Mel Gibson confirms he will direct 'Lethal Weapon 5,' fulfilling the late Richard Donner's wishes

Mel Gibson let some big news slip about Lethal Weapon 5 during an event in London over the weekend.

"The man who directed all the Lethal films, Richard Donner, he was a big guy," the 65-year-old two-time Oscar winner said, according to The Sun. "He was developing the screenplay and he got pretty far along with it. And he said to me one day, ‘Listen kid, if I kick the bucket you will do it.’ And I said, 'Shut up.'

"But he did indeed pass away. But he did ask me to do it and at the time I didn’t say anything. He said it to his wife and to the studio and the producer. So I will be directing the fifth one."

Variety confirmed that Gibson "is in talks" to direct Lethal Weapon 5.

Donner died in July at 91 years old.

Gibson debuted as Martin Riggs in Lethal Weapon in 1987 and reprised the role for each of the subsequent films, most recently in 1998's Lethal Weapon 4. Danny Glover has also starred throughout the franchise.