to surrender, but Paul simply walks away, proclaiming: "Do whatever you have to". Reiner decides to let him go. Cast Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey/Mr Vigilante Kay Lenz as Karen Sheldon John P. Ryan as Ferrari / Fake Nathan White Perry Lopez as Ed Zacharias Mike Moroff as Jack Romero Dan Ferro as Tony Romero George Dickerson as Detective Sid Reiner Soon-Tek Oh as Detective Phil Nozaki Gerald Castillo as Lieutenant Higuera Dana Barron as Erica Sheldon Jesse Dabson as Randy Viscovich Danny Trejo as Art Sanella Daniel Sabia as Al Arroyo Michael Russo as Danny Moreno James Purcell as Vincent Montono Peter Sherayko as Nick Franco David Fontano as Frank Bauggs Tom Everett as Max Green Hector Mercado as Joe "Jo-Jo" Ross Tim Russ as Jesse Mark Pellegrino as Punk Mitch Pileggi as Cannery Lab Foreman Irwin Keyes as Joey, Bauggs' Chauffeur Richard Aherne as Nathan White Production Development Cannon Films announced the creation of a new sequel to Death Wish in 1986, estimating that it would be ready for release by spring 1987. Although, the film company was by this point facing financial problems. Its greatest box office hit was still Missing in Action (1984) with $38 million domestic gross. Cannon had lost money through box office flops such as Pirates (1986). Consequently, they tightened the budgets of upcoming films to under $5 million per film. When it came to a screenplay for the film, there were several available. Writing duties were ultimately assigned to Gail Morgan Hickman, who had previously contributed rejected scripts for Death Wish 3 (1985). Hickman's first script, which had Paul Kersey struggling with a crisis of conscience and trying to reconnect with Geri Nichols (Jill Ireland) from Death Wish II, was rejected because Ireland was battling breast cancer. The second script, which had Kersey going after an international terrorist, was rejected due to its premise having similarities to Wanted: Dead or Alive (1987). The final script had the premise of Kersey playing two gangs against each other. Hickman was influenced by the use of this premise in the films Yojimbo (1961) and A Fistful of Dollars (1964). Hickman also came up with the idea of a millionaire benefactor for Kersey, with both of them having lost a daughter (surrogate in Kersey's case) to the deadly effects of the illegal drug trade. Kohner found this an interesting idea in need of a plot twist.