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"Only one man has the particular set of skills ... to lead Police Squad and save the world!"
Credit: YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Liam Neeson stars as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. in The Naked Gun.
Thirty years after the last film in The Naked Gun crime-spoof comedy franchise, we're finally getting a new installment, The Naked Gun, described as a "legacy sequel." And it's Liam Neeson stepping into Leslie Nielsen's fumbling shoes, playing that character's son. Judging by the official trailer, Neeson is up to the task, showcasing his screwball comedy chops.
(Some spoilers for the first three films in the franchise below.)
The original Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! debuted in 1988, with Leslie Nielsen starring as Detective Frank Drebin, trying to foil an assassination attempt on Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the US. It proved successful enough to launch two sequels. Naked Gun 2-1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) found Drebin battling an evil plan to kidnap a prominent nuclear scientist. Naked Gun 33-1/3: The Final Insult (1994) found Drebin coming out of retirement and going undercover to take down a crime syndicate planning to blow up the Academy Awards.
The franchise rather lost steam after that, but by 2013, Paramount was planning a reboot starring Ed Helms as "Frank Drebin, no relation." David Zucker, who produced the prior Naked Gun films and directed the first two, declined to be involved, feeling it could only be "inferior" to his originals. He was briefly involved in the 2017 rewrites, featuring Frank's son as a secret agent rather than a policeman. That film never transpired either. The project was revived again in 2021 by Seth MacFarlane (without Zucker's involvement), and Neeson was cast as Frank Drebin Jr.—a police lieutenant in this incarnation.
In addition to Neeson, the film stars Paul Walter Hauser as Captain Ed Hocken, Jr.—Hauser will also appear as Mole Man in the forthcoming Fantastic Four: First Steps—and Pamela Anderson as a sultry femme fatale named Beth. The cast also includes Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes, CCH Pounder, Busta Rhymes, and Eddy Yu.
The film pays tribute to Leslie Nielsen's original Lt. Frank Drebin. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) appears to be a chip off the old block. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
The film pays tribute to Leslie Nielsen's original Lt. Frank Drebin. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) appears to be a chip off the old block. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Ditto for Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser) YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Pamela Anderson plays a sultry femme fatale. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Ditto for Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser) YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Pamela Anderson plays a sultry femme fatale. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
The first teaser for the film dropped in April, and you can count Zucker among those who found it disappointing, telling TMZ that he regretted even watching the teaser because "I can't unsee it." (Me? I thought it had its moments.) Chances are, he hasn't bothered to watch this new trailer either.
Neeson is clearly having a blast spoofing his "particular set of skills" character from the Taken films. "Once you kill a man for revenge, there's no going back," he said, as we watch him rip off an assailant's arms and use them as weapons. It's "a voice in your head saying over and over 'That was awesome.'" And we see Frank and Ed both getting a little emotional in front of the commemorative plaques honoring their fathers in a nod to the originals.
Frank is supposed to be the "best of the best" of the elite Police Squad, but isn't above commandeering the bathroom of a local coffee shop for emergency relief, claiming it's for "police business." As for the plot, well, it seems Beth's brother has been murdered, and she wants Frank's help in finding the killer. If he fails, Police Squad will be shut down. We see him question one suspect who served 20 years for "man's laughter." Told that it was actually for manslaughter, Frank doesn't miss a beat: "Must have been quite the joke."
Frankly, it looks like good, mindless summer fare. This kind of humor is either your bag or it isn't. If it is, you'll be pleased to hear that The Naked Gun hits theaters on August 1, 2025.
Credit: YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Liam Neeson stars as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. in The Naked Gun.
Thirty years after the last film in The Naked Gun crime-spoof comedy franchise, we're finally getting a new installment, The Naked Gun, described as a "legacy sequel." And it's Liam Neeson stepping into Leslie Nielsen's fumbling shoes, playing that character's son. Judging by the official trailer, Neeson is up to the task, showcasing his screwball comedy chops.
(Some spoilers for the first three films in the franchise below.)
The original Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! debuted in 1988, with Leslie Nielsen starring as Detective Frank Drebin, trying to foil an assassination attempt on Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the US. It proved successful enough to launch two sequels. Naked Gun 2-1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) found Drebin battling an evil plan to kidnap a prominent nuclear scientist. Naked Gun 33-1/3: The Final Insult (1994) found Drebin coming out of retirement and going undercover to take down a crime syndicate planning to blow up the Academy Awards.
The franchise rather lost steam after that, but by 2013, Paramount was planning a reboot starring Ed Helms as "Frank Drebin, no relation." David Zucker, who produced the prior Naked Gun films and directed the first two, declined to be involved, feeling it could only be "inferior" to his originals. He was briefly involved in the 2017 rewrites, featuring Frank's son as a secret agent rather than a policeman. That film never transpired either. The project was revived again in 2021 by Seth MacFarlane (without Zucker's involvement), and Neeson was cast as Frank Drebin Jr.—a police lieutenant in this incarnation.
In addition to Neeson, the film stars Paul Walter Hauser as Captain Ed Hocken, Jr.—Hauser will also appear as Mole Man in the forthcoming Fantastic Four: First Steps—and Pamela Anderson as a sultry femme fatale named Beth. The cast also includes Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes, CCH Pounder, Busta Rhymes, and Eddy Yu.
The film pays tribute to Leslie Nielsen's original Lt. Frank Drebin. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) appears to be a chip off the old block. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
The film pays tribute to Leslie Nielsen's original Lt. Frank Drebin. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) appears to be a chip off the old block. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Ditto for Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser) YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Pamela Anderson plays a sultry femme fatale. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Ditto for Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser) YouTube/Paramount Pictures
Pamela Anderson plays a sultry femme fatale. YouTube/Paramount Pictures
The first teaser for the film dropped in April, and you can count Zucker among those who found it disappointing, telling TMZ that he regretted even watching the teaser because "I can't unsee it." (Me? I thought it had its moments.) Chances are, he hasn't bothered to watch this new trailer either.
Neeson is clearly having a blast spoofing his "particular set of skills" character from the Taken films. "Once you kill a man for revenge, there's no going back," he said, as we watch him rip off an assailant's arms and use them as weapons. It's "a voice in your head saying over and over 'That was awesome.'" And we see Frank and Ed both getting a little emotional in front of the commemorative plaques honoring their fathers in a nod to the originals.
Frank is supposed to be the "best of the best" of the elite Police Squad, but isn't above commandeering the bathroom of a local coffee shop for emergency relief, claiming it's for "police business." As for the plot, well, it seems Beth's brother has been murdered, and she wants Frank's help in finding the killer. If he fails, Police Squad will be shut down. We see him question one suspect who served 20 years for "man's laughter." Told that it was actually for manslaughter, Frank doesn't miss a beat: "Must have been quite the joke."
Frankly, it looks like good, mindless summer fare. This kind of humor is either your bag or it isn't. If it is, you'll be pleased to hear that The Naked Gun hits theaters on August 1, 2025.
