The new Naked Gun has Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. and it’s getting a lot of buzz after test screenings and is out August 1, 2025. Fans are going wild on social media about the original trilogy with Leslie Nielsen and how this is a love letter to the classic. Under the direction of Akiva Schaffer and produced by Seth MacFarlane the film combines nostalgia with fresh humor.
The early reviews say it’s a contender in the action-comedy genre. Liam Neeson who is known for his tough guy roles in “Taken” is fully embracing the comedy by playing the clueless detective Frank Drebin Jr. the son of his iconic character. Viewers are loving Liam Neeson’s comedy especially his deadpan delivery and ability to navigate absurd situations like wearing a schoolgirl outfit or misinterpreting “manslaughter” as “man’s laughter”.
Pamela Anderson is Beth the love interest and her comedic chemistry with Neeson is undeniable. Everyone knows she’s in the film and she fits right in with the wacky story. The great ensemble cast including Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand and Danny Huston deliver the laughs throughout this 85 minute romp. Audiences and critics are calling it “exuberantly absurd” and “a wild ride” which is exactly what parody comedies of the late 80s and early 90s were.
IGN’s Jeffrey Vega said the filmmakers had a blast making the film and Variety’s Katcy Stephan said it’s a love letter to Nielsen’s legacy. Comedy legend Andy Samberg who has worked with Schaffer many times called it a tribute to the fast paced joke heavy films that have disappeared from the modern movie landscape.
Critics and audiences are saying the reboot is non stop funny and brings the classic Naked Gun formula to today’s audience.But not everyone is a fan; original director David Zucker has publicly stated he’s not happy with the film saying it strays from his original vision and without the original team it’s not the real deal.
He’s not a big fan of Neeson playing the role that Nielsen originated and thinks it’s tough to market. But the general consensus among audiences is that Neeson is great and Schaffer is great; many are already planning to see it again in theaters. As August approaches the new Naked Gun is going to bring back the golden age of spoof comedy and an all star cast.
