New Actor Cast In Place Of Mel Gibson For ‘Lethal Weapon’ On Fox

Fox is set to produce one hour pilot version of the popular Lethal Weapon franchise under the same name. News as to what actors will be stepping in to replace the original greats from the films has broken. Damon Wayans, Sr. will star in the pilot, taking on the role of Roger Murtaugh, originally played by notable actor Danny Glover. Opposite Wayans as Martin Riggs, will be Rectify alum, Clayne Crawford.

Martin Riggs’ character was made famous by the performance of award-winning actor Mel Gibson. Fans of the cop-based franchise will have to wait and see how Crawford’s portrayal of the well-known character will measure up to Gibson and Glover. There have been slight alterations to the characters’ back-stories, yet remains the same basis for the action. Deadlineshares about the expected plot of the pilot.

“In the pilot, written by Matt Miller and directed by McG, when Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Riggs suffers the loss of his wife and baby, he moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he is partnered with LAPD Detective Roger Murtaugh, who, having recently suffered a ‘minor’ heart attack, must avoid stress in his life.”

Executive producers of the Fox pilot are Miller, McG, Dan Lin, and Jennifer Gwartz. The show will fall under the Warner Bros. TV and Lin Pictures umbrella. Crawford is no newcomer to the small screen. Aside from having a co-starring role on the show Rectify, which is finishing up its fourth season on Sundance TV, the actor also had roles on 24, Rogue, and The Glades. Crawford also is set to be seen in Legendary Pictures’ supernatural thriller Spectral. Entertainment Weekly shares details about the direction of the pilot and additional plot twists.

“McG will direct the pilot, which will also star Jordana Brewster as LAPD hostage negotiator and in-house therapist Dr. Maureen ‘Mo’ Cahill, and Golden Brooks will play Murtagh’s wife Trish. Matt Miller wrote the pilot’s script and will act as executive producer.”

Brewster’s role is said to be a “no-nonsense” sort who helps cops deal with trauma that tends to creep into their lives due to tense and violent incidents on the job. Riggs becomes a case that definitely puts Jordanna’s character to the test.

Jordanna, much like Crawford, has a list of experience in both television and film. The beauty played Mia in The Fast & The Furious films and she previously starred as the lead female in a television pilot for a show that was based on the action movie starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Jordanna also co-starred on TNTs classic recreation of Dallas, while also making numerous appearances on ABC’s program Secrets & Lies. The Hollywood Reporter shares about the Fox network’s commitments to the pilot and adds additional details about other intended pilots in the works.

“Fox gave a hefty put-pilot commitment to the project in October following a competitive situation. Lethal Weapon is one of multiple movie remakes in the works this pilot season. Fox is also prepping a modern reinvention of The Exorcist and passed on its Urban Cowboy take.”

It seems as though Fox may be the network to watch if these pilots pan out and draw the audience next season.

The original franchise was met with massive success and popularity. The Lethal Weapon films, starring Gibson and Glover, included four in total that were released over an entire decade between 1987 and 1998. The films grossed $835 million worldwide. Although there have been talks in the past of a fifth Lethal Weapon film, fans will just have to be content with a possible television series for now.