The first Lethal Weapon movie is actually much darker than its reputation (and sequels) would suggest. The film debut of screenwriter Shane Black (The Nice Guys, Iron Man 3), Lethal Weapon stars Danny Glover as the cynical Sergeant Roger Murtaugh and Mel Gibson as the definitive "loose cannon" cop, Sergeant Martin Riggs. Released in March 1987, Lethal Weapon became a smash hit, grossing $120 million dollars against a modest $15 million budget. With Lethal Weapon grossing eight times its production budget, a sequel was greenlit and released two years later in the summer of 1989. Lethal Weapon 2 became even more successful than the first.

https://screenrant.com/lethal-weapon-first-movie-darker-you-remember/