Paramount has dropped a new trailer for the ‘Naked Gun’ reboot, landing in theaters July 18th. It’s one of the very few major studio comedies this summer — and, on paper at least, it looks like it could actually deliver.
The 1988 original, “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!,” starred Leslie Nielsen in a performance that pretty much defined the modern spoof. Notably, it was a major influence on Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice” — something he’s openly admitted. That’s how deeply embedded this comedy is in Hollywood DNA.
Cut to early 2024: Paramount confirms a reboot, with Liam Neeson stepping into Nielsen’s shoes as Frank Drebin. Akiva Schaffer (“Popstar,” “Hot Rod”) is directing, with Dan Gregor and Doug Mand on the script. That trio last collaborated on 2022’s “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.”
A test screening olccured last fall for “Naked Gun,” earning strong early buzz. One viewer called it “perfectly in tone” with the original. Gags fly fast — every 30 seconds, basically — and while not every one hits, none feel like dead air. It’s a brisk 90-minute package, low on contemporary winks, high on classic spoof energy.
Neeson reportedly nails the deadpan — very much in on the joke, while also leaning into his self-serious action-star persona. Pamela Anderson also pops, apparently having a lot of fun with her role. Some of the film’s best laughs were described as “straight out of Lonely Island’s brain.”
The rest of the cast also includes Paul Walter Hauser, Danny Huston, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, and Busta Rhymes. Yep.
As expected, David Zucker — one of the original ‘Naked Gun’ creators — hasn’t exactly given his blessing. He recently said he was blindsided by Paramount’s decision to pass the franchise to a new team and doesn’t believe this kind of comedy can be easily duplicated. “Don’t try this at home,” he warned.
Still, if there’s a modern team that can pull this off, it might just be the guys behind Popstar — a cult favorite and one of the last truly funny studio comedies of the past decade. And if Neeson can ride the line between parody and performance, this might actually stick the landing. We’ll find out in August.
