'Lethal Weapon' TV Series Casts its Mel Gibson

The upcoming "Lethal Weapon" TV series starring Damon Wayans as Murtaugh has found an actor for the role made famous by Mel Gibson.

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Complex Original

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That Lethal Weapon television pilot starring Damon Wayans in the role of Roger Murtaugh, the homicide detective character made famous by Danny Glover, has found the other crucial part of any buddy cop equation: another buddy cop.  Deadline reports that actor Clayne Crawford is taking the role of Martin Riggs, formerly played by Mel Gibson, back when people still liked him.

Crawford is best known for his role in the series Rectify. If you know the show, you understand why this is exciting news. The Sundance Channels first original scripted series that premiered back in 2013 was a slow burner about a man who returns home to his small, Georgia town after 19 years on death row for rape and murder. Crawford played the man's stepbrother, who treats him as a curiosity, doubts his innocence and doesn't really want the financial and social problems that come with hanging out with a suspected rapist. Crawford's performance was also one of the show's brightest spots.

Things are falling into place nicely for the Lethal Weapon series. Kevin Rahm was recently revealed to be playing Captain Avery (you know him best as Ted Chaough from Mad Men). Jordana Brewster, who you know as Mia from the original The Fast and the Furious and four of its sequels up through Furious 7, will also appear in the series in an unknown role, as well as Golden Brooks from Girlfriends.

We'll be satisfied with this as long as we get some massive explosions, some witty banter and maybe Wayans getting handcuffed to a toilet. Here's the official synopsis of the series:

In the pilot, written by Matt Miller and directed by McG, when Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Riggs suffers the loss of his wife and baby, he moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he is partnered with LAPD Detective Roger Murtaugh, who, having recently suffered a “minor” heart attack, must avoid stress in his life.

No word yet on when this thing could possibly hit the air.

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