Mel Gibson confirms that he will be directing and starring in the upcoming film Lethal Weapon 5

Mel Gibson has revealed he will star and direct ‘Lethal Weapon 5’ following Richard Donner’s death which also see’s a return of his side-kick Danny Glover in the movie.

Mel Gibson has confirmed he will helm the fifth ‘Lethal Weapon’ movie.

The 65-year-old actor has revealed the blockbuster buddy cop movie franchise’s late helmer, Richard Donner, asked him to take over as director before he passed away in July aged 91.

It’s already known that a new instalment is in the works and the ‘Passion of the Christ’ star and Danny Glover are expected to reprise their respective roles as LA detectives Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh.

“We’re trying to make the last Lethal Weapon movie. And Dick Donner’s coming back. The original cast is coming back.

And it’s just amazing. The story is very personal to him.” report CultCrunch.

Mel said: “The man who directed all the ‘Lethal films’, Richard Donner, he was a big guy.

“He was developing the screenplay and he got pretty far along with it. And he said to me one day, ‘Listen kid, if I kick the bucket you will do it.’ And I said: ‘Shut up.’

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“But he did indeed pass away. But he did ask me to do it and at the time I didn’t say anything.

“He said it to his wife and to the studio and the producer. So I will be directing the fifth one.” he told Cult Crunch

An insider said: “As well as stepping up to direct ‘Lethal Weapon 5’ Mel is going to be starring in it.

“Fans of Riggs will be pleased to see him back on screen – older but not necessarily wiser.

“It is hoped Danny Glover will come back to and reprise his role of Roger Murtaugh.”

Before his passing, Donner – whose cause of death was cardiopulmonary failure – had confirmed he would helm the last ‘Lethal’ movie.

Mel who famously turned down the James Bond movie role said in January: “This is the final one. It’s both my privilege and duty to put it to bed. It’s exciting, actually … Hahaha! It’s the last one, I’ll promise you that.”

Film production will begin next year, which would mark 23 years since the last movie.

The original Lethal Weapon was released in 1987 and the popularity of the detective duo meant that it spawned three sequels.

The franchise was revived for a television series that lasted between 2016 and 2019, starring Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans as Riggs and Murtaugh respectively.

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Donner ruling out the prospect of Lethal Weapon 5 back in 2018 because of issues with Warner Bros.

The 89-year-old film legend said: “I’m ready to do 5. It’s called Lethal Finale. It’s very dark. And we were all set to go, and now Warner Bros. is doing their old-fashioned tricks.

“Not Warner Bros., there’s this guy who runs the studio who’s great, but they have these people in the legal department who do the negotiating in the most counter-productive way that they should be sent to a studio and work with the producers and directors and actors, and learn what makes a film, and then negotiate.

“And it’s too bad, because there’s a wonderful writer named Channing Gibson, who wrote [Lethal Weapon 4] for me, and we have a really great story. It IS dark. But I wanted to end it on an emotional note, and I don’t think it’s gonna happen.”