In November last year, Mel Gibson revealed that Lethal Weapon 5 will enter the production stage sometime in 2022. The 66-year-old actor made the big announcement with mixed feelings after the death of his long-time friend and director of the Lethal Weapon franchise, Richard Donner. After Richard’s passing in July 2021, Mel is set to both star and direct the upcoming action film.
In the event dubbed ‘An Experience with’ that happened on Nov. 13, 2021, Mel Gibson became emotional discussing how Richard was passing the directorial torch to him before he died. Richard said, “Listen, kid, if I kick the bucket, you’ll do it.” Mel never took the words seriously at the time, but after Richard’s passing at the age of 91, the prophecy is set in motion. Now, Mel, and Danny Glover, who is now 75 years old, are not young guys anymore, but the movie is expected to be a treat.
In the final installment of the Lethal Weapon series, Danny Glover is already onboard to co-star alongside Mel Gibson. Other actors are yet to be confirmed, since the fourth film was 23 years ago, and things change after two decades. For the fifth installment, little is known about the plot, but fans of the franchise expect to see an action movie with a comedic bent. Now, it’s time to rank the movies in the Lethal Weapon series.
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4 Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
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There is a taboo that movie series gets worse after each installment. But, not when it comes to the Lethal Weapon franchise. Lethal Weapon 4 embodies the maturation of the friendship between Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) and Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson). The film is a masterpiece because of the perfectly-choreographed action scenes, the comedic flare, and the flimsy plot that ties the movie together. If you want to laugh hard, then you should know that Chris Rock is in this film, and delivers his standup shtick with perfection. However, Jet Li, the villain, should have killed Riggs. Why? Jet Li was more lethal than Murtaugh and Riggs combined. If he could have killed Murtaugh, no one could complain; if we woke up the next day to a post with the title, Danny Glover quits Lethal Weapon 5.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
The movie was a hit in 1998, especially after Warner Bros gave the late Richard Donner approximately six months to produce the film. To shock some readers, the movie script was never completed during the filming stage. After its release, the movie got great reviews, and some viewers even credited it as a great point to end the series.
3 Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
Lethal Weapon 3 was a smashing success in 1992. It followed Batman Returns as the second-most successful film in the summer of 1992. As the third film in the sequel, it was the highest-grossing film in the franchise, raking in $320 million worldwide. The movie’s plot revolves around the two cops, Martin Riggs, who discovers an ex-cop running an illegal firearms trade, and Roger Murtaugh, facing retirement in seven days. The story develops when Riggs, Murtaugh, and their new partner Lorna (Rene Russo), plan to take down Jack Travis (Stuart Wilson), the main antagonist, who is planning to overpower the Los Angeles Police Department with his weapons.
The movie is punctuated with car chases, set pieces, and explosions. Mel Gibson acts his heart out on this one, with his conversational-style screenplay. In fact, one could argue that he added his own lines in the movie. Since humor is served well in the series, one funny scene is where Lorna and Riggs compare each other’s battle scars, as they try to one-up each other. If you want to get more action from the Oscar Award-winning director, here are Mel Gibson’s best performances.
2 Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
In 1989, Lethal Weapon 2 became the third most successful film in North America, after the blockbusters Batman, and Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade. In the second installment, Riggs and Murtaugh are embroiled in a complex plot where they try to stop elusive South African drug dealers who are protected by diplomatic immunity. The two mismatched cops must stop the smugglers from importing gold coins, known as Krugerrand.
The plot thickens when the two detectives who are assigned to witness protection duty realize that the witness under their care has already crossed paths with the smugglers. Leo Getz (Joe Pesci) debuted in this film as a witness with neurotic behavior, causing Riggs and Murtaugh a total nightmare. After Leo’s iconic role in Lethal Weapon 2, it was fun to see IT: Chapter 2 paying homage to it.
1 Lethal Weapon (1987)
When Lethal Weapon hit the cinemas on March 6, 1987, it topped the movie charts for 21 days. The movie was one spot shy of bagging the Academy Award for Best Sound; The Last Emperor won the award. If you enjoy buddy cop movies like Starsky & Hutch, The Nice Guys, Rush Hour, or even Bad Boys, it is all thanks to the genius of Lethal Weapon. No wonder the movie became one of the best action movies from the ’80s.
The movie is a tale of two polar opposite cops. Murtaugh is a family man, concerned about his grey hair, and Riggs a suicidal maniac who is undergoing emotional misery after losing his wife. The two homicide cops engage a gang of drug dealers in action bouts that morph from car chases to shootouts all over southern California. The movie grips your attention and nerves from beginning to end, with a surprise ending that will leave you ajar as the final credits roll.
