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Warner Bros. Television said it chose not to renew Clayne Crawford’s contract after on-set incidents of bad behavior, for which he apologized. Fox executives separately said Warner Bros. could not deliver Lethal Weapon as before because of serious challenges among the cast. The public record points to broader conduct and cast problems—not one confirmed incident as the sole reason.
What the studio and Fox said
The clearest public explanation came on May 14, 2018, when a Warner Bros. Television spokesperson told TheWrap that the studio had “decided not to renew Clayne Crawford’s contract for ‘Lethal Weapon’” following incidents of “bad behavior” on set, for which he apologized. The spokesperson did not provide a longer public account of the studio’s reasoning. TheWrap’s report also quoted Fox Television Group co-chair Dana Walden saying Warner Bros. had told the network it could not deliver the show “as we’ve known it before” because there were “some real challenges in the cast.” Walden added, “This was not our choice, you know.”
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Those statements establish the studio’s stated basis—on-set conduct incidents—and Fox’s explanation of the production problem. They do not identify a single event as the definitive cause of the firing.
Which incidents shaped the controversy?
Crawford’s account of two reprimands
In a statement published April 24, 2018, Crawford said he had been reprimanded twice over the show’s first two seasons. He described the first reprimand as following an angry reaction to working conditions he believed were unsafe or unsuitable for good work. He said he met with human resources, apologized for his part in the conflict, completed therapy arranged by the studio, and shared part of his paycheck with one of the people involved, as instructed by the studio. These details are Crawford’s account, not an independent studio description of the events. TVLine reproduced his statement.
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The shrapnel injury during an episode Crawford directed
Crawford said the second reprimand followed an effect-related shrapnel injury to an actor while he directed an episode. He accepted responsibility, writing, “I take responsibility for the incident, because I was in charge of the set.” Damon Wayans later publicized video and an image of an incident in which shrapnel hit him while filming that episode. TheWrap reported Wayans’s posts and said the studio had not immediately responded to a request for clarification about them. TheWrap covered Wayans’s posts.
The injury is part of the explanation for why Crawford was reprimanded and became central to public coverage. The available accounts do not establish that it alone prompted Warner Bros. not to renew his contract.
Reports of broader set tensions
On April 24, The Washington Post relayed Deadline’s reporting that Crawford faced complaints of emotional abuse and creating a hostile environment, and that cast and crew members had become uncomfortable. Those claims were attributed to reporting and unnamed sources; they should be understood as allegations, not findings established by a public investigation. The Post also described the show as drawing about 7 million viewers a week at the time, a historical audience estimate rather than a current measure. The Washington Post reported on the allegations and renewal prospects.
What Crawford said later—and what remains unsettled
In an August 29, 2018 podcast interview, Crawford acknowledged an angry outburst and an expletive-laced exchange with Wayans. He disputed some public descriptions of events, said he had not expected to be fired, and said he did not receive a formal termination call. These are Crawford’s later statements, not independently verified studio findings. TheWrap reported his interview; Vanity Fair also covered his account.
The public accounts differ in perspective and evidentiary status: a studio spokesperson described the nonrenewal, Fox’s leadership described cast challenges, Crawford explained his reprimands and disputed parts of the narrative, and Wayans’s posts showed the injury incident as reported by the press. They do not reveal the studio’s private deliberations or prove that one reported event was the sole trigger.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened to the show?
Fox renewed Lethal Weapon for a third season, but Crawford did not return as Martin Riggs. Seann William Scott joined in a new role paired with Roger Murtaugh. The recasting followed the studio’s decision not to renew Crawford’s contract. TheWrap’s May 2018 report covered the decision and the new casting.
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