Precisely a year ago tomorrow, we reported the news that a new Lethal Weapon movie was in the early stages of development with Mel Gibson (who was going through those anti-semitic drunk driving charges) in talks to reprise the character of Martin Riggs for a fifth time. This was seen by many as way for Mel to ease his way back into the public eye after his crazy antics last Summer but then in October when Apocalypto was shaping up to be something special, he came up with the following quote…
“Oh no, I don’t want to go there again…oh boy was that done to death. I just want to do things that really give me a kick”.
And that was that. Lethal Weapon 5 was dead and there has been no further talk about it. Until now…
Just like last year, reports on the web suggest that a Lethal Weapon 5 is in the early stages of development over at Warner Brothers because they see interest in reprising the franchise after the success of things like Rocky, Die Hard and inevitably Indiana Jones doing the same thing.
Richard Donner, the director of all four previous films is said to have a script or an outline of a story that he is happy with but the chances of it being made without the involvement of Mel Gibson are pretty much zero.
Would Gibson come back? His comments last year would suggest not but who knows? After the double header of the heavy hitters Apocalypto and The Passion of the Christ, maybe a couple of months doing something fun and re-living the past might be something that he finds appealing. I’d say why not Mel, you can always come back and do another epic film afterwards if it didn’t go down well.
Oh and I don’t think we need to discuss whether Danny Glover would return or not. If Mel’s in, you can bet he would be too.
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Gibson’s main gripe against doing another LW entry is that he’s too old to do all the physical stuff he was doing twenty years ago, or even ten years ago. Keep in mind his “age” was a main theme of Lethal Weapon 4.
But who knows, if they show him enough video of Sly, Bruce and Harrison reliving their glory days maybe it’ll be enough make Mel’s brain go soft and get him out of the director’s seat and back in front of the camera. Though how much do you want to bet he’ll be constantly wanting to take the reigns out of Richard Donner’s hands? There’s nothing worse than an actor who’s experienced a little directorial success.
i hope they do make LETHAL WEAPON 5 if they do it would be cool if i could have a role in it.
SHANE BLACK wrote and created LETHAL WEAPON. The sequels were nothing more than Donner capitalizing on someone elses franchise.
Black is reported to have another Lethal Weapon script ready to go. Donner is quoted as saying Gibson won’t do it unless he, Donner, directs. Talk about ego? Read the original Lethal Weapon script. The greatness was in the writing… and the acting.