When news broke that Joel Silver was producing a Shane Black-penned and directed Lethal Weapon 5 the internet went crazy with the prospect of another Riggs and Murtaugh adventure.
However, the main sticking point appeared to be Mel Gibson. Would the star return to his trademark role of Martin Riggs, considering the amount of time that had passed since the last installment?
These guesses and rumors were recently shot down by original franchise director Richard Donner – who says that Mel turned the flick down.
The Reason?
Donner wasn’t asked back to the party.
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Donner told The LA Times:
“Mel turned it down. I would like to think that Mel turned it down because I wasn’t involved. Knowing Mel, I would like to think that. Would that be the kind of thing he does? It sure would be.”
Donner went on to say that he pitched an idea to the studio a few years ago – but they weren’t interested. Not only that -but Silver tried to screw Donner over by waiting for his contract to lapse. Donner said:
“Joel Silver tried to ace me out of it. He tried to put it together but made sure he didn’t do it until my contract was up. You know, it’s typical of the man. A guy who wasn’t even around at the beginning when we started on the first one. He came in late.”
“It’s too bad, actually, because Channing Gibson, who wrote the fourth one, and Mike Riva, a designer on three of them, and myself and Derek (Hoffman) had an incredibly strong story for the fifth movie. But we weren’t given the opportunity and I think maybe I could have convinced Mel to do it. But Warners chose to go with Joel Silver.”
So there you have it – no Dick means no Mel.
God bless him, too. There is very little loyalty in Hollywood these days and it’s good to see somebody stand up and say “No, I don’t care about $30 million, I want to work with my friend.”
With a bit of luck maybe Warners will decide to bring Dick by on board so we can have Martin Riggs stand proud where he belongs; beside other 1980’s icons like Rambo, Rocky, John Mc Clane and Indiana Jones.
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15 Comments
no dick means no Mel
and
no Mel equals no movie
bring back Donner!
Well, there it is…The man’s got scrupels. Jules
Good for Mel!
Well it least it had a quick death unlike “Rendezvous with Rama.”
if Donner is not involved , I do not blame Gibson for not wanting to do it.
I’m thinking now if he keeps that (its life but not as we know it) goatee,,, then maybe I’ll see the film for laughs.
oh I forgot its dead Jim…
Mel the goatee looks comical and unsettling… Get some bolt cutters and kill that bitch.
That goatee was a bet during Apocalypto’s production, however, it would be pure jokes with Riggs running around killing people with that goatee!
I say forget Lethal Weapon and get a new Mad Max going!
Can we just NOT have a 5th movie? Seriously, lets dig into the skillset of today’s hollywood, find some great ideas and screenwriters and move ON.
After what was the travesty of 4 and most of three, aren’t we actually DONE with this franchise?
I think Lethal Weapon 5 COULD be registered as a lethal weapon. It surely would make me want to go get one and shoot myself in the head with it.
How about a twister 2 there plenty of disaster books out there like Twister by Jack Brickham.Or about a movie base on a major event like the tri state Tornado that rip though parts of MO,IND AND ILL.Killed clase 800 people on march 18,1925
But Bobby, what would that have to do with “Lethal Weapon?” I suppose you could use a tornado as a Lethal Weapon by arranging someones murder to occur by tornado, or covered up by a tornado. Since they usually happen in the midwest, I don’t see how the principle characters get involved. I suppose some kind of vacation scenario/gang, or conspiracy story could be made. I don’t think this makes the idea any more attractive to Mel, unless Donner is behind it..
Someone whose name doesn’t come immediately to mind, but is far and away more clever than I, once commented that lightning would make an excellent murder weapon…no way to track a ballistic signature, no way to get prints, no way to track it to the gun for hire and their employer.
Also, with Donner not being in on the LW-5 movie…does this mean we can call Joel Silver a eunuch?
After all, without Donner…he’s “Dick-less”, right?
Oooh Dan, Major head cutting..
Like a professional hitman…I aim to please.
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