Mel Gibson Says He Still Wants to Direct Lethal Weapon 5, Although It Sounds Like It's in Development Hell

Mel Gibson remains committed to directing a fifth installment of the Lethal Weapon franchise, despite the film currently being mired in development difficulties. Gibson, who portrayed suicidal LAPD detective Martin Riggs in the 1980s action classic alongside Danny Glover's character, shared this news with Collider. A screenplay penned by Richard Wenk was finalized following the death of Lethal Weapon director Richard Donner in July 2021 at the age of 91.

Gibson revealed that the characters in the potential fifth installment would be older than in previous films, leading to a more character-driven narrative. "It only harks back to the others in the minimal way, but it's a story all on its own," Gibson explained. "The characters are quite different. They're older. One's retired. The other one's on a desk job.

He's putting on too much weight, and it's low-tech. It doesn't get into the big explosions and all this sort of stuff. But it still has the energy and, I think, drive of a big action film." Gibson expressed his desire to direct the film, but acknowledged that it is "tied up in some kind of industrial film hell that you can't extract it from to make it."

He is optimistic that Paramount chief David Ellison may take up the task, assuming his plan to acquire Warner Bros. succeeds. The first Lethal Weapon, released in 1987, played a pivotal role in launching Gibson's and Glover's film careers, paving the way for Shane Black's subsequent success with films such as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3, The Nice Guys, and The Predator.

Gibson himself has directed several notable films, including Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto, and Hacksaw Ridge. The fifth Lethal Weapon is scheduled for release in 2027, with Gibson set to direct from a script he co-wrote with Randall Wallace.