Mel Gibson provided an update on the long-gestating fifth instalment of the Lethal Weapon franchise whilst attending Fan Expo Boston, confirming that the script has been completed by himself and screenwriter Richard Wenk following original director Richard Donner's death. Gibson expressed confidence in the screenplay, describing it as the strongest in the series. The film will feature the protagonists as considerably older men—one retired, the other assigned to desk duties—adopting a more austere visual and narrative approach than previous entries, whilst maintaining the action-driven energy the franchise is known for.

Production remains stalled owing to studio entanglement, with Gibson characterising the situation as trapped in "industrial film hell." The project became caught in complications at Warner Bros. during their corporate difficulties, preventing development from advancing. Gibson suggested that Paramount's potential acquisition of Warner Bros. under executive David Ellison could potentially remove obstacles and allow filming to commence within a year. Donner had instructed Gibson beforehand to assume directorial control should anything prevent him from continuing—a responsibility Gibson has now accepted.