For Some Reason, ‘Lethal Weapon’ Is Being Remade As A TV Series
There is a lot that isn’t known in the world and not everyone that is 30-years or older can fully understand why everything from the ’80s and ’90s is getting remade or rebooted. It’s now time to chalk up Lethal Weapon and add it to that list, but a decision by Fox is somewhat confusing as the classic film won’t be rebooted as a movie, but as a TV series.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox is looking to give the reboot of Lethal Weapon quite a bit of support for its small screen debut.
Obviously, the TV series is going to be based on the movie franchise that spawned four films and starred Danny Glover and Mel Gibson. It’s going to be virtually the same thing, but not. Fox is going to have their work cut out for them to match the chemistry and intensity that was brought to the big screen by Glover and Gibson.
As SlashFilm reports, it’s going to be a bit of a straight reboot of the film’s storyline, but strung out throughout an entire series.
“The TV incarnation revolves around the unlikely partnership between a former Navy SEAL and Texas cop who moves to Los Angeles after the death of his wife and baby and winds up teamed with an LAPD detective who must avoid stress at any cost because of a heart condition.”
Warner Bros. is going to be involved as they will produce the pilot of Lethal Weapon for Fox. Dan Lin and Jennifer Gwartz, both based with Warner Bros., will executive produce along with writer Matt Miller (Forever).
The main questions from here on out are going to involve the casting for the TV series. Who could even remotely begin to fill the shoes of Martin Riggs (Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Glover)? Maybe the characters won’t have the same names in the TV series, and honestly, they shouldn’t.
It’s going to be incredibly difficult to match what those iconic actors were able to pull off together. That is exactly what brought forth three sequels in 1989, 1992, and 1998. Sure, all of the sequels weren’t critical successes, but the one consistent thing constantly praised were Gibson and Glover.
If the personalities and talent of those two actors are taken away, along with writer Shane Black and director Richard Donner, then you simply get a basic, buddy cop drama. That’s a formula that has been used far too often and failed more often than not.
Television is filled with countless police shows today and has been for the past 30 years. There have been instances where the cop partners work within a full team such as CSI and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but there are still those partnerships which stand out.
Some work, some don’t.
Lethal Weapon may very well end up working as a TV series if made well and without trying to be exactly like the original. It’s not going to have the same feel or sarcasm or action or comedy that mixed together in the late 80s to form a cohesive and amazing film.
It also won’t have Danny Glover or Mel Gibson. The latter has said on a few occasions that a remake or reboot of the film isn’t happening and if it was, he wasn’t a part of it. Back in 2011, a movie was rumored to be in the works but nothing ever came of it.
Fox clearly wants the Lethal Weapon TV series remake/reboot to work out this time, and it appears they are putting a lot of weight on that happening. Changes will need to be made to accommodate a new cast and to try and have fans of the films accept it without constantly comparing it the days of Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover).
[Images courtesy of Warner Bros.]
