Paramount has dropped the first footage of its highly anticipated reboot of The Naked Gun, giving audiences a taste of what’s to come when Liam Neeson steps into the shoes of Frank Drebin Jr.
Taking the director’s chair is Akiva Schaffer, known for his work with comedy troupe The Lonely Island (Saturday Night Live, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping), while Family Guy and Ted creator Seth MacFarlane served as producer.
Rebooting a cult classic… with a twist
The first trailer was dropped online this morning and was also unveiled at the annual CinemaCon event.
In it, Neeson, 72, plays the son of Leslie Nielsen’s beloved detective, continuing the legacy with a straight face and a sharpened lollipop.
The reboot clearly showcases a slicker but equally absurd Drebin, seen disabling a disguised criminal before paying tearful tribute to a photo of his late father. The film playfully nods to franchise lore, referencing characters like Ed Hocken and Nordberg, originally portrayed by George Kennedy and O.J. Simpson.
The new cast boasts a mix of established stars and fresh faces, including Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, Liza Koshy, Eddie Yu, and Danny Huston.
The original Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) was a critical and commercial smash, raking in a cool $140 million at the box office and cementing its place as a beloved comedy classic.