Terminator fame “tried to level the playing field years ago, he couldn’t do it because there were obstacles.”

“A lot of people have left, and I don’t blame them,” Gibson admitted. “It didn’t suit them anymore.”

Related: Mel Gibson Gets Emotional As He Surveys The Remains Of His Malibu Mansion After Losing It To Wildfire

Wahlberg Has No Regrets

Wahlberg would be one of those people, and he has no regrets.

“When I moved here, I brought probably like 15 or 20 people that work with me also moving here,” Wahlberg previously said. “They went from three-bedroom houses that they were really struggling to pay rent for. And now they have a six-bedroom house, and it’s, you know, half the cost.”

“And, you know, they walk their dogs,” he concluded. “They’re in a gated community. They’ve got the school right there two blocks down the road. It’s just a much better lifestyle here and more affordable.”

Related: Mark Wahlberg Doesn’t Regret Moving Family From LA To Las Vegas – ‘Everybody Is Thriving Here’

With such legendary stars as Gibson and Wahlberg trying to make Las Vegas the new Hollywood, this might actually end up happening. It will certainly be interesting to see if in a few years time, Las Vegas really is the new Hollywood!