Lethal Weapon 5 - Mel Gibson Reveals the Future of Riggs and Murtaugh

Lethal Weapon 5 has not yet managed to escape production limbo, but Mel Gibson continues to work to make the return of Riggs and Murtaugh a reality. Speaking at Fan Expo Boston, the actor and director revealed new details about the project and confirmed that he will direct it.

The screenplay, co-written with Richard Wenk, was completed after the death of Richard Donner, who had begun developing the fifth chapter before passing away in 2021. According to Gibson, the result is said to be even superior to the previous films.

The return of Riggs and Murtaugh will be very different

The story should reflect the years passed since their last adventure. The two protagonists will find themselves in a very different situation from that of the first films: Murtaugh is retired, while Riggs has found an office job and has to contend with age. 

The goal is therefore to reduce gratuitous spectacle and bring the relationship between the characters back to the center. Gibson cited Apocalypto, with the idea of maintaining a strong action component, but with a more physical and direct approach, leaving more room for the characters. Who knows if beloved faces like Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock, or Jet Li will return to the cast (despite the ending of the fourth chapter).

The actor also recalled that Donner had asked him to take care of the film if he was unable to complete it. Now Gibson intends to honor that promise. The main obstacle, however, remains production: Lethal Weapon 5 has not yet received final approval.