It is a massive ask of any actor to follow in the footsteps of Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun movies. He was so incredibly in his element with his wide-eyed, blissful ignorance and lack of self-awareness. Above all, Nielsen was a master of being confused while carrying a gun and a badge on the streets of Los Angeles. Enter Liam Neeson. The serious, dramatic action star is set to give Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. a shot in the reboot scheduled for release on August 1, 2025, and we're absolutely here for it. Remember, Nielsen was also a serious actor before finding his niche in Police Squad! and then The Naked Gun franchise, so the precedent has been set for Neeson to come in and reinvent himself as a comedic player in this new franchise.
In the newly released trailer from Paramount Pictures at CinemaCon on April 3, Neeson holds nothing back. He appears to be diving headfirst into the goofiness and slapstick humor that the franchise is known for.
The trailer opens up as a SWAT team prepares to enter a bank being robbed. A small girl licking an oversized lollipop wanders into the frame, walking into the bank like an unsuspecting victim. One of the robbers points his gun at her. The tiny girl pulls back a mask to reveal Neeson announcing himself as Frank Drebin Jr. Then, using a lollipop as a makeshift weapon, Neeson foils the heist. He is a full-grown man wearing a very tight schoolgirl outfit, which clearly indicates that Neeson has fully bought into the comedic absurdity that makes The Naked Gun one of the funniest and most successful comedy franchises ever.
More good news from the trailer is the reveal that Paul Walter Hauser is onboard to play the son of Drebins' trusted partner from the original trilogy, Captain Ed Hocken (George Kennedy). In a hilarious second scene in the trailer, Neeson is shown genuflecting in front of a large portrait of his father, Frank Drebin, and telling him he loves him. Hauser as Hocken Jr., does the same before an image of his dad, conveying how much he misses him. Then there is a man kneeling in front of a picture of O.J. Simpson, who starred as Detective Nordberg in the original. Yes, they address the "White Bronco awkwardness" associated with "The Juice" in the following years. A yet-to-be-credited young black actor—presumably the son of Nordberg—is captured giving the portrait of Simpson a sideways glare and mumbling "No". So, it appears nothing will be off limits in the reboot that also stars Pamela Anderson, Danny Huston, and Kevin Durand. Seth McFarlane is also producing, so one can only picture the hijinks that come with his brand of humor.
The Naked Gun reboot opens in theaters on August 1, 2025.