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Liam Neeson to star in The Naked Gun
Photo: Matt Crossick / PA Images / IMAGO
Fans of 80s comedies can expect another round of punch lines: “The Naked Gun” is being fired up again.
There have been rumors about this for a long time, including regarding the cast.
But now the production company Paramount Pictures has announced concrete details and confirmed: Liam Neeson, 71, will succeed police officer Frank Drebin in the leading role.
The character made the late actor Leslie Nielsen famous.
“The Naked Gun” set new standards in gag density in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The filmmakers' stated goal was to get at least three laughs per minute; jokes were made wherever possible.
The three films were parodies of the police series of the 1950s, in which Lieutenant Frank Drebin proved to be particularly obtuse and clumsy.
With the smallest of actions he triggered chain reactions that then ended in catastrophes.
The slapstick soon achieved cult status.
The reboot, which could possibly also be a sequel, is scheduled to hit theaters in July 2025.
Nothing is known about the plot.
However, there is speculation that Liam Neeson could portray the son of police officer Drebin.
The script comes from Dan Gregor, Doug Man and Akiva Schaffer, who together revived the Disney squirrels with the animated film “Chip and Chap – the Knights of Law” in 2022.
Schaffer will also direct.
“Naked Gun” star Leslie Nielsen died in 2010 at the age of 84.
cpa