I heard there was a script that involved something like that. Now THAT would have been *beep* awesome. I've always wanted to see Riggs and Murtaugh fight terrorists. Hopefully the upcoming TV series reboot might have something like that.
shareI also think that Riggs and Murtaugh vs neo-nazi terrorists version of Lethal Weapon 4 would be much better than what we got. I think it would be almost like a plot of Die Hard in Lethal Weapon film, and just from that it sure sounds like it would be fun action film.
There was some forum or message board online where fans of Lethal Weapon were talking about unused ideas for fourth film and somebody posted some pictures of Jeffrey Boam's neo-nazi script for fourth film that studio loved but which was rejected. From what i remember reading, the script was apparently from mid 90's, it's darker and bloodier than the third film and from what the guy said it's very action packed with many shootouts and chase scenes, and there is also a part in the ending where bad guys are trying to shoot down the airplane carrying L.A Lakers with Stingers.
Though there isn't a "final showdown in a thunderstorm" like the one we had, right?
shareI don't know. But if i would have to guess, considering how all three previous Lethal Weapon films always had Riggs fighting a main bad guy on his own in the end, there probably was some scene like that in the script. But i will say, Jet Li's two fight scenes in the final film are just about the only good parts of the film, and since fight between Riggs and Travis in third film turned out to be very bad and even though i still like it i would also say that fight between Riggs and Vorstedt wasn't as good like the one he had with Joshua in first film, if there was some similar final fight in that script maybe it also wasn't as good but then again maybe it was. Like i said, the script is apparently very bloody so i guess that there were some brutal moments in it.
Now that i said it, i remember hearing how Richard Donner always wanted for violence in all four films to be toned down from the original scripts. That's one of main reasons why Shane Black's script for second film was rejected, and i also heard how first and third films were lot more violent when they were first written, so maybe Donner had something to do with the decision about not using the Boam's neo-nazi script for fourth film. Keep in mind that this is the guy who wrote some pretty good films like Innerspace, The Lost Boys, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, and even though it's not as good as previous two films i'd still consider Lethal Weapon 3 to be at least a solid action film, and they still rejected his script and used one that was written by people who never worked on action film before.
That final fight was really epic to watch. I remember when I first saw Lethal Weapon 4 with my family, and I was shaking so hard during that fight. Honestly, though, we need more final fight scenes covered in thunder and lightning in action movies. As for Shane Black, I heard he disliked the sequels, that he thought the script was what ruined the character of Riggs.
shareI agree with Black. The character of Riggs went from damn near complete psycho cop who couldn't give two shts about what happens to him in the first film to a fkn goofball and adrenaline junkie in next three sequels. While it was nice to see how he got better (mentally) in the second film, the unnecessary amount of comedy really hurt the character.
Even in the script for first film Riggs was meant to be more of a unstable character who was almost uncontrollable killing machine until he met Roger and his family, and it was them who helped him to start becoming more of a normal human being. That's why in the first film when Rianne is kidnapped Riggs is enraged and is ready to start a war to get her back and keep her and Roger alive, at least that's how it was in the script. That's why i really think that despite what some people are saying, Donner didn't really did 100% good job with the first film. Gibson still did an amazing job with the role and acting, but Riggs had potential to be even more interesting and more badass character before Donner decided to tone him down.
Well, to be fair, Riggs had already avenged the death of Rika and his late wife in the second movie. He wanted to move on for the rest of his life and became a much kinder person. Would you rather have Riggs continue to be a suicidal man? Or worse, would you rather have Riggs die at the end of one of the movies? Because I heard they were considering killing off Riggs at the end of either 2 or 4.
shareYes, and i'm not the only one who thinks that Riggs should have died in second film. There are many other fans who think that should have been the right ending for his character, and Shane Black of course felt the same way and i heard that even Mel Gibson wanted for Riggs to die ever since the first film (just like Harrison Ford wanted for Han Solo to die in later Star Wars sequels). In my personal opinion, third film is O.K at best but fourth film is very bad, so it would be much better if they just went and used Black's original script for second film and have Riggs come full circle in his story by dying in order to save Murtaugh and his family and finally finding real peace. You can agree or disagree, but if i would have to choose, i'd rather see that version of the story than the one they re-wrote for second film.
shareHaving Riggs die in the second movie would have been too bleak of a scenario for the movie, even worse than the revelation that Vorstedt was the one who killed Riggs's wife years ago. I definitely wouldn't have wanted that, and I'm usually against killing off main characters. And the fourth movie was actually very good, it's not as bad as people like you think, because at least it's better than Die Hard 4 and 5. There are two types of Lethal Weapon fans I don't like. Those that would have preferred that Riggs died in any of the movies, and those that hated part 4 when part 4 was actually decent.
shareThere was some forum or message board online where fans of Lethal Weapon were talking about unused ideas for fourth film and somebody posted some pictures of Jeffrey Boam's neo-nazi script for fourth film that studio loved but which was rejected. From what i remember reading, the script was apparently from mid 90's, it's darker and bloodier than the third film and from what the guy said it's very action packed with many shootouts and chase scenes, and there is also a part in the ending where bad guys are trying to shoot down the airplane carrying L.A Lakers with Stingers.I'm not kidding, WHERE DID YOU SEE THAT??? I've wanted to read that script for years, I've even asked on this message board before.
I can't find the same exact site but if you google search for Lethal Weapon 4 Jeffrey Boam neo nazi script you can find couple sites where this script is mentioned.
But, if you have about $24 to spend;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lethal-Weapon-4-unfilmed-screenplay-Jeffrey-Boam-/391678996773?hash=item5b31e33125:g:ADkAAOSwCGVYBt9I
For sale, a copy of the unfilmed screenplay to Lethal Weapon 4, written by Lethal Weapon 2 and 3 screenwriter Jeffrey Boam. A darker, much different story than the final movie we received, this is a better vision for the franchise's fourth movie.share
Thanks, just bought it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoxZuggJk0I&t=7m06s
You're welcome, glad i could help. I hope that you will let the rest of us here know more about this script when you get it, like is it better than Lethal Weapon 4 which we (sadly) did get, and is it really that dark like that guy on ebay said. Reading just that first page on ebay, which describes Riggs in a Vietnamese prison camp, it already sounds like it would be more interesting than anything that happens in the film.
Also, you heard about this? From Trivia;
Screenwriter Jeffrey Boam's script for fourth Lethal Weapon film (one which had Riggs and Murtaugh fighting against neo-Nazi terrorists) wasn't the only version of the script for the film which was rejected. There were several others, including one which had Irish gangsters as main villains, and which ended with Riggs in bare knuckle fight against the strongest and biggest one of them.share
I'll post details of it online after I've read it, and maybe the entire thing. I'll post on this board when I do so.
Screenwriter Jeffrey Boam's script for fourth Lethal Weapon film (one which had Riggs and Murtaugh fighting against neo-Nazi terrorists) wasn't the only version of the script for the film which was rejected. There were several others, including one which had Irish gangsters as main villains, and which ended with Riggs in bare knuckle fight against the strongest and biggest one of them.Aw what the *beep*, where do people get all this intel from? WHERE ARE these scripts now? They all sound way better than what we got, Jet Li was the best thing about Lethal Weapon 4 by several light years, but he's wasted in it.
oh, yes... would love to hear more on this script as well. Definitely sounds light years away from what we ended up with. Now if someone could just get the bloody original LW2 script from Shane Black...
shareI'll post details of it online after I've read it, and maybe the entire thing. I'll post on this board when I do so.
lol, I know. It still hasn't arrived in the post. Anyone wants a link to the script details when I do get it, reply here or PM with email. I will notify you when I post the script online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoxZuggJk0I&t=7m06s