Mel Gibson takes to hiding behind puppets to avoid more trouble

So you've shamed your Hollywood career and been sacked from The Hangover 2 for apparently pissing off some of the cast. So where does everyone's favourite anti-Semite, sexist, violent drunkard go from here? Playing second fiddle to a puppet, that's where!

Despite all of his indiscretions, Summit Entertainment are still pushing The Beaver, a Mel Gibson-starring, Jodie Foster-directed dark comedy. It tells the story of Walter Black, a severely depressed CEO of a toy company who's struggling to deal with his life. Therefore, he's advised to don a hand puppet that'd help him express his feelings through said puppet, helping him communicate with his no doubt slightly confused wife (played by Jodie Foster) and children (Anton Yelchin and Riley Thomas Stewart).

I'm certainly intrigued by this, and the poster does cause a smirk or two. And to see Mel Gibson, yes Mel Gibson doing his best Rod Hull impersonation could be one of the funniest things we ever see him do.

Based on an original script by Kyle Killen, it's been circling around Hollywood for a couple of years now, gaining a lot of interest. At one point, Jim Carrey and Steve Carell were attached to lead, but where's the controversy in that?

Marketed as a 'dark comedy', there'll obviously be more to it than mere puppet-based gags. So expect an angst-ridden teen embarrassed by his father, a crumbling home life and a wife at her wits end. But there's still a puppet on hand to lighten the mood.

When we finally get to see this depends heavily on whether Mad Mel can control his racist/sexist and violent outbursts and play nice. Until all his tabloid endeavours have died down, this one will be sat on the shelf. But hopefully we won't have to wait too long. I mean, who doesn't want to see Mel Gibson starring alongside a puppet?!