In further proof that no franchise is ever well and truly over, Lethal Weapon 5 is back in the stages of early development after decades of false starts and rumors, with original stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover set to bring one of the buddy cop movie’s all-time greatest double acts back to the big screen for the first time since 1998.
Of course, the series was already the subject of a small screen reboot that ran for three seasons before being canceled last year, but there’s a huge number of Lethal Weapon fans that refuse to even acknowledge its existence because if it isn’t Gibson and Glover, then it simply isn’t Riggs and Murtaugh.
The closest we’ve actually gotten to Lethal Weapon 5 becoming a reality in the past was in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but it appears that the long-awaited sequel is finally gaining some traction this time. In a recent interview, Danny Glover confirmed that talks are ongoing and he’s read an early version of the script, and teased that it has the potential to be something extraordinary.
“There has been a conversation about that in January. I don’t want to give away the plot on the script that I read, but I found the plot had very strong relevance to some of things that are happening today. I can say that. But that was in January. History changes so fast. But yes, there’s been talk about it. There is something of a plan.”
The actor then went on to explain that Lethal Weapon 5 won’t just be a straightforward action movie, and the plot will involve several topics that have huge relevance to the events going on in our world today, which is interesting to hear about a project that focuses on two veteran police officers.
“Yes, I liked it. I can only tell you, if it does happen, there is something extraordinary in it. If Lethal Weapon gives us some sort of contribution to understanding a little bit more, it would be interesting to do. It would be interesting to see how we take this within the political framework we are in, the economic framework that we are in. And especially that framework, as opposed to the communities that have been affected by the kind of police violence, the kind of police standards, and the power that they exert as well. And what would be interesting from that vantage point is what that attempt could be like at this particular moment.”
It certainly sounds like they’ve hit on an interesting angle for Lethal Weapon 5, but the question remains if the return of Riggs and Murtaugh to our screens is necessary, or just another exercise to cash in on the nostalgia market. After all, Glover said he was getting too old for this sh*t back in 1987, and having the 73 year-old star alongside the 64 year-old Mel Gibson and possibly even the 77 year-old Joe Pesci in a movie directed by the 90 year-old Richard Donner isn’t exactly guaranteed to draw in the key younger demographic.