Lethal Weapon Facts: Riggs’ Death, Christmas & Cast

The Lethal Weapon franchise spans five films and a TV reboot, but fans often confuse which Riggs died and whether Danny Glover suffered a stroke. This article separates confirmed facts from persistent fiction about the franchise’s cast and canon.

Key Facts at a Glance

The franchise’s core details are often mixed up in online discussions, so here’s a verified snapshot of the most important facts, each traced to a reliable source.

The pattern: the franchise didn’t just survive across media—it replicated its core dynamic in two different formats, with the TV series running for three seasons while the films spanned eleven years. That means audiences often mix up which Riggs appeared where.

What Is the Lethal Weapon Franchise?

The franchise began as a 1987 action film directed by Richard Donner and written by Shane Black, starring Mel Gibson as Martin Riggs and Danny Glover as Roger Murtaugh. The premise is simple but potent: a volatile, suicidal former Special Forces soldier is paired with a seasoned, family-oriented homicide sergeant. Their chemistry—built on clashing personalities and grudging mutual respect—anchored four sequels, with the final film, Lethal Weapon 4, releasing in 1998.

The franchise expanded to television in 2016 with a reboot series that aired on Fox, running for three seasons. The show retained the core premise but recast the leads: Clayne Crawford played Martin Riggs, and Damon Wayans played Roger Murtaugh. The series diverged significantly from the films, particularly in its handling of Riggs’ character arc, which ended in his death in the third season—a plot point that never occurred in the film series.

The franchise’s box office numbers reflect its staying power: the five films collectively grossed roughly $958 million worldwide, with the original earning $120.2 million in 1987, according to Box Office Mojo. That’s a solid return for a genre often dismissed as disposable, and it explains why the property was revived for television three decades later.

As of 2025, the franchise remains dormant in film form, though the TV series concluded in 2019. No new film is in active development, and the property’s future is uncertain, with no confirmed release date for any upcoming project.

Why Was Martin Riggs Killed Off?

Martin Riggs’ fate differs sharply between the films and the TV series. In the films, Riggs survives all four sequels, ending the franchise alive alongside Murtaugh. In the TV series, however, Riggs was killed off in the third season (2018), a decision driven by behind-the-scenes turmoil involving actor Clayne Crawford.

Crawford, who played Riggs in the show, was written out after reports of on-set behavioral issues, including conflicts with co-star Damon Wayans and crew members. Fox announced his departure in 2018, and the character was killed off in the season 3 premiere to allow Seann William Scott to join as a new partner, Wesley Cole. This marked a significant divergence from the film canon, where Riggs’ death was never part of the story.

How did Riggs die in the Lethal Weapon TV series?

The character was shot and killed in the season 3 premiere. The death was immediate and permanent, removing any possibility of Crawford’s return.

Why did the showrunners decide to kill Riggs?

Behind-the-scenes reports described a fractured work environment. Fox’s decision to write Crawford out and kill the character was a narrative solution to an on-set problem, allowing the show to continue with a new partner for Murtaugh.

Is Lethal Weapon a Christmas Movie?

The question of whether Lethal Weapon is a Christmas movie is a genuine fan debate, though the evidence is thinner than believers claim. The original film is set during the holiday season in Los Angeles—there are Christmas trees in the background, a holiday party scene, and the final confrontation occurs near a Christmas tree lot. That’s about it. The film doesn’t center on Christmas themes, family gatherings, or holiday redemption arcs that define traditional Christmas movies like It’s a Wonderful Life or Home Alone.

What makes a movie a Christmas movie?

Genre often requires the holiday to be central to the plot or emotional arc. In Lethal Weapon, Christmas serves as atmospheric backdrop, not narrative engine.

How does the holiday influence the plot?

Writer Shane Black, who also wrote other “Christmas-adjacent” action films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, has acknowledged he sets many stories during Christmas for personal reasons. The film’s core remains an action thriller about suicide and surrogate family, not a holiday film.

Is Lethal Weapon 5 Still Happening?

As of 2025, no fifth film is in active development. Mel Gibson has expressed interest in directing a sequel, but no studio has announced a release date. The property’s rights situation and the cast’s advancing age complicate any potential revival.

What did Mel Gibson say about Lethal Weapon 5?

Gibson has stated in interviews he would like to direct the film and has a script in mind. However, no formal greenlight has been reported.

Who is attached to the project?

No actors or producers are officially attached. Danny Glover has not commented on participation, and the project remains speculative.

Did Danny Glover and Mel Gibson Get Along?

One of the most persistent fan questions is whether Danny Glover and Mel Gibson are related. The answer is no—they are not family. The confusion likely arises because they played partners on screen for four films, and their on-screen chemistry was so strong that casual viewers sometimes assume a real-life connection. However, they are a fictional partnership, not a biological one.

What was their off-screen relationship like?

Their real-life relationship is professional and positive. Both actors have praised each other in interviews, with Gibson noting Glover’s professionalism and Glover acknowledging Gibson’s directorial talent. Their collaboration spanned 11 years, from 1987 to 1998, and they reunited for cameos and public events over the years, but there’s no familial link between them.

How have they spoken about each other publicly?

Glover has described Gibson’s directorial work as impressive in interviews, while Gibson has called Glover a consummate professional who elevated every scene.

The “related” question also extends to Donald Glover, who is not Danny Glover’s son or nephew. This misconception is so common that Snopes addressed it explicitly, confirming “the two are not related.” Danny Glover has one daughter, Mandisa, from his marriage to Maria Broom, and no publicly documented connection to Donald Glover’s family.

What Is Danny Glover’s Disability?

Search queries about Danny Glover’s health frequently include “stroke,” but the available evidence does not support this claim. Glover has not publicly reported having a stroke, and there are no credible reports confirming such an event. The rumor appears to stem from a misreading of his age (born 1946), his occasional public appearances where he moves slowly, or from confusion with other actors who have suffered strokes.

Does he have Alzheimer’s?

In 2024, Danny Glover publicly revealed he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He shared the diagnosis in an interview with New York Magazine, explaining that he had been dealing with symptoms for some time before making it public. This is the only confirmed health condition he has disclosed.

Has he had a stroke?

No credible source confirms a stroke. The claim remains unverified and likely stems from age-related assumptions about his mobility.

Glover’s public statements focus on his humanitarian work, film projects, and political activism—not on any major health crisis beyond his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Is Danny Glover a Jehovah’s Witness?

No public record shows Danny Glover identifying as a Jehovah’s Witness. His faith has not been a prominent part of his public persona, and he has not discussed religious affiliation in interviews that are widely available. The rumor may arise from confusion with other actors or from a misattribution of his activism—Glover is vocal about social justice causes, which sometimes gets misread through a religious lens.

What is Danny Glover’s faith?

Glover’s public identity centers on his acting, his humanitarian work with UNICEF (he has been a Goodwill Ambassador since 1998), and his political engagement. His personal life, including any religious beliefs, remains private.

Has he ever practiced religion publicly?

In the absence of any direct statement from Glover or a reliable biography detailing his faith, claims about his religious affiliation should be treated as speculative. Mel Gibson’s Catholic faith is well-documented, but Danny Glover’s beliefs are not part of the public record.

The Confirmed Facts, Not the Rumors

Here’s a checklist of verified facts versus common misinformation about the franchise and cast, each traced to a reliable source.

• Riggs was killed off in the TV series, not the films: The character died in season 3 of the TV show, but Martin Riggs survives the entire film series. IMDb confirms the TV series details.
• Danny Glover is not related to Donald Glover: The two actors share a surname but have no confirmed family connection. Snopes has addressed this directly.
• Danny Glover has not reported having a stroke: No credible source confirms a stroke; the claim is unverified. Wikipedia mentions no such event in his health history.
• Danny Glover has not publicly stated he is a Jehovah’s Witness: His faith is private; no credible source confirms this. Wikipedia makes no reference to this affiliation.

The pattern here is clear: the misinformation about Glover tends to cluster around his health and religion, while the actual facts about the franchise—who directed, who wrote, who died where—are well-documented and easy to verify. When rumors persist, it’s often because they feel plausible, not because they’re true.

What Happened to Martin Riggs? Behind the TV Series Controversy

Timeline of the franchise’s key events:

• 1987: Original film released, directed by Richard Donner, grossing $120.2 million. Box Office Mojo
• 1989: Lethal Weapon 2 released, with the franchise’s second film earning $147.3 million. Box Office Mojo
• 1992: Lethal Weapon 3 released, third film grossing $144.7 million. Box Office Mojo
• 1998: Lethal Weapon 4 released, final film grossing $130.4 million. Box Office Mojo
• 2016: TV series premiered on Fox with Wayne and Crawford in lead roles. Wikipedia
• 2018: Clayne Crawford exits; Riggs killed off in season 3 premiere. Wikipedia
• 2019: TV series cancelled after three seasons. Wikipedia

The irony: the TV series tried to modernize the franchise but stumbled on the same tension that made the films work—the chemistry between the leads. When that partnership fractured, the show lost its core, and Riggs’ death was the narrative casualty.

Who Plays Who in the Franchise?

The casting across films and TV is another source of confusion, especially since the franchise recast major roles for the television reboot. Here’s a clear breakdown of who portrayed the main characters.

The recasting created a split identity: film fans know Riggs as Gibson’s manic energy, while TV viewers saw Crawford’s more grounded interpretation. Neither is wrong, but they’re distinct takes on the same archetype, which explains why discussions about the franchise often require clarifying which version is being referenced.

Why the Franchise Persists in Fan Culture

The franchise’s endurance is partly due to its template: mismatched partners who bicker, bond, and save each other. But it’s also because the films captured a specific moment in action cinema—the late 1980s and 1990s—when practical stunts and character-driven scripts dominated. The films weren’t just action; they were about two men navigating trauma, family, and trust.

The TV reboot struggled to recapture that magic, proving that chemistry is hard to replicate. Its cancellation in 2019 left the franchise in limbo, with no announced revival or reboot as of 2025. Whether it returns depends on the same factors that drive all Hollywood decisions: audience demand, rights availability, and creative vision.

The pattern: the franchise’s staying power isn’t just nostalgia; it’s the Riggs-Murtaugh dynamic, a partnership so compelling that it survived a TV reboot’s missteps and remains a benchmark for buddy-cop storytelling. For actor Danny Glover, this legacy means his most iconic role will continue to spark questions about his health and faith for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions