‘Lethal Weapon’ TV Reboot in the Works at Fox

Following a competitive situation, the network has handed out a hefty put-pilot commitment to the drama.

Add Lethal Weapon to the list of movie-to-TV reboots.

In a competitive situation, Fox has handed out a hefty put-pilot commitment to a TV reboot of Lethal Weapon, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Based on the feature film franchise starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, the reboot — which counted NBC as a bidder — hails from Warner Bros. Television, whose film division, Warner Bros. Pictures, produced the original movies.

Like the films, the TV version centers on a Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Martin Riggs (originally played by Gibson) who, following the loss of his wife and baby, moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he gets partnered with LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh (Glover), who, having recently suffered a “minor” heart attack, must avoid any stress in his life.

Fox’s take will be written by Matt Miller (Forever, Chuck), who will executive produce via his WBTV-based Good Session banner. Lin Pictures’ Dan Lin (The Lego Movie, Sherlock Holmes) and television topper Jennifer Gwartz are set to exec produce. Lethal Weapon reunites Miller with Lin, who teamed for last year’s ABC drama Forever, which was canceled after one season.

Key to the reboots is having the original producers involved, which for Fox’s Lethal Weapon, is not the case. However, sources tell THR that the original filmmakers have blessed the TV reboot though they will not be credited on the drama.

The original buddy cop action film opened in 1987 and grossed $120 million worldwide. It spawned three sequels (1989, 1992 and 1998). The sequels combined grossed around $835 million worldwide.

Lethal Weapon joins a rapidly growing list of reboots in the works as broadcast networks look for intellectual property with built-in brand recognition in a bid to cut through an original scripted landscape that features more than 400 series. Fox is readying Behind Enemy Lines, Training Day is in the works at CBS, The CW is prepping The Notebook and Friday the 13th and studio 20th Century Fox Television is shopping a reboot of The A-Team, among others.

Reaction to this season’s crop of reboots and revivals has been mixed. Fox’s Minority Report has stumbled out of the gate; NBC’s Heroes has had a modest debut and CBS has found early success with Bradley Cooper’s Limitless follow-up. Due later this season are TV series based on Rush Hour (CBS) and Uncle Buck (ABC).