MovieChat Forums > Richard Donner Discussion > Donner says LW 5 will happen, but I do n...

Donner says LW 5 will happen, but I do not think so

posted 3 years ago by Poozer91 (579)
28 replies | jump to latest

I strongly doubt it will happen due to a combination of factors.
1) Donner is going to be 91 this year. Unlike Eastwood, who puts out a film a year, Donner has been out of the game for 15 years. A great deal has changed with the industry and audience during that time. For the most part his wife is making the money by producing the X-Men films.
2) The LW movies 3 and 4 were at best mediocre. When they got rid of Shane Black the scripts had a huge drop in quality.
3) The 4th film had the lowest gross of the movies and was the worst reviewed, so the series left audience with a pretty bad film.
4) If they started shooting right now 23 years would have passed. That means Glover's character is 84! It would get real annoying with his catchphrase and I know he is going to be retired so why even continue the story.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Donner's too old for this shit. He'll die in a month.

[–] Ripkens25 (1909) 3 years ago

Mel could help him direct. If he still has a fire in his belly at 91....for one last swan song, with a franchise that has become family to him, I say: Go for it.

It would be amazing seeing that ensemble on-screen together again. And there’s plenty they could do in terms of storylines and what’s going on in the world today.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

No. Mel should make plenty of movies but Donner should leave LW alone or it will become another Indiana Jones.

[–] Ripkens25 (1909) 3 years ago

Opinions vary.

[–] cyguration (3879) 3 years ago

I don't doubt Donner's abilities, but I do doubt Hollywood's willingness to allow the original trio to enact upon the screen the sort of goodness we know they can deliver.

Obviously, this should be a passing-of-the-torch style film for a new duo of heroes who dive head-first into trouble with reckless abandon, but knowing Hollywood they will have to feminize the whole thing. So the two heroes are actually going to be someone's daughters, (one of whom is obviously a lesbian, because reasons) and they will end up showing up Danny Glover and Mel Gibson because they embody an old era of "toxic masculinity".

As much as I would love to see a swan song for Lethal Weapon 5, anyone who has paid attention to what Hollywood has become over the last two decades knows that Lethal Weapon 5 would just be more SJW propaganda and would leave people with an even worse taste in their mouth than Lethal Weapon 4 did.

[–] Kendricks (2086) 3 years ago

Jesus Christ...

[–] Bercilak (300) 3 years ago

Right? I noticed that, too.

[–] Kendricks (2086) 3 years ago

Yeah I think "eerie" doesn't cut it here.

[–] Keelai (32076) 3 years ago

Creepy. Twilight Zone territory.

[–] Bercilak (300) 3 years ago

I think I figured it out. It's just bad grammar. What I'm guessing he should have written was this:

Donner's too old for this shit. If he started making LW5 at this age, he'd be dead within the first month of shooting.

Mystery solved.

[–] Keelai (32076) 3 years ago

You're likely right, but the Grim Reaper didn't interpret it that way.

[–] Bercilak (300) 3 years ago

Ha! No, he sure didn't.

[–] Jones70 (6195) 3 years ago

He was 91.

[–] Boromir (9712) 3 years ago

Crazy.

[–] Stratego (29294) 3 years ago

Did you kill him???

[–] mitzibishi (1617) 3 years ago

molkirouat (617) a month ago
Donner's too old for this shit. He'll die in a month.

wow, you predicted that one. RIP Dick Donner

[–] mitzibishi (1617) 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] MickyMac (2963) 3 years ago

Perhaps a movie where they hand off the Lethal Weapon reigns to a younger duo.

[–] Ripkens25 (1909) 3 years ago

I don't like the whole cliched idea of "passing the torch"....to a new chapter of Lethal Weapon stories. Lethal Weapon is Riggs & Murtaugh.......it starts and ends with them.

When Miami Vice (the TV show) was winding down....they toyed with the idea of having Crockett & Tubbs "pass the torch" to a new duo of vice cops. They even tried an episode which focused solely on the new cops, with Crockett & Tubbs in just bit parts in the periphery. It failed badly, and did not test well. The audience didn't want "Miami Vice: The Next Generation".
No....Miami Vice begins and ends with the OG's. Same with Lethal Weapon.

This isn't Saved by the Bell....or Star Trek. The characters should have one final swan song, and then put it to bed.
In lesser hands, I'd worry about the quality of attempting a Part 5. But Donner never disappoints. And Mel will be there to help. It would be amazing to see Mel back in a character where he really shines and all of his talents are showcased. It would also be great to see him and Glover....as Riggs and Murtaugh....on-screen again, riffing off each other.

It would be a return to old-school..."event movies". That whole ensemble has become like family, you can tell. They have a special chemistry. Heck....maybe they even get Joe Pesci back??!

I hope it happens. It would take me back to the fun I had as a teenager...watching Lethal Weapon movies at the theater. Hollywood needs this....and heck, Mel needs it....in order to make a PROPER comeback in a mainstream film. It's his signature role...and he's great in it.

Great (and well-deserved) swan song for Donner. How magical would it be...to once again be among that cast of actors who clearly have love for him. It would be a fun (and special) shoot.

Heck.....while they're at it, get Clapton and Sanborn back for the score as well!

[–] MickyMac (2963) 3 years ago

I think your kinda fighting a losing battle in trying to replace the OG cast and satisfying fans because we get new characters and we don't like them because they're not the character we love or they bring the OG cast back as of guys but it's not the same when they were in their prime.

[–] BourbonKing (5646) 3 years ago

Please make this shit stop! The 80s were fun decade but too many people are overdosing on their rosy-tinted glass memories of it.

[–] SteveG (1370) 3 years ago

Lethal Weapon 2 was awesome.

[–] SteveG (1370) 3 years ago

Lethal Weapon 2 was awesome.

[–] Galactus03 (4291) 3 years ago

Well you get your wish.

[–] Poozer91 (579) 3 years ago

That was not my wish. But terrible thing to say.

[–] Galactus03 (4291) 3 years ago

Why is it terrible? The movie wont be made. That's what you wanted. Ge was 91 the likelyhood ofnit happening was very small. Not saying you wanted him dead. At his age I doubt if he lived it would have gotten made. Most 91 year olds are either on nursing homes or too tired to do anything like make a movie.

[–] rateater (9286) 3 years ago

it won't happen now. gibson and glover wouldn't do a part 5 with any one other than donner. joel silver tried to get them to do the shane black script without donner involved and they refused.

[–] ebhaynz (3541) 3 years ago

We need a Lethal Weapon origin story movie