Mel Gibson Just Gave His Clearest Sign Yet That ‘Lethal Weapon 5’ Could Actually Happen

Few franchise revivals have lingered in Hollywood limbo quite like ‘Lethal Weapon 5.’ Talks about a fifth installment have stretched on for years, surviving false starts, the death of longtime director Richard Donner, and enough on-again, off-again updates to test even the most patient fans of the buddy-cop series.

Through it all, Mel Gibson has remained the project’s most consistent champion, repeatedly stepping up at conventions and interviews to insist the film is still alive. His recent string of public appearances alongside co-star Danny Glover has only added to the sense that this long-gestating sequel might finally be inching closer to reality.

That momentum continued at FAN EXPO Canada, where Gibson confirmed his hope is to bring back Danny Glover as Roger Murtaugh in ‘Lethal Weapon 5,’ telling the crowd, “We want to get Danny; it might happen.” It’s a simple but pointed confirmation that Gibson still sees Glover as essential to finally closing out the franchise.

The comment builds on details Gibson revealed earlier this month at Fan Expo Boston, where he confirmed that he and screenwriter Richard Wenk had completed the script for the fifth film. According to Collider, Gibson described the story as one that only “harks back” to the earlier films “in a minimal way,” instead standing as “a story all on its own.”

Gibson also offered a glimpse into where these characters would be after decades apart, explaining that Riggs and Murtaugh have changed considerably with age. “The characters are quite different,” Gibson said. “They’re older. One’s retired. The other one’s on a desk job. He’s putting on too much weight, and it’s low-tech.” He added that the action would lean into a grounded foot chase “filmed like a car chase,” rather than the large-scale set pieces the franchise was once known for.

Gibson has remained committed to directing the film himself ever since Donner’s death in 2021, a promise rooted in their decades-long collaboration across all four previous ‘Lethal Weapon’ movies. Glover has echoed that commitment publicly as well, reuniting with Gibson multiple times over the past year at fan conventions to keep interest in the project alive.

Their most recent joint appearances, including surprise reunions at MegaCon and Fan Expo Philadelphia, have consistently drawn enthusiastic crowds eager for any update on the sequel’s status. Those reunions have become something of a pattern for the pair, who previously came together in 2017 for an Academy Tribute honoring Donner.

Despite the growing momentum, there’s still no confirmed release date or greenlight for ‘Lethal Weapon 5,’ and Gibson himself has acknowledged in the past that studio logistics remain a major hurdle. Still, having a completed script and Glover’s continued enthusiasm puts the project in a stronger position than it’s been in for years.

For fans who’ve waited nearly three decades since ‘Lethal Weapon 4,’ Gibson’s latest comments offer some of the most tangible hope yet that Riggs and Murtaugh could reunite on screen one more time. Whether that hope translates into an actual production remains to be seen.

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