Mel Gibson.Photo: Randy Shropshire/Getty ImagesMel Gibson is returning to theLethal Weaponfranchise.Gibson, 65, is planning to direct the upcoming fifth installment of the buddy-cop action movie series, a rep for the star confirmed to PEOPLE. No additional details were offered.While speaking Sunday at the “Experience With…” event in London, Gibson said, according toThe Hollywood ReporterandThe Sun, that director Richard Donner, who helmed all fourLethal Weaponmovies, gave his blessing for Gibson to take over. Donner, also known for films likeThe GooniesandSuperman,died in July at age 91.“He was developing the screenplay and he got pretty far along with it. And he said to me one day, ‘Listen kid, if I kick the bucket you will do it.’ And I said, ‘Shut up,’ " Gibson reportedly said over the weekend. “But he did indeed pass away. But he did ask me to do it and at the time I didn’t say anything. He said it to his wife and to the studio and the producer. So I will be directing the fifth one.“Gibson played Martin Riggs in all fourLethal Weaponmovies opposite Danny Glover. The first film hit theaters in 1987, while the fourth one debuted in 1998.Richard Donner.Peter Kramer/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Gibson has previously directed films likeBraveheart,The Passion of the Christand, most recently, 2016’sHacksaw Ridge, which scored him an Oscar nomination for Best Director.RELATED VIDEO: The Cast OfLethal WeaponReunite To Honor Director Richard DonnerBack in January 2020, producer Dan Lin saidLethal Weapon 5was close to happeningduring aroundtable interview withTHR. He said at the time it would be the final installment: “We’re trying to make the lastLethal Weaponmovie. And Donner’s coming back. The original cast is coming back. And it’s just amazing. The story itself is very personal to him. Mel and Danny are ready to go, so it’s about the script.““I’m ready to do 5. It’s calledLethal Finale,“the director said in a February 2018 interview. “It is dark, but I wanted to end it on an emotional note, and I don’t think it’s gonna happen. It’s heartbreaking.”
Mel Gibson.Photo: Randy Shropshire/Getty Images
Mel Gibson is returning to theLethal Weaponfranchise.Gibson, 65, is planning to direct the upcoming fifth installment of the buddy-cop action movie series, a rep for the star confirmed to PEOPLE. No additional details were offered.While speaking Sunday at the “Experience With…” event in London, Gibson said, according toThe Hollywood ReporterandThe Sun, that director Richard Donner, who helmed all fourLethal Weaponmovies, gave his blessing for Gibson to take over. Donner, also known for films likeThe GooniesandSuperman,died in July at age 91.“He was developing the screenplay and he got pretty far along with it. And he said to me one day, ‘Listen kid, if I kick the bucket you will do it.’ And I said, ‘Shut up,’ " Gibson reportedly said over the weekend. “But he did indeed pass away. But he did ask me to do it and at the time I didn’t say anything. He said it to his wife and to the studio and the producer. So I will be directing the fifth one.“Gibson played Martin Riggs in all fourLethal Weaponmovies opposite Danny Glover. The first film hit theaters in 1987, while the fourth one debuted in 1998.Richard Donner.Peter Kramer/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Gibson has previously directed films likeBraveheart,The Passion of the Christand, most recently, 2016’sHacksaw Ridge, which scored him an Oscar nomination for Best Director.RELATED VIDEO: The Cast OfLethal WeaponReunite To Honor Director Richard DonnerBack in January 2020, producer Dan Lin saidLethal Weapon 5was close to happeningduring aroundtable interview withTHR. He said at the time it would be the final installment: “We’re trying to make the lastLethal Weaponmovie. And Donner’s coming back. The original cast is coming back. And it’s just amazing. The story itself is very personal to him. Mel and Danny are ready to go, so it’s about the script.““I’m ready to do 5. It’s calledLethal Finale,“the director said in a February 2018 interview. “It is dark, but I wanted to end it on an emotional note, and I don’t think it’s gonna happen. It’s heartbreaking.”
Mel Gibson is returning to theLethal Weaponfranchise.
Gibson, 65, is planning to direct the upcoming fifth installment of the buddy-cop action movie series, a rep for the star confirmed to PEOPLE. No additional details were offered.
While speaking Sunday at the “Experience With…” event in London, Gibson said, according toThe Hollywood ReporterandThe Sun, that director Richard Donner, who helmed all fourLethal Weaponmovies, gave his blessing for Gibson to take over. Donner, also known for films likeThe GooniesandSuperman,died in July at age 91.
“He was developing the screenplay and he got pretty far along with it. And he said to me one day, ‘Listen kid, if I kick the bucket you will do it.’ And I said, ‘Shut up,’ " Gibson reportedly said over the weekend. “But he did indeed pass away. But he did ask me to do it and at the time I didn’t say anything. He said it to his wife and to the studio and the producer. So I will be directing the fifth one.”
Gibson played Martin Riggs in all fourLethal Weaponmovies opposite Danny Glover. The first film hit theaters in 1987, while the fourth one debuted in 1998.
Richard Donner.Peter Kramer/Getty
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Gibson has previously directed films likeBraveheart,The Passion of the Christand, most recently, 2016’sHacksaw Ridge, which scored him an Oscar nomination for Best Director.
RELATED VIDEO: The Cast OfLethal WeaponReunite To Honor Director Richard Donner
Back in January 2020, producer Dan Lin saidLethal Weapon 5was close to happeningduring aroundtable interview withTHR. He said at the time it would be the final installment: “We’re trying to make the lastLethal Weaponmovie. And Donner’s coming back. The original cast is coming back. And it’s just amazing. The story itself is very personal to him. Mel and Danny are ready to go, so it’s about the script.”
“I’m ready to do 5. It’s calledLethal Finale,“the director said in a February 2018 interview. “It is dark, but I wanted to end it on an emotional note, and I don’t think it’s gonna happen. It’s heartbreaking.”
source: people.com
