The First Script Was Thrown in the Trash
Shane Black was 22 when he wrote the first draft of Lethal Weapon, and it took him less than six weeks! But he had to overcome a whole lot of self-doubt on the way. He seriously hated it at first and thought it was complete garbage, which is why he actually tossed it in the bin.
Shane Black. Photo By Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
He confessed, “I thought it was dreadful.” Luckily, the writer came to his senses and snatched the work out of the trash. When it was finished, Warner Bros. bought the script for $250,000. But Black didn’t rush to show off his new-found riches. He kept living with his roommates for a while and rode his rusted Mustang convertible as if nothing major had happened.