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‘Lethal Weapon’ TV Series: Shane Black, Screenwriter Of The First Movie, Won’t Be Involved

By Bryan Star
Published on: 06:42 PST, May 16, 2016

It looks like the new Riggs and Murtaugh won’t be getting much love from their creator in their new television series.

Shane Black, the screenwriter for the Lethal Weapon movie, has given his input on the new television series that will be based around it. By now, you’ve probably heard that there were rumors surrounding the idea that such a show was in the works. There’s no longer any need to speculate, as it was officially announced by Fox that this would be a reality. Of course, there’s been a lot of mixed reactions to the idea of Lethal Weapon getting any sort of remake or reboot. If you’re on the side of the fence that has no interest in it, then you’re not alone.

In a report by Cinema Blend, Shane Black expressed that he has no interest in it. This comes as big news, as he is the mind behind the original script. As a matter of fact, it was the first script that he sold in Hollywood. At the young age of 24, Black sold the script for a handsome $250,000. What makes such a deal so impressive is the fact that this was a film that he wrote himself. The later sequels involved help from other credited screenwriters: Robert Mark Kamen, Channing Gibson, and Jeffrey Boam. With Shane Black being so critical to the original movie, what will it mean for the future of Lethal Weapon as a television series?

Black had this to say on the matter of how he felt about the show.

“I wish them well. I have no interest in it. I don’t see it being particularly edgy as a TV show. I think it will be more comedy and that doesn’t interest me. That said, I like the guy who is doing it. I think he is funny. Maybe it will succeed as television. I wish them well. It’s just not the kind of thing I’d want to be involved in.”

Will Lethal Weapon suffer as a result? Obviously, Shane hopes not. After all, he was responsible for the show’s foundation to begin with. Matt Miller, the writer Black was talking about in his response to an inquiry about the show, is who will be taking the reins and bringing the new Lethal Weapon television series to life. Miller wrote Forever, a fantasy crime drama that tells the story of an immortal medical examiner who was trying to find a way to end his immortality. The show gained steam when it aired in 2014, but it was cancelled after a single season. Live ratings were cited as the reason that the show was cancelled.

Hopefully, excited fans won’t see Lethal Weapon suffer the same fate once it hits television. Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, the stars of the Lethal Weapon movies, will be played by Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans Sr., respectively. The show is expected to be on Fox’s fall schedule.

As for Shane Black, fans of his work don’t have to wait to see more from him. In a report by IGN, you can see Shane Black and Joel Silver discuss the fact that they won’t have involvement with the remake. However, Shane Black will be releasing a movie. The film The Nice Guys hits theaters on May 20 of this year, and Black is hoping to have as much success with it as he did with Lethal Weapon.

How do you feel about Shane Black’s lack of involvement with the new Lethal Weapon series? Do you feel that the television show will suffer as a result of his lack of input? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

[Photo by Pool/Getty Images]

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