Mel Gibson says no to Lethal Weapon 5
Despite early reports that a fifth Lethal Weapon was being fast tracked (by none other than Shane Black) it seems Mel Gibson has decided against starring in any sequel.
Speaking to reporters, Richard Donner, director of the first four ‘Lethal Weapon’ films, said: “Mel turned it down. I would like to think that Mel turned it down because I wasn’t involved. Knowing Mel, I would like to think that. Would that be the kind of thing he does? It sure would be.”
He continued: “It’s too bad, actually, because Channing Gibson, who wrote the fourth one, and Mike Riva, a designer on three of them, and myself and Derek [Hoffman, an associate at The Donner Company] had an incredibly strong story for the fifth movie. But we weren’t given the opportunity and I think maybe I could have convinced Mel to do it. But Warners chose to go with Joel Silver [producer].”
Donner concluded: “Yes, the project is pretty much dead in the water unless someone had the sense to come to me.