Lethal Weapon is an American buddy copaction-comedymedia franchise created by Shane Black. It focuses on two Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detectives, Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh. The franchise consists of a series of four films released between 1987 and 1998 and a television series which aired from 2016 to 2019. The four films were directed by Richard Donner and also share many of the same core cast members, while the television series is a reboot with different actors. Although the first film was not explicitly a comedy, the later films and the television series gradually became comedic in nature.
A proposed fifth installment had been in talks and development since 2007.
Anxious with age and retirement, homicide detective Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is partnered with young and suicidal narcotics officer Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson). Together, they work the case of the alleged suicide of Amanda Hunsaker (Jackie Swanson), daughter of a wealthy businessman who served with Murtaugh in Vietnam. Murtaugh and Riggs soon discover that Hunsaker was involved in a heroin-smuggling scheme led by a retired general (Mitchell Ryan) and his lead enforcer (Gary Busey).
During a car chase, Riggs and Murtaugh stumble upon a trunk full of smuggled South African Krugerrands. This sparks a series of attempts at their lives, forcing them to take a less dangerous case, protecting Leo Getz (Joe Pesci), a loud-mouthed whistleblower with whom they gradually bond and befriend. However, they realize that Getz was involved in the same South African illegal activities. As a result, the three men become entangled in a drug-smuggling operation involving South African diplomats in Los Angeles, using their immunity as a shield. Riggs kills the murderer of his wife who is among the criminals.
As Murtaugh, who is one week from retiring, and Riggs investigate a robbery committed using a duplicate armored car, they find themselves in the middle of an Internal Affairs investigation led by Sergeant Lorna Cole (Rene Russo). With assistance from Leo, they learn that the subject of the investigation is a rogue cop (Stuart Wilson) who is stealing impounded weapons and selling them on the black market. During the investigation, Murtaugh shoots and kills a teenager who attacks him and Riggs; he turns out to be a friend of his own son. This prompts Murtaugh to capture the man responsible for the distribution of illegal firearms and to rethink his retirement.
While his girlfriend Lorna and Murtaugh’s daughter Rianne are both pregnant, Riggs again teams up with Murtaugh and Leo as well as rookie Detective Lee Butters (Chris Rock) to investigate a Chinese immigrant smuggling ring. Wah Sing Ku (Jet Li) is a ruthless enforcer who attempts to murder Murtaugh's family by burning them alive in their home. Murtaugh discovers that Butters is the father of his daughter's unborn child. The two kill dozens of Chinese gangsters and catch up with the boss of the smuggling ring. Riggs and Lorna are married at the end of the film as their child is born.
Proposed fifth film
Since 2007, there had long been talk of a fifth Lethal Weapon film, although both Mel Gibson and Danny Glover initially expressed a lack of interest. Gibson confirmed in November 2021 that he was in talks to direct and star in the fifth film, saying that he would be helming the film to honor Donner, who wrote the screenplay and was originally set to direct the film prior to his death in July 2021.[1] It was reported that Richard Wenk (The Equalizer, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back) had drafted the screenplay.[2][3] As of April 2023, revisions to the screenplay have been made by Jez Butterworth.[4][5]
In June 2024, Gibson confirmed in an interview with the Inspire Me podcast that he would direct the fifth installment of the Lethal Weapon franchise and that the film would stay true to Donner's vision and influence.[6][7] Gibson also stated that he and Glover would return to play their respective roles of Riggs and Murtaugh.[8]
In September 2024, Gibson attended FanX Comic Convention in Salt Lake City, where he talked about the franchise, while voicing his frustration as to why Hollywood producers aren't giving him approval to work on the film. He said "The fifth one is written, its been held up for one reason or another, there's always issues with these things...I think it's the best one of the series, it just won't get made for one reason or another, I just can't explain why".[9]
A television adaptation of the film series was developed by Matthew Miller as co-executive producer, along with Dan Lin and Jennifer Gwartz for Fox.[10]Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans starred as Riggs and Murtaugh.[11][12] Other cast include Keesha Sharp replacing Golden Brooks as Trish, Jordana Brewster as Dr. Maureen Cahill, Kevin Rahm as Captain Brooks Avery, Chandler Kinney as Riana Murtaugh, Dante Brown as Roger "R.J." Murtaugh Jr., Johnathan Fernandez as Scorsese, and Thomas Lennon in the recurring role of Leo Getz.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] Fox gave Lethal Weapon a series order in May 2016.[20] For the third season, Crawford was replaced by Seann William Scott, as a new character named Wesley Cole. Crawford was fired from the show after Fox and Warner Bros. refused to aid in escalating tensions between Crawford and Wayans, and the series killed off the character of Riggs.[21] After three seasons Fox canceled the show in May 2019.[22]
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