Mel Gibson Doesn’t Want To Direct His Most Anticipated Movie
Mel Gibson isn't all that keen on directing a movie fans have been waiting years to see. But there is a good reason for his reticence
This article is more than 2 years old
Fans of the Lethal Weapon movies, some of the best buddy-cop films of all time, are sure to be hyped for the upcoming Lethal Weapon 5. Mel Gibson, aka Riggs, is excited about the movie too. But as far as being the director of the movie, not so much. According to an interview he had with Entertainment Tonight, he wishes that the directing duties weren’t his.
That’s not to say he doesn’t think the movie is going to be great. Mel Gibson has a very good reason for not wanting to direct the movie. That reason is he wishes the original director was taking care of it instead. Unfortunately, the legendary Richard Donner passed away in 2021 and was unable to complete the project. Mel Gibson stepped in to take over and make sure that the movie got made. As the director of every previous movie in the Lethal Weapon franchise, it’s definitely sad that Donner won’t be able to handle the fifth outing. However, if someone had to take over for him, Gibson definitely seems like the best fit.
Not only is Mel Gibson one of the two stars of the series, but he has plenty of directing experience to his name that should allow him to naturally slide into the big chair. His credits include major films like Braveheart, Hacksaw Ridge, and Apocalypto so he definitely has the chops and the talent to handle the adventures of Riggs and Murtaugh. Speaking of which, Danny Glover is also set to return as the other half of the dynamic duo. It just wouldn’t be a Lethal Weapon movie without the two of them. Richard Wenk, who has some action writing experience of his own, is the screenwriter for the fifth installment. His previous credits include The Equalizer, The Expendables 2, and more.
Right now plot details, and details about the movie in general, are pretty scant. We haven’t seen Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in a Lethal Weapon movie since Lethal Weapon 4 way back in 1998. In that movie, we saw Riggs and Murtaugh go against the Chinese triads, with the legendary Jet Li serving as the villain. It’s been over two decades since that movie, and presumably, the same amount of time has passed in the Lethal Weapon universe. It’s likely we’ll be seeing older versions of Riggs and Murtaugh for possibly their final outing. And if Murtaugh thought he was “too old for this sh*t” back in 1987, we can only imagine what he’s thinking now. As the production moves forward, we’re sure to learn more plot and casting details in the future. Production is supposed to be wrapping soon, so maybe we’ll get a trailer sooner than later too.
As far as a release date goes, we don’t have news on that yet either. But it does look like the release might be heading for HBO Max, avoiding the theatre situation altogether. If you’re excited to see Mel Gibson and Danny Glover reprise some of their best roles, you might be able to do it from the comfort of your own home soon enough.
