It looks like Mel Gibson fans will have to make do with those old DVD box sets of Mad Max and Lethal Weapon.

Hot on the heels of the news that Mel wont be returning to Mad Max comes official news that Warner Bros. has given up on the Lethal Weapon franchise due to Mel’s lack of interest.

Clint Morris at Moviehole (who appears to have a mole deep inside the Warner Bros lot) spoke with an executive who said :

“That one is as good as dead. It won’t happen. Which is a pity”

Franchise creator Shane Black had written a script for a fifth film and producer Joel Silver had the writer in the frame to direct, but Mel Gibson’s loyalties lay with original director (and mentor) Richard Donner who was sidelined from the project due to a very public falling out with Silver.

Donner also had a script for a fifth film in the action franchise written by Channing Gibson (no relation to Mel) but Mel feels that the character of Martin Riggs has come to his natural end and doesn’t see the point of returning to the role.

Having said that apparently Gibson and Donner have a film in development which they plan to shoot next year – so there is the chance that they may get around to talking about Lethal Weapon. However, the Warner Bros source said:

”It could (come up) but I don’t think it will happen that way either”.

A shame, but he at least they’re not going to do an animated sequel without Gibson’s voice.

Source: Moviehole

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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.

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.

Source: LA Times via IESB

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In August, Screen Rant reported that Shane Black was writing the script for the fifth installment of the Lethal Weapon franchise with interest from both Danny Glover and Mel Gibson making their return.

The reported synopsis had Riggs (Gibson’s chracacter) who’s just about to retire, bringing Murtaugh (Glover’s character) out of retirement to solve one final case. This sounds like it would be the final sendoff the characters and it would allow the franchise to end with some closure.

My guess is that the big case would include characters very important to them (perhaps major characters from the prior films?) to make them partner up yet again for another action-packed adventure.

2 weeks ago, we reported that Black had been asked by producer Joel Silver to helm the project – taking over from Richard Donner who had directed all four previous films in the series. In that article, Niall said we can expect to see our favorite aging crime-fighting duo to be aided by a pair of young cops.

Well it might just be that one of those two cops will be Murtaugh’s son.

Speaking with IGN, Columbus Short confirmed that he was in talks to play the role of Murtaugh’s film for Lethal Weapon 5. This is just my guess, but who better to continue the legacy then someone from the family gene pool?

Short is a promising young actor who will be getting alot of exposure with Quarantine hitting theatres this Friday and another four feature film projects on the go (not including Lethal Weapon 5).

News of Lethal Weapon 5 is of no surprise to me. Which 80s film franchise hasn’t been recently continued and/or remade?

Personally, I’d love to see the story of Riggs and Murtaugh given an appropriate finish.

What do you think?

Source: IGN

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As a huge fan of the Lethal Weapon movies, Mel Gibson, Richard Donner and the work of Shane Black, I was excited when news surfaced that Black had penned a treatment for Lethal Weapon 5.

However, I’m now torn due to the news that Black has been asked by producer Joel Silver to helm the project, leaving Dick Donner out of the project. Strange news indeed, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was an exceptional piece of entertainment, but I don’t know if I’d want to see a “Dickless” Lethal Weapon movie.

So why has Lethal Weapon 5 not been offered to Donner – and will Mel Gibson star in the film?

The answer is simple enough.

Several years ago Donner and Silver had a falling out, and it would appear that time has not healed the wounds. As Black now appears to be Silver’s new protégé (would you go near the Wachowskis again after Speed Racer?) it is the logical choice that he replaces Donner in the director’s chair – after all he did write the original movie.

Apparently the production now hinges of Gibson’s involvement (obviously), but will he want to make the film when his friend and mentor (the pair have made six films) has been sidelined? Well, we all know that money talks in Hollywood, and I’m sure that a huge paycheck will be used to sway the actor – his salary for Lethal Weapon 4 in 1998 was a reported $35 million, so expect an increase on that!

If the film does go ahead, expect Riggs and Murtaugh to be aided by a pair of young New York Cops (why not LA?).

I’m not too sure about this one anymore, but if somebody is going to replace Donner then I’m glad that it’s Black, but will he have the magic to make Lethal Weapon 5 a worthy sequel?

Source: EW

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I think that it’s well known around these parts that I’m a big supporter of Mel Gibson (let’s not get into his views, the guy is a movie star), and that I love Richard Donner’s movies. I also love the work of Shane Black – that guy knew how to pen a witty action movie. If you don’t know, check out Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Last Boy Scout.

And now news has come in that Shane Black, writer of the original Lethal Weapon film, has apparently penned a fifth installment of the action series. Allegedly he has shown the script to producer Joel Silver (Speed Racer) and both Danny Glover and Mad Mel are interested in returning to their signature roles!

This is great news – but is it really going to happen?

Acoording to Tracking B.com (via Comingsoon) :

“Riggs (Gibson) is about to retire, but pulls Murtaugh (Glover) out of retirement to solve one final case, before they both officially head off into the sunset.”

It sounds like a pretty darn cool concept (considering that in the series Murtaugh would now be in his seventies), but will Gibson and Glover really be interested in returning to the franchise? Over the years they’ve both said that they’d never make another Lethal Weapon.

Never say never, and money talks (gee two movie titles in one sentence) in Hollywood.

All of the people named above need a commercial hit, so there is a chance that they might return to the well one last time. Warner Bros. knows that old franchises die hard, and the last few years have shown that you can squeeze an extra few hundred million from an aging icon.

There’s no word on Joe Pesci, Rene Russo or Chris Rock returning, and considering that they weren’t in Black’s original film they may not. Could their characters’ deaths be the reason that Mel is a Lethal Weapon once more?

I know what you’re thinking. What about Dick?

Well, in my eyes Richard “Dick” Donner is the heart and soul of Lethal Weapon, so we need Dick on-board. Now more than ever considering co-composer Michael Kamen’s passing. However, a few years ago Silver and Donner had a falling out, but pray that a reunion is on the cards. Hear that Mel? Pray!

“What about cost ?” I hear you scream from the peanut gallery!

Well… Lethal Weapon 4 cost $150 million back in 1998 and that was mostly due to salary demands. Joe Pesci (home) alone got $12 million for the action flick, while Gibbo got about $35 million – praise the Lord! So a streamlined cast may be the way to go.

Treat this all as rumor for the moment… but pray people: Forget The Goonies 2, we want a Lethal Weapon 5.

Why?

’cause it’s better than a remake and more fun that a special effects laden CGI fest!

More when (and if) we get it.

Sources: Tracking B.com and Comingsoon

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