Mel Gibson's Highly Controversial Historical Epic Has Emerged on Free Streaming

1 week ago 16

Published Jan 24, 2026, 12:01 PM EST

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Nearly three decades after it first thundered into theaters, Braveheart has charged back into the spotlight — this time on free streaming. Mel Gibson’s sweeping 1995 historical epic is now available on Pluto, giving audiences another chance to revisit one of the most influential, polarizing films of its era without paying a penny.

When Braveheart was released, it became an immediate cultural event. The film went on to win five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and helped redefine what a historical epic could look like in the modern era. Its battle scenes were brutal, operatic, and wildly influential, setting a new standard for large-scale medieval warfare on screen.

The cast includes Gibson as William Wallace, Sophie Marceau as Princess Isabelle, Patrick McGoohan as King Edward I, Catherine McCormack as Murron MacClannough, Angus Macfadyen as Robert the Bruce, Brendan Gleeson as Hamish Campbell, David O’Hara as Stephen, Brian Cox as Argyle Wallace, Ian Bannen as Robert the Bruce’s father, Sean McGinley as MacClannough, Peter Hanly as Prince Edward, and James Robinson as Young William Wallace.

How Grueling Was 'Braveheart'?

Speaking at Fan Expo in Philadelphia back in 2025, Gibson was asked to elaborate on just how overwhelming the production really was. Despite how confident the finished film feels, he admitted he was basically making it up as he went along.

“It was only my second outing as a director, and it was a massive shoot. There were about 3,000 people on the set. They’re all looking at you like you know what you’re doing. So I pretended I knew what I was doing. Logistically speaking, it was a monster — from feeding everybody to getting them all to look like they were in the war. But somehow it all came together.”

The proudest moment of Gibson's time directing, and possibly of his career, is keeping the set safe during the film’s grueling 105-day shoot, which included some of cinema’s most visceral battle scenes. “One guy got a hangnail and another got a broken nose and twisted ankle, but that was it,” he shared. “It was a long shoot — we didn’t get any days off. But I’m really proud of the end result. It really paid off.”

But when the end result and payoff include five Academy Awards and a reputation as one of the most iconic, historical epics ever shot on film, you know winging it went exactly the way you would have wanted. Braveheart is streaming now on Pluto TV.