Mel Gibson returns to direct and star in Lethal Weapon 5

For several years, Mel Gibson swore he would never play in "Lethal Weapon" again. Now, it seems that not only will he act, but he will also direct the next installment of the blockbuster series. He claims he must fulfill the last wish of his late friend Richard Donner, who created "Lethal Weapon."

The first "Lethal Weapon" was made in 1987. There's no need to add that it became a huge hit, just like the following three parts of the series. They all made it into their respective seasons' top ten most significant box office hits. The highest-ranked was "Lethal Weapon 2", classified in 3rd place.

The fourth and last part of "Lethal Weapon" premiered 26 years ago. Since then, series creator Richard Donner tried multiple times to realize the film's final installment (most likely intending to kill off the main character), but Warner Bros. studio rejected subsequent versions of the script. Finally, Mel Gibson got angry and stated that he would never again take on the role of Martin Riggs. The matter went quiet for many years.

In 2016, when a TV series based on the box office hit (starring Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans) became a smash on Fox, reports emerged that Richard Donner was in talks with Gibson about making the fifth part of the series. However, Warner Bros. still wasn’t interested in making the film. Five years later, Richard Donner passed away at the age of 91.

Mel Gibson recalls his last meeting with the director: "He said to me one day, 'Listen, kid, if I kick the bucket, you will do it.' And I said: 'Shut up.' 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."

The project, which will, of course, also include Danny Glover, most likely got the green light following the success of the movie "Bad Boys: Ride or Die," which might have convinced the studio that viewers want to see famous duos and sequels of blockbuster hits from years ago.