While series director Richard Donner died in July at 91 years old, his longtime friend and Lethal Weapon star, Mel Gibson, is reportedly looking to pick up the baton. 

The Oscar-winning filmmaker and star of Braveheart and Oscar-nominated director of Hacksaw Ridge is in talks to direct the in-development fifth film in the buddy cop series, Deadline reports.

As Gibson previously told ABC Audio, he, Danny Glover and Rene Russo were all excited about the idea of returning to the franchise with Donner at the helm; the filmmaker had been actively developing a fifth movie at the time of his passing. 

According to Deadline, Gibson “let it slip” that he wanted to stand in for Donner for the film, which is being developed for HBO Max. As Deadline reports, Gibson “saw it right to continue the development of the film as a proper tribute to his friend and the late director of the franchise.”

If he does direct, Gibson would be doing double duty as both director and reprising his role as loose cannon Det. Martin Riggs, opposite Glover’s Det. Roger Murtaugh.