Lethal Weapon TV Pilot Announced, With Damon Wayans and McG
We’re told too old for this… news.
US network Fox and Warner Bros TV have ordered a pilot episode for a small-screen ‘Lethal Weapon’ series, based on director Richard Donner’s blockbuster action movie series of the 1980s and 90s, Deadline report.
Director McG (’Charlie’s Angels,’ ‘Terminator Salvation’) will be at the helm of the pilot, and while no casting has been announced for Mel Gibson’s role of unhinged cop Martin Riggs, Danny Glover’s role as Riggs’ family man partner Roger Murtaugh will be played by Damon Wayans.
Incidentally, Wayans - now generally credited as Damon Wayans Sr, to avoid confusion with his actor son - previously appeared alongside Bruce Willis in 1991 action thriller ‘The Last Boy Scout,’ which was written by ‘Lethal Weapon’ creator Shane Black.
Where the original 1987 ‘Lethal Weapon’ saw the traumatised Vietnam veteran and recent widower Riggs team up with the just-turned-50 Murtaugh on the mean streets of LA, this new take from screenwriter Matt Miller (formerly a producer on ‘Chuck’) has naturally made some updates.
This time around the as-yet uncast Riggs will be a “Texas cop and former Navy SEAL,” who transfers to LA after losing both his wife and their baby, whilst Murtaugh is under doctor’s orders to avoid stress following a minor heart attack.
This pilot announcement comes after years of rumours about a big screen ‘Lethal Weapon’ reboot, with Jeremy Renner and Chris Hemsworth both having been tentatively linked to the role of Riggs.
There’s no word yet on when the ‘Lethal Weapon’ TV show is due to air, but it won’t be the only big screen action franchise getting a small screen revival in 2016 as a ‘Rush Hour’ series is also incoming.
Plans are also afoot for a ‘Training Day’ TV spin-off, with Ethan Hawke reportedly having been approached to reprise his role from the 2001 movie.
Picture Credit: Warner Bros, AP
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