Hands where I can see them. All of them. It may have seemed like a terrible idea on paper, but the newest installment in The Naked Gun franchise is actually shaping up to look really funny. This was building once the teaser dropped in April, and now we have even more evidence, as the full trailer has arrived less than two months before the movie’s August release.
This time around, it’s the son of Lieutenant Frank Drebin (Liam Neeson) who is on the case, as he follows in his father’s footsteps (via hopscotch?) to carry on his legacy and leave one of his own. Joining Neeson will be Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Liz Koshy, Danny Huston, WWE superstar Cody Rhodes, rapper Busta Rhymes, and more.
The original Naked Gun trilogy is, as far as I’m concerned, one of the strongest comedy series ever. And we all know that Leslie Nielsen – who portrayed Drebin not only in those movies but also the too-short-lived ABC series Police Squad! – was just brilliant in the genre. Neeson, however, has that sort of straight face that can channel Nielsen and the vibe of the original movies and show; and based on both the teaser and the trailer (and, really, the posters), this is exactly what director Akiva Schaffer (The Lonely Island; Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping) is looking to achieve this while also making the movie work in its own right.
But to do that, Schaffer and company have to be able to branch out on their own. That said, they still did reach out to series co-creator David Zucker…who quickly turned them away and later suggested that spoof movies show no signs of being resurrected. Then again, we never thought we’d see another Naked Gun movie.
The Naked Gun hits the streets on August 1st; in the meantime, be sure to check out the new trailer above and latest poster below.
What do you think of the trailer for The Naked Gun? Is this aiming to be one of the must-see comedies of the year? Let us know in the comments below!
