‘Lethal Weapon’ TV Series From ‘Forever’ Creator Set At Fox As Put Pilot

After rebooting Rush Hour as a series last year, Warner Bros. TV is doing the same with another blockbuster buddy action movie franchise about mismatched cops, Lethal Weapon. A Lethal Weapon hourlong series based on the films that starred Mel Gibson and Danny Glover has landed at Fox with a put pilot commitment. It will be written by former Chuck executive producer Matt Miller, who most recently created and executive produced the ABC drama Forever for WBTV.

Like the Rush Hour series, Lethal Weapon is a relatively straight remake featuring the movies’ central characters, Roger Murtaugh, who was played by Glover, and Martin Riggs, who was played by Gibson.

The feature kicked off with Homicide Sergeant Murtaugh (Glover), who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, getting partnered with the suicidal and highly volatile ex-U.S. Army Special Forces soldier-turned-L.A.P.D. Narcotics Sergeant Riggs (Gibson), who had been reassigned to homicide after a psychotic episode on the job as he deals with grief following the death of his wife in a traffic accident.

On the Lethal Weapon show, when Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Martin Riggs suffers the loss of his wife and baby, he moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he gets partnered with LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh, who, having recently suffered a “minor” heart attack, must avoid any stress in his life.

On Lethal Weapon, Miller is reuniting with Forever executive producer Dan Lin whose Warner. Bros.-based Lin Pictures is producing the project alongside WBTV and Miller’s Good Session Prods. banner. Miller, Lin and Jennifer Gwartz executive produce.

The original 1987 Lethal Weapon movie, written by Shane Black and directed by Richard Donner, was a breakout hit, grossing $120 million on a $12 million budget. It spawned a formidable franchise with three sequels and helped established the comedic action buddy cop genre, influencing such hit followup entries as Rush Hour and Bad Boys.

This is the latest high-profile action movie remake sold this TV development season, joining Taken, In the Line of Fire and RED at NBC, Behind Enemy Lines at Fox and Training Day at CBS. Additionally, the CW has a remake of The Notebook in the works, and Fox gave an off-cycle pilot order to an Urban Cowboy reboot.

Miller is repped by WME.

Fox has ordered a pilot based on the film franchise “Lethal Weapon,” Variety has learned.

Damon Wayans, Sr. will star in the potential series, playing Roger Murtaugh, the role played by Danny Glover in the original 1987 movie and its three sequels, which co-starred Mel Gibson.

Fox’s “Lethal Weapon” will follow a Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Martin Riggs (yet to be cast) who suffers the loss of his wife and baby and moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he gets partnered with LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh (Wayans, Sr.), who, having recently suffered a “minor” heart attack, must avoid any stress in his life. In the original buddy cop films, Gibson played Martin Riggs.

The hourlong drama hails from Lin Pictures and Good Session Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. (Warner Bros. was behind the film franchise.) “Forever” creator Matt Miller will pen the television adaptation and exec produce along with Dan Lin and Jennifer Gwartz. McG has been tapped to direct the pilot, and he’ll also serve as an exec producer.

Wayans, Sr. is repped by ICM Partners and Kleinberg Lange Cuddy & Carlo LLP.

Fox's Lethal Weapon reboot has found its Mel Gibson.

Rectify and 24 alum Clayne Crawford has been tapped to star opposite Damon Wayans Sr. in the drama pilot, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Based on the feature film of the same name, the pilot kicks off when Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Martin Riggs (Crawford taking on the role played by Gibson in the feature film franchise) suffers the loss of his wife and baby, he moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he gets partnered with LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh (Damon Wayans Sr.), who, having recently suffered a "minor" heart attack, must avoid any stress in his life.

Fox's reboot hails from Matt Miller (Chuck, Forever), who will executive produce via his Warner Bros. Television-based Good Session banner. Lin Pictures' Dan Lin (The Lego Movie) and Jennifer Gwartz also will exec produce. Lethal Weapon reunites Miller with Lin, who teamed for last year's ABC drama Forever, which was canceled after one season. McG will direct the pilot, which marks a reunion for the helmer and Miller after the duo previously teamed on NBC's Chuck.