Mike Lowery
The heart rate of the on-again off-again on-again ”Lethal Weapon” fifthquel (my grade-5 teacher would choke me for that one) has seemingly spiked over the past few weeks.
After WonderCon tonight, I had the chance to play catch up over Skype with a pal who works in location management on various series, including FOX’s small-screen incarnation. While he’s mostly in-the-know on the TV adaptation of the ’80s movie series, he has heard some very positive rumblings on the movie series. The FOX series recently concluded it’s third season run, and with ratings significantly down, online scuttlebutt suggested that would be it – but apparently it’s showing signs of life (“I don’t think its done“, said my contact. “As long as Wayans was in for more, they are. The net loves DW. Likely will be limited though”) as is the next film instalment.
“Gibson, Glover, Pesci doing that. Script is super solid I heard. may shoot this year. Doubt there will be overlap with TV“.
So, “Lethal Weapon 5” not only with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover but the formerly-retired Joe Pesci (who makes a return to the screen for Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman”) is apparently in very good shape and will is inching before the cameras AT LONG LAST.
Being on the TV side of things, and likely not involved in the movie, there’s not much more that he knows – but it’s the first we’ve heard that they’ve finally cracked that script. Everyone from Shane Black to Channing Gibson has had a stab at it, but those previous drafts mustn’t have pleased with the committee.
The “super solid” script is likely the one director Richard Donner referred to in an interview with Movies in Focus late last year.
“I’m in the process of getting the fifth and final one written. I’ve hired a writer to deliver me a draft – as we speak.”
Donner said Gibson and Glover were “chafing at the bit” to do the movie, and Warner Bros were as equally as excited about relaunching the film series.
Our friend suggests the announcement is just around the corner on both the film and series.Be stupendous if Warner Bros announced the film at Comic-Con, towing the leads out on the Hall H stage to do the honors.
