Disney screwed up with Mel Gibson once by backing out of the financially and artistically impressive Passion of the Christ. It looked like they were about to do the same thing again with his upcoming Apocolypto. Now the House of Mouse seems to be whistling a different tune.

Last week there were reports that Disney was bailing on Gibson's film. While they didn't say it straight out, it was kind of hard not to assume the decision was in response to Mel's recent Hollywood shunning for his DUI arrest and subsequent drunken tirade against Jews. Reuters is reporting that Disney's spokespeople denied all of the above on Friday saying the plan is to continue with distribution of the film which is due out December 8.

Is this a case of double backlash? On the one hand it seems Disney was backing out to avoid negative association. But that garnered negative responses from all but the most anti-Gibson folks. The rest of us were hoping Disney would take the higher ground and not make the same mistake they did with Passion by trying to avoid even the pettiest of controversy.

Looks like they're sticking to the right track. Maybe post-Eisner Disney is going to keep looking up after all.