Los Angeles, May 19 (IANS) Hollywood veteran Mel Gibson has joined the cast of the action thriller "Bandit", starring Josh Elisha Cuthbert and Josh Duhamel.

The Allan Ungar directorial, scripted by Kraig Wenman, is based on Gilbert Galvan Jr, who went by the name of Robert Whiteman and was dubbed the infamous Flying Bandit for pulling off 63 bank and jewellery heists. The book draws reference from Robert Knuckle's bestseller "The Flying Bandit" as well as journalist Ed Arnold's interviews with Galvan Jr, reports variety.com.

Duhamel is cast in the starring role of Galvan Jr, and the film traces how he escapes from a US prison and makes his way to Canada, and acquires his new identity. He gets married and settles down, claiming to be a travelling security consultant, but continues with his crime spree, the website adds.

--IANS vnc/vnc