Lethal Weapon TV Series Trailer: The Magic Isn't Back
Next up in "what the hell are they thinking" news...
It's been 18 years since Mel Gibson's Riggs and Danny Glover's Murtaugh last went into action - and it still feels way too soon for this.
Lethal Weapon, the series which revolutionised action cinema in the late 80s and into the 90s, has been rebooted, this time on the small screen. The pilot is done, and, as reported last week, US network Fox have ordered a series.
And now we have our first trailer. Take a look and see for yourself.
Now, this could be a generational thing. If you're a millennial, perhaps you didn't grow up with the Lethal Weapon movies; and as such, you might not realise just how big an impact they had, ushering in the 'buddy cop' era, and placing a far greater emphasis on characterisation and humour than was commonplace at the time in shoot-'em-up movies.
The problem is, the format proved so influential and has been so heavily imitated in the decades since, that now it can't help but feel a bit stale and obvious. It's hard not to feel any new take on Lethal Weapon would struggle to deal with this - and this trailer does little to reassure that the series will.
Still, we can at least give credit to lead actors Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans Sr for not just imitating their predecessors in the roles of Riggs and Murtaugh; Crawford's Riggs seems rather more brooding and intense, whilst Wayans' Murtaugh seems like... well... Damon Wayans. Let's just hope Jordanna Brewster gets more to do than just sit in the background looking concerned.
Oh yeah, and just in case you weren't already feeling pessimistic enough, did I mention the pilot's directed by McG...?
Expect Lethal Weapon to hit the small screen sometime later this year. Share your thoughts on the trailer below.