A fifth chapter of the Lethal Weapon franchise has been in the works for years, with iterations that even once included Chris Hemsworth as a potential prospect for such a film then working-titled “Lionhunters”. The Tracking Board broke that news in 2014 and obviously there’s been no movement, which is clearly not too heavy a burden for the Aussie actor and Marvel franchise mainstay, though it helps that the trades eventually broke news further down in 2017 with original staples Mel Gibson, Danny Glover and filmmaker Richard Donner behind the wheel.
Fast forward four years later and while the franchise has sadly lost its biggest and highly celebrated director as of July this year, the word now is that Gibson is in talks to take the helm, in addition to star. The update, according to the trades, comes following an interview in London in which Gibson, who starred alongside Glover as for a total of four films from 1987 to 1998 which raked in well over $950 million dollars worldwide, divulged as much.
Deadline also reports that no deal has closed, while the film would ramp up as an HBO Max release going forward. MSN quotes newspaper The South African with more:
“The man who directed all the ‘Lethal films’, Richard Donner, he was a big guy. He was developing the screenplay and he got pretty far along with it. And he said to me one day, ‘Listen kid, if I kick the bucket you will do it.’ And I said: ‘Shut up.’”
“But he did indeed pass away. But he did ask me to do it and at the time I didn’t say anything. He said it to his wife and to the studio and the producer. So I will be directing the fifth one.”
An insider said: “As well as stepping up to direct ‘Lethal Weapon 5’ Mel is going to be starring in it. Fans of Riggs will be pleased to see him back on screen – older but not necessarily wiser. It is hoped Danny Glover will come back to and reprise his role of Roger Murtaugh.”
Gibson, whose recent credits partly include Boss Level and holiday killer thriller Fatman, is currently on set for STARZ Network’s John Wick series spin-off, The Continental, which began filming its first episode this week with Larnell Stovall (Titans) directing.
Cover pic: Promo art for Lethal Weapon 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)