Lethal Weapon 4
The final installment of the Lethal Weapon series.
Lethal Weapon 4 is a 1998 American buddy cop action film directed and produced by Richard Donner. It is the fourth and final installment in the Lethal Weapon film series, starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock, and Jet Li in his international film debut. The film was released by Warner Bros. on July 10, 1998, and grossed $285 million worldwide, becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of 1998.
- release_date
- July 10, 1998
- director
- Richard Donner
- studio
- Warner Bros.
- box_office
- $285 million worldwide
- series_position
- Fourth and final installment in the Lethal Weapon film series
- notable_cast
- Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock, Jet Li
Lore & Background
The plot follows LAPD Sergeants Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh as they become entangled with a Chinese immigrant smuggling ring and Triad counterfeiting operation. Riggs's partner Lorna Cole is pregnant with his child, and Murtaugh's daughter Rianne is also pregnant, with the father revealed to be Detective Lee Butters. The officers encounter crime boss Benny Chan and Triad negotiator Wah Sing Ku, leading to a series of violent confrontations.
Reader's Guide
Lethal Weapon 4 received mixed reviews from critics but was a commercial success, grossing $285 million worldwide. It is notable as the last film in the series directed by Richard Donner before his death in 2021, and the latest to be released theatrically. A fifth film, with Glover and Gibson set to reprise their roles, has languished in development hell since 2007. The film's production was troubled, with multiple writers and scripts considered before settling on a Triad-focused storyline.
Did You Know?
- Jet Li made his international film debut in Lethal Weapon 4.
- The film was the tenth highest-grossing film of 1998.
- A fifth film has been in development hell since 2007.
- The script went through multiple writers, including Jonathan Lemkin and Jeffrey Boam, before the final version was chosen.
More in Lethal Weapon 1-19
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