Lethal Weapon

Name: Lethal Weapon
Genre: Adventure, Action, Comedy, Thriller, Crime
Released: 1987-03-06
Duration: 1 h 50 min
Rating: 7.7
Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Mitchell Ryan, Tom Atkins

If these two can learn to stand each other... the bad guys don't stand a chance.

Lethal Weapon (1987)

Timing: 1:50 (110 min)

7.7/10
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7.3/10
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7.6/10
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Everything about the movie

Video 16

Photo 118

Actors and characters

Video for the film Lethal Weapon — Official Theatrical Trailer

1:27

Photo 118

Release date

1987-03-06

Country

United States

Production

Warner Bros. Pictures, Silver Pictures, Warner Bros.

Genre

Adventure, Action, Comedy, Thriller, Crime

Budget

$15 000 000

Box office

$120 207 127

Website

Director

Richard Donner

Actors

Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Mitchell Ryan, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, Traci Wolfe, Jackie Swanson, Damon Hines, Ebonie Smith
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Joel Silver, Richard Donner

Camera operator

Stephen Goldblatt

Composer

Eric Clapton

Artist

J. Michael Riva, Virginia Randolph-Weaver, Eva Anna Andry

Audition

Marion Dougherty

Editing

Stuart Baird
Whole Team (99)

Short description

A veteran cop and an unstable detective become partners who must put their differences aside in order to bring down a heroin-smuggling ring run by ex-Special Forces.

What's left behind the scenes

Leonard Nimoy was offered the chance to direct the film, but he declined, preferring to work on 'Three Men and a Baby' (1987).
Franco Zeffirelli decided to offer Mel Gibson the role of Hamlet after seeing the scene where Riggs attempts to commit suicide.
In the scene where Gibson's character jumps from the roof while handcuffed to a suicide jumper, it is visible that the handcuffs break during the jump.
In one of the film's scenes, a cinema can be seen in the background showing The Lost Boys (1987), which was produced by Richard Donner.
According to Gary Busey, he landed the role of Joshua because the producers were looking for an actor capable of convincingly portraying a genuine threat to Mel Gibson's character. Busey acknowledges 'Lethal Weapon' as the film that gave his career a second wind.
The director's cut of the film has a runtime of 117 minutes.
According to an article in the June 2007 issue of Vanity Fair, Bruce Willis was considered for the role of Riggs.
Alternative opening and ending scenes were filmed for the movie, which can be viewed on the Lethal Weapon 4 DVD. Originally, the film was supposed to begin with a scene in which Martin Riggs is drinking alone in a bar, where he is harassed by several thugs demanding money. Riggs tells them that all his money is in the bank and tells the guys to leave him alone. Of course, they don't listen, and Riggs brutally beats them. The bartender gives Riggs a free bottle of liquor and tells him never to come back. During filming, Richard Donner decided to introduce Riggs in a more friendly manner and shot the scene where Martin wakes up in his trailer. The alternative ending featured a scene where Murtaugh tells Riggs that he is thinking about retirement, but Martin talks him out of making that decision.
According to Gary Busey, he landed the role of Joshua because the producers were looking for an actor capable of convincingly portraying a real threat to Mel Gibson's character. Busey acknowledges 'Lethal Weapon' as a film that gave his career a second wind.
Number of fatalities: 26.
The film is dedicated to the memory of Dar Robinson, a renowned stuntman who died in a car accident during post-production.
Alternative beginnings and endings were filmed for the movie and can be found on the DVD release of "Lethal Weapon 4." Initially, the film was supposed to begin with a scene where Martin Riggs is drinking alone in a bar, where he is accosted by a group of thugs demanding money. Riggs says he keeps all his money in the bank and tells the men to leave him alone. Of course, they don't listen, and Riggs brutally beats them. The bartender gives Riggs a free bottle of liquor and tells him not to come back. During filming, Richard Donner decided to present Riggs in a more approachable manner and shot a scene where Martin wakes up in his trailer. The alternative ending featured a scene where Murtaugh tells Riggs he is considering retirement, but Martin dissuades him from making that decision.
Leonard Nimoy was offered the directing job, but he declined, preferring to work on 'Three Men and a Baby' (1987).
In the film, Roger Murtaugh is around 50. At the time of filming, Danny Glover was 40.
According to an article in the June 2007 issue of 'Vanity Fair', Bruce Willis was considered for the role of Riggs.
A sticker reading “END APARTHEID NOW / FREE SOUTH AFRICA” is clearly visible on the refrigerator in Sergeant Murtaugh’s home. In the next film in the series, Riggs and Murtaugh will fight against apartheid in the guise of criminals from the South African consulate.
In the scene where Jackie Swanson's character falls from a high-rise building, Jackie declined the use of stunt doubles and performed the stunt herself.
Roger Murtaugh is around 50 years old in the film. Danny Glover was 40 at the time of filming.
Franco Zeffirelli decided to offer Mel Gibson the role of Hamlet after seeing a scene where Riggs attempts suicide.
In the scene where Jackie Swanson's character falls from a high-rise building, Jackie refused the services of stunt doubles and performed the stunt herself.
The film is dedicated to the memory of Dar Robinson, a renowned stuntman who died in a car accident during the film's post-production.
In one scene of the film, a cinema showing "The Lost Boys" (1987), which was produced by Richard Donner, can be seen in the background.