Lethal Weapon 5 has come a long way. Gibson says that the script is done and that it is the best in the series. He also wants to direct and come back as Martin Riggs.
Danny Glover is set to come back as Roger Murtaugh. Age, history, and feelings may play a bigger role in the story. However, fans still don’t know when the movie will officially come out or when production will begin.
What Does Mel Gibson’s Latest Lethal Weapon 5 Update Reveal?
Image © 1998 Warner Bros.
Some progress has been made on Lethal Weapon 5, but production has not been confirmed. Mel Gibson says that the script is done and that he plans to direct the fifth movie and play Martin Riggs again. Roger Murtaugh is likely to be played again by Danny Glover. But Warner Bros. hasn’t said when the sequel will be approved, filmed, or released.
What Did Mel Gibson Say About the Finished Lethal Weapon 5 Script?
Mel Gibson said he and Richard Wenk finished the screenplay. Gibson claimed it is “the best in the whole series,” showing his confidence in the material. Softonic also names Jez Butterworth as involved, although the scanned sources differ on the exact writing credits. The safest conclusion is that the script is complete, while the final credited writers remain unclear.
- Script status: Gibson says the script is finished, marking meaningful development after fans desperately waited many years for news about another Lethal Weapon film.
- Donner connection: Original director Richard Donner directed the first movie and every previous installment. After Donner’s death in 2021, Gibson said Donner had asked him to take over the project if he could not complete it.
- Creative confidence: Gibson believes the story honors Donner’s perspective and calls the screenplay stronger than the entire series, although that remains Gibson’s assessment rather than a studio judgment.
Why Hasn’t Lethal Weapon 5 Started Production Yet?
Studio approval is the most important thing. ScreenRant says Gibson said the project was in “industrial film hell” because of problems with Warner Bros. and Paramount. After Discovery merged with Sony, Softonic changed and now puts more emphasis on Warner Bros. Both reports say that the movie has the necessary permissions to start filming.
- Production status: A good screenplay does not automatically mean a film can happen. Financing, schedules, distribution, cast agreements, and studio approval can still stand between a finished script and cameras rolling.
- Gibson’s hope: Gibson admitted he hopes the sequel can move forward if the concerns are resolved, but his comment is not a production date or release promise.
- Rumor check: No confirmed July filming date was published in the scanned material. The key interview was connected to Collider’s Steven Weintraub at Fan Expo Boston, not Fan Expo Philadelphia, so rumors should not replace verified information.
What Could Riggs and Murtaugh’s Final Chapter Be About?
The story appears designed as a legacy sequel about aging Los Angeles detectives rather than a movie that ignores the main characters’ age. Glover is expected to return as Roger Murtaugh, while Gibson plans to play Riggs again. Their pair could retain the fun, goofy humor of the Lethal Weapon franchise while approaching its characters from an older perspective.
- Aging heroes: Gibson described one character as retired and the other as working a desk job and having gained weight. That setup lets the fifth movie acknowledge how much time has passed since the last film.
- Smaller action: Gibson wants intense action without depending on enormous explosions. He compared the approach with Apocalypto, where a foot chase can create the excitement of a car chase on the big screen.
- Final-chapter focus: Softonic describes the installment as a lethal finale with more emotion and tougher social and political material. The story may explore age, shared history, and legacy while keeping the humor fans associate with the series.
Lethal Weapon 4 came out a long time ago, so we’ve had to wait a long time for Lethal Weapon 5. The project has a finished script and an interested star-director who wants to work on it, but its production status is still unknown. Before taking release rumors as truth, fans should wait for the studio to make an official announcement.
Final Thoughts
Lethal Weapon 5 has made progress with a finished script, but there are still no firm plans for production or release. Fans of the Lethal Weapon series can’t wait for an official studio post to confirm that there will be a sequel. The truthful news is more important than rumors about upcoming movies, most people would agree.
FAQs
Martin Riggs has not been confirmed as killed off in the Lethal Weapon movies, and Mel Gibson plans to return as Riggs if the fifth film moves forward.
Mel Gibson plans to return, while Danny Glover is expected to reprise Roger Murtaugh, although fans should wait for an official cast announcement.
There is no confirmed announcement in the reviewed sources that Joe Pesci will return as Leo Getz in Lethal Weapon 5.
Lethal Weapon 5 does not currently have a confirmed release date, so reports suggesting a specific date should be treated cautiously.
You cannot watch Lethal Weapon 5 yet because the sequel has not entered confirmed production or been released.