Based on the hit movie franchise, Lethal Weapon tells the story of detectives Riggs and Murtaugh as they work crime-ridden beat in modern-day Los Angeles. Grief-stricken after the loss of his wife and unborn child, Riggs moves to California to start over at the LAPD. He’s paired up with Murtaugh, who’s just returned to the job after a near-fatal heart attack. As soon as they meet, Riggs’ penchant for diving headfirst into the line of fire immediately clashes with Murtaugh’s prudent technique. It’s clear from the moment recklessness, Murtaugh has never felt more alive than he has in years.
Creating a TV series after four successful films posed a challenge for producers Matt Miller, Dan Lin, Jennifer Gwartz and McG. At the Television Critics Association summer press tour, all four are positive about reviving the Lethal Weapon franchise in a fresh, new way.
The classic cop-duo Riggs and Murtaugh, of the buddy cop action franchise Lethal Weapon fame, will soon be on the small screen every week as Warner TV premieres Lethal Weapon the TV Series, same day as the US, on Thursday, September 22 at 8:10pm.
Starring Clayne Clawford (Rectify) as the new ex-Navy SEAL-turned-detective Martin Riggs and Emmyr nominee Damon Wayans (My Wife and Kids, In Living Color) as cautious, by-the-book cop Roger Murtaugh, Lethal Weapon is guaranteed to bring you non-stop laughs and edge-of-the-seat action.
Finding the perfect Riggs and Murtaugh was the biggest challenge for the producers. “We sat down with Richard Donner, who had directed all of the movies, and just kind of wanted to get his blessing on things. He told us, ‘It’s great. But you have to have the right actors for the job.'” Miller said.
Wayans came on early in the process, but the search for Riggs wasn’t as serendipitous. The producers had to go through a lot of candidates in Los Angeles, New York and Australia. Eventually, they found Crawford in an independent movie and the rest, as they say, is history.
“We think that all the challenges of remaking a show and remaking this iconic franchise, I would say the casting is what I’m most proud of. That you watch this show and you don’t think about Mel Gibson and Danny Glover at all. You just watch these two – they’re amazing together on screen,” Miller added.
Catch the premiere episode of Lethal Weapon, same day as the US, on September 22 at 8:10pm. And before the series premiere, you can relive the adventures of Riggs and Murtaugh in the 1987 original Lethal Weapon movie at 6:16pm, also on Warner TV.
