Apparently, they are not getting too old for this. Mel Gibson is reportedly in talks to direct the fifth installment in the Lethal Weapon franchise. Over the weekend, while doing an interview in London, Gibson let the cat out of the bag that he was looking to direct the film and since, sources close to him have confirmed that he is in talks to direct and star, although no deal has been officially made.
Gibson, who starred in the previous four films as loose-cannon Martin Riggs, would be replacing previous franchise director Richard Donner, who passed away this past July. Gibson and Donner had reportedly been developing another sequel over the years since the fourth one debuted in 1998. Donner even went on record in December of 2020, telling the Daily Telegraph that he would direct a fifth and final film, saying:
This is the final one. It’s both my privilege and duty to put it to bed. It’s exciting, actually… Hahaha! It’s the last one, I’ll promise you that.
The original film Lethal Weapon, which was written by Shane Black (The Nice Guys) told the story of a Los Angeles police detective Martin Riggs (Gibson), who, following the death of his wife, becomes reckless and suicidal. He is reassigned and partnered with Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), where Riggs immediately clashes with the older officer. Together they uncover a massive drug-trafficking ring and with each dangerous situation they encounter, they form a lifelong bond.
Gibson reportedly continued the development of the fifth Lethal Weapon film after the passing of Donner. This latest installment would be developed for HBO Max. It's unknown at this time who from the original cast would return and if Black would return to the pen the script. It is also unknown when the film would shoot, as Gibson has a number of projects to juggle at the moment, including a starring role in the new John Wick series at Starz, The Continental.
The entire Lethal Weapon film franchise is available on HBO Max.