14 DAY TRIAL // Since one of the hottest trends in Hollywood seems to be re-imagining / bringing back the classics, the time has come for “Lethal Weapon” to get the reboot treatment as well. Work on the script is now underway.
Deadline reports that, while Warner Bros. has been toying with the idea of making a fifth film in the series, Mel Gibson’s recent fall from public grace has literally made that impossible.
Therefore, if a sequel is not doable anymore, the next best thing is to have a reboot, where they remake the entire franchise with an entirely new cast, preferably one that younger audiences are more familiar with.
Further details are not available right now except that someone is already working on a script and, most importantly, a director has been attached to the upcoming reboot.
“Warner Bros and producer Joel Silver have set Will Beall to write Lethal Weapon, with a take that will relaunch the buddy cop series with a new cast,” Deadline reports.
“Beall, a former LA police officer who patrolled South Central and wrote the novel L.A. Rex, has seen his stock rise at the studio because of his script Gangster Squad, the period crime drama about an elite crime squad that fought against organized crime kingpins like Mickey Cohen,” the e-zine further says.
“Zombieland helmer Ruben Fleischer has come aboard to direct that film,” adds Deadline.
While this may sound like a wonderful idea for everyone involved, fans of the original films are none too happy – and they’re very vocal about it on dedicated forums.
Hollywood needs to let the classics be and look someplace else for inspiration, they’re saying. Mel Gibson will always be Det. Riggs, just like Danny Glover will always be Det. Murtaugh, there’s literally no replacing them.
One idea that’s being passed around is for WB to do a buddy cop film just like “Lethal Weapon,” but name it and the characters in it differently – and, of course, write a different script for it.
That way, everyone will be happy, fans believe.