Lethal Weapon 5 Update Given by Mel Gibson, Will Tackle ‘Hard Issues’

The long-gestating Lethal Weapon 5 is officially happening, according to franchise star Mel Gibson.

Gibson is set to direct the fifth and final installment of the buddy cop action film, succeeding the franchise’s longtime director Richard Donner, who sadly passed away in 2021 at age 91. Donner directed all four Lethal Weapon features, with Gibson taking on the reins over three decades after the first film graced cinemas back in 1987.

What to expect in Lethal Weapon 5?

Gibson and Danny Glover will reunite for the final Lethal Weapon movie, bringing the unlikely tandem of Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh back to the big screen once again. The actor teased some details about the final installment during an appearance on Steven Oxley’s podcast, confirming that the planned movie — though it has been sitting on the table for quite a while — is still in the works.

“I’m going to direct the fifth film in the Lethal Weapon series. Richard Donner, who did the other four, sadly passed away, and he was a good friend. He kind of tasked me with carrying the flag home on this one so it’ll be an honor for me to do that,” said Gibson. “He had gone a fair way with the screenplay, so we’ve used what was there and we kept poking at it. I’m pretty happy with it.”

Gibson did not give any specific plot details regarding Lethal Weapon 5, but he described the film as “funny” but “pretty serious,” and that it will tackle “a couple of hard issues.”

With Gibson hugely involved in the production, fans can expect that Lethal Weapon 5 would stay faithful to the elements of the last four features. Lethal Weapon 5 has gone through various stages of development. Donner reportedly began developing the screenplay before his passing. Before Gibson’s promising update, it was announced last year that Jez Butterworth would be the franchise’s new writer.