Editing Lethal Weapon (section)

==Production==
{{more citations needed section|date=October 2024}}
===Development===
Recent [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]] graduate [[Shane Black]] wrote the screenplay in mid-1985. Black stated that his intention was to do an "urban [[Western (genre)|western]]" inspired by ''[[Dirty Harry]]'' where a violent character "reviled for what he did, what he is capable of, the things he believed in" is eventually recruited for being the one that could solve the problem. The protagonists would be [[Everyman|everymen]] policemen, "guys shuffling in a town like Los Angeles searching for something noble as justice when they're just guys in washed and worn suits seeking a paycheck".

According to Black, his original first draft of the script was very different and much darker than the final film. It was 140 pages long and both the plot and characters were different, and action scenes were also much bigger. The ending of the script contained a chase scene with helicopters and a trailer truck full of [[cocaine]] exploding over Hollywood Hills with cocaine snowing over the Hollywood sign. Black hated this first draft and initially discarded it but later picked it up again and re-wrote it into the new drafts that were eventually used for filming.<ref name=pension/>

His agent sent the ''Lethal Weapon'' script to various studios, being rejected before [[Warner Bros.]] executive [[Mark Canton]] took a liking to it.<ref name=pension>{{cite video|section=Psycho Pension: The Genesis of Lethal Weapon|title=Lethal Weapon Collection |at=disk 5|year=2012|type=Documentary|publisher=Warner Bros. Home Entertainment}}</ref> Canton brought along producer [[Joel Silver]], who loved the story and worked with Black to further develop the script. Writer Jeffrey Boam also did some uncredited re-writes on Black's script after complaints that parts of it were too dark. Boam added more humor to the script, and later did a complete re-write of Shane Black and Warren Murphy's rejected script for the second film. He also wrote the script for the third film and an unused draft for the fourth film.<ref>Deans, Laurie (January 13, 1989). "LA CLIPS Lethal Weapon II script defused". The Globe and Mail.</ref>

After the script was purchased for $250,000, studio production executives offered it to director [[Richard Donner]], who also loved it. [[Leonard Nimoy]] was among the directors considered for the project, but he did not feel comfortable doing action films, and he was working on ''[[Three Men and a Baby]]'' at the time.<ref>{{cite book|title=Star trek: an annotated guide to resources on the development, the phenomenon, the people, the television series, the films, the novels, and the recordings|first=Susan R.|last=Gibberman|publisher=McFarland & Co.|year=1991|page=393|isbn=0899505473}}</ref>

===Casting===
Donner, having just finished filming ''[[Ladyhawke (film)|Ladyhawke]]'', had long been interested in working with Mel Gibson. Casting director [[Marion Dougherty]] first suggested teaming Gibson with Danny Glover, given Murtaugh had no set ethnicity in the script.<ref name=pension/> She arranged for Gibson to fly in from his home in [[Sydney]] while Glover was flown in from [[Chicago]], where he was appearing in a play, to read through the script. [[Bruce Willis]] was approached for the role of Riggs, but turned it down as he found the script "too violent".<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/article/2007/06/14/bruce-willis-if-i-hadnt-done-die-hard-id-rip-it/ | title=Bruce Willis: ''If I hadn't done 'Die Hard,' I'd rip it off'' | magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] }}</ref> This is referenced in the spoof of the ''Lethal Weapon'' films, ''[[Loaded Weapon 1]]''; Bruce (as [[John McClane]]) appears after the villains attack the wrong beach residence, looking for the protagonist. [[Christopher Lambert]] and [[Christopher Reeve]] were both approached, but neither was interested. [[Michael Biehn]] was also a brief contender to play Riggs as Donner had enjoyed his performance in ''[[The Terminator]]'', but he was already committed to ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]''. Other actors that were considered for the role included [[Pierce Brosnan]], [[Stephen Lang]], [[Ron Perlman]], [[Michael Nouri]], [[Sylvester Stallone]], [[Patrick Swayze]], [[Michael Douglas]], [[Jeff Goldblum]] and [[Kurt Russell]]. 

According to Donner: "It took about two hours and by the time we were done, I was in seventh heaven. They found innuendoes; they found laughter where I never saw it; they found tears where they didn't exist before; and, most importantly, they found a relationship—all in just one reading. So if you ask about casting... it was magical, just total dynamite".

Gibson said that "this particular story was a cut above others I had passed on, because the action is really a sideline which heightens the story of these two great characters. I picture Riggs as an almost [[Charlie Chaplin|Chaplinesque]] figure, a guy who doesn't expect anything from life and even toys with the idea of taking his own. He's not like these stalwarts who come down from [[Mount Olympus|Mt. Olympus]] and wreak havoc and go away. He's somebody who doesn't look like he's set to go off until he actually does".

The draw for Glover was equally strong. Fresh from his success as Mister in ''[[The Color Purple (1985 film)|The Color Purple]]'', he felt the role of Roger Murtaugh offered a whole new range of character expression and experience: "Aside from the chance to work with Mel, which turned out to be pure pleasure, one of the reasons I jumped at this project was the family aspect. The chance to play intricate relationships and subtle humor that exist in every close family group was an intriguing challenge, as was playing a guy turning 50. Murtaugh's a little cranky about his age until everything he loves is threatened. His reawakening parallels Riggs'".

Both actors were signed by early spring 1986. Gibson and Glover then flew home to pack, and, returning to Los Angeles, began an intensive two months of physical training and preparation. Meanwhile, the crucial role of Mr. Joshua was settled when [[Gary Busey]] asked to read for the part. An established star since his [[Academy Award]]-nominated performance in ''[[The Buddy Holly Story]]'', Busey had not auditioned for a film in years but was suffering from a career slump; he credited ''Lethal Weapon'' with reviving his stardom. In Busey's comment: "I had butterflies, I'd never played a bad guy. And no one had seen me since I'd lost 60 pounds and got back into shape. But I decided to take the initiative in order to have the opportunity to work with Dick, Joel, Mel, and Danny. I'm constantly looking for someone to pull the best performance out of me and any of those guys could. They even talked me into dyeing my hair!" In his ''[[E! True Hollywood Story]]'' biography, Busey says he was hired to play Joshua because the producers were looking for someone big and menacing enough to be a believable foe for the imposing Gibson.

===Pre-production===
Stunt coordinator [[Bobby Bass]] planned and supervised all phases of Gibson's and Glover's intense [[pre-production]] training; physical conditioning, weight workouts, and weapons handling and safety. Bass also used his own military experiences to bring a greater depth of understanding to the Riggs character. To familiarize the actors with the specialized skills and sensibilities acquired by undercover cops, arrangements were made for Gibson and Glover to spend time in the field accompanying working LAPD officers. Throughout filming, technical advisers from the LAPD as well as the LA County Sheriff's Department worked closely with Donner and the actors to ensure authenticity.

{{Anchor|Martial arts}}
Cedric Adams was the first technical adviser brought in. Donner said that "Adams thought the best possible way to show just how lethal Riggs really is—is to show his mastery of a form of martial arts never before seen onscreen". Donner wanted Riggs's style of fighting to be unique with the second assistant director Willie Simmons, who was interested in unusual forms of martial arts, choosing three martial arts styles.<ref name="Fightartss">{{cite magazine |last=O'Neill |first=Terry |title=Lethal Weapon Terry O'Neill interviews Mel Gibson |journal=Fighting Arts International |date=1987 |issue=44 |pages=10–14 |url=http://stickgrappler.tripod.com:80/52/mel.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011126141841/http://stickgrappler.tripod.com/52/mel.html |archive-date=November 26, 2001 |location=England |oclc=500109467 |access-date=October 8, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Gibson and Busey were instructed in [[Capoeira]] by Adams, [[Jailhouse rock (fighting style)|Jailhouse rock]] by Dennis Newsome and [[Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu]] by [[Rorion Gracie]].<ref name="Fightartss"/><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Williams |first1=James |last2=Pranin|first2=Stanley|title=Interview with Rorion Gracie|url=http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleid=90|magazine=Aikido Journal|issn=1340-5624|date=1994|issue=101|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122024735/http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleid=90|archive-date=November 22, 2007}}</ref> Bobby Bass, the stunt coordinator, a former [[US Army Special Forces]] instructor and judo champion, also provided training in various techniques.<ref name="Fightartss"/> At one point, the actors trained in between filming, for four hours a day for six weeks and did months of choreography.<ref name="Fightartss"/>

===Filming===
An alternate opening and ending were both filmed and can be seen on the ''[[Lethal Weapon 4]]'' DVD. The alternate opening featured Martin Riggs drinking alone in a bar where he is accosted by a couple of thugs who attack him for his money, but are easily subdued by Riggs. Director Richard Donner felt the film should open with a brighter look at Riggs, and replaced the bar scene with the scene in which Riggs awakens in his trailer. The alternate ending featured Riggs telling Murtaugh not to retire. Without even thinking about the possibility of sequels, Donner decided that Riggs and Murtaugh's relationship is one of friendship, and filmed the ending that appears in the completed film.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} 

In addition to the film's theatrical release, an extended Director's Cut version was released later on DVD. The Director's Cut version is longer (117 minutes) than the original theatrical release version (110 minutes), and features additional scenes. One extended scene depicts Riggs dispatching a sniper who had been firing at children in a playground. In another scene, Riggs picks up a street-walking prostitute, but instead of having sex with her, he takes her home to watch ''[[The Three Stooges]]'' on TV, thus illustrating his loneliness following the death of his wife.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

===Music===
{{Main|Lethal Weapon (soundtrack)}}
[[Michael Kamen]], who just completed work on ''[[Highlander (film)|Highlander]]'', composed the score for ''Lethal Weapon''. Editor [[Stuart Baird]] had used ''[[Edge of Darkness]]'' heavily as a temp score for the film, resulting in Kamen being brought on to create the score.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archive.org/details/Film_Score_Monthly_Volume_01_Issue_61_1995_09_Vineyard_Haven_US/page/n14/mode/1up | title=Film Score Monthly - Volume 01 Issue 61 (1995-09)(Vineyard Haven)(US) | date=September 1995}}</ref> The guitar part of Riggs's theme was performed by [[Eric Clapton]]. Kamen and Clapton had worked together on the music for the 1985 [[BBC]] television series ''[[Edge of Darkness]]'' (the [[Edge of Darkness (2010 film)|feature adaptation]] of which would later, by coincidence, star Mel Gibson). The saxophone part of Murtaugh's theme was performed by [[David Sanborn]]. The [[Christmas song]] "[[Jingle Bell Rock]]", performed by [[Bobby Helms]], is played during the film's opening credits. [[Honeymoon Suite]]'s song, "Lethal Weapon", is played during the film's end credits without being credited.