The Naked Gun (2025 film)

{{Short description|Upcoming action comedy film by Akiva Schaffer}}

{{Infobox film

| image = The Naked Gun 2025 poster.jpg

| caption = Teaser poster

| director = Akiva Schaffer

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Seth MacFarlane
Erica Huggins

}}

| writer = {{Plainlist|

Dan Gregor
Doug Mand
Akiva Schaffer

}}

| based_on = {{Based on|Police Squad!|David Zucker|Jim Abrahams|Jerry Zucker}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Joel McNeely

| cinematography = Brandon Trost

| editing = Brian Scott Olds

| studio = Fuzzy Door Productions

| distributor = Paramount Pictures

| released = {{Film date|2025|8|1}}

| runtime =

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

The Naked Gun is an upcoming American action comedy film directed by Akiva Schaffer, who co-wrote the script with Dan Gregor and Doug Mand. It serves as a legacy sequel to Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) and the fourth film in The Naked Gun franchise. The film stars Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., alongside Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, Liza Koshy, Eddy Yu, and Danny Huston.

The Naked Gun is scheduled to be released in the United States by Paramount Pictures on August 1, 2025.

Cast

Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr.
Pamela Anderson as Beth
Paul Walter Hauser as Capt. Ed Hocken Jr.
Kevin Durand
Danny Huston
Liza Koshy
Cody Rhodes
CCH Pounder
Busta Rhymes
Eddy Yu

Production

=Development=

In December 2013, Paramount Pictures announced that a reboot of The Naked Gun franchise was in development with Ed Helms cast in the role of Frank Drebin, while the script was being co-written by Thomas Lennon and R. Ben Garant.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/ed-helms-firing-up-the-naked-gun-reboot-for-paramount-exclusive-1200950237/|work=Variety|title=Ed Helms Firing Up The Naked Gun Reboot for Paramount (EXCLUSIVE)|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=December 13, 2013|access-date=December 26, 2022}} By January 2014, Garant revealed that the working title of the project is Episode IV: A New Hope, while announcing that it was intended to be a sequel to the original films. Helms was intended to portray a character that introduces himself as "Frank Drebin, no relation" so that the movie can introduce a new protagonist without contradicting what came before.{{cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/113348-the-naked-gun-reboot-will-be-more-sequel-than-remake|work=ComingSoon.net|title=The Naked Gun Reboot Will be More Sequel Than Remake|last=Lesnick|first=Silas|date=January 11, 2014|access-date=December 26, 2022}} In March 2015, David Zucker stated that he was offered a producing role on the project, but had declined to be involved as he felt like it would differ in comedic style and ultimately be inferior to his original films.{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/david-zucker-naked-gun-reboot-kind-spoof/|work=Empire Online|title=David Zucker: Naked Gun Reboot Won't Be The Same Kind Of Spoof|last=De Semlyen|first=Phil|date=December 3, 2015|access-date=December 26, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/airplane-david-zucker-on-the-interview-naked-113275693132.html|work=Yahoo! Entertainment|title='Airplane!' Mastermind David Zucker on Leslie Nielsen, the 'Naked Gun' Reboot and His New TV Show|last=Zakarin|first=Jordan|date=March 11, 2015|access-date=December 26, 2022}} In August 2015, Helms confirmed that the script was still being written, while acknowledging the concerns that Zucker had with modern-day audience reception, and a need for something other than the spoof genre of the previous movies.{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/ed-helms-naked-gun-remake-news-update-ed-helms-125970571247.html|work=Yahoo! Entertainment|title=Ed Helms Updates Us on 'Naked Gun' Reboot, Answers 'Things We've Always Wondered'|last=Polowy|first=Kevin|date=August 5, 2015|access-date=December 26, 2022}} By March 2017, a re-write of the script was being completed by David Zucker and Pat Proft, with the plot being reworked to feature the son of Frank Drebin.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailycardinal.com/article/2017/03/director-david-zucker-talks-airplane-comedy-getting-his-start-on-campus|work=The Daily Cardinal|title=Director David Zucker talks "Airplane!", comedy, getting his start on campus|last=Skubish|first=Jake|date=March 30, 2017|access-date=December 26, 2022}}

In January 2021, it was announced that Seth MacFarlane had been hired to further develop the project. After MacFarlane had previously expressed interest in casting Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. in 2015, the filmmaker was hired by the studio. Neeson revealed that the filmmaker alongside Paramount Pictures had approached him with a pitch to star in the movie.{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/naked-gun-movie-reboot-liam-neeson-seth-macfarlane/|work=Screen Rant|title=Liam Neeson & Seth MacFarlane Have Talked About a Naked Gun Reboot|last=Zinski|first=Dan|date=January 19, 2021|access-date=December 26, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://people.com/movies/liam-neeson-says-he-will-soon-retire-from-action-movies/|work=People|title=Liam Neeson Says He Will Soon Retire from Action Movies: 'There's a Couple in the Pipeline'|last=Campione|first=Katie|date=January 2021|access-date=December 26, 2022}} In June of the same year, Neeson stated that MacFarlane was working on a new draft of the script, with the studio additionally negotiating the filmmaker's potential role as director. He expressed excitement for the project and the opportunity to explore a more comedic role, should he decide to star in the movie; while stating that development on the project was ongoing.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2569464/liam-neeson-update-seth-macfarlane-the-naked-gun-reboot-excited-the-ice-road|work=CinemaBlend|title=Liam Neeson's Update On Seth MacFarlane's The Naked Gun Reboot Has Us Very Excited|last=Reyes|first=Mike|date=June 24, 2021|access-date=December 26, 2022}} In February 2022, Neeson again confirmed that Paramount was still courting him to star in the legacy sequel.{{cite web|url=https://people.com/movies/liam-neeson-on-playing-action-roles-as-he-turns-70-im-getting-away-with-it/|work=People|title=Liam Neeson on Playing Action Roles as He Turns 70: 'I'm Getting Away with It'|last=Fernández|first=Alexia|date=February 7, 2022|access-date=December 26, 2022}}

In October 2022, the film was officially greenlit with Neeson in the lead role as Frank Drebin Jr. and Akiva Schaffer directing. Dan Gregor and Doug Mand were hired to write a new draft of the script, from a previous draft with contributions from Mark Hentemann and Alec Sulkin. In December 2024, it was determined by the Writers Guild of America that Gregor, Mand, and Schaffer would be credited on the screenplay while Hentemann, MacFarlane, and Sulkin contributed additional literary material.https://directories.wga.org/project/1253893/the-naked-gun-reboot/ MacFarlane and Erica Huggins served as producers, under their production company Fuzzy Door Productions.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/naked-gun-paramount-liam-neeson-lonely-islands-akiva-schaffer-1235144065/|title=New 'Naked Gun' Movie A Go At Paramount With Liam Neeson In Talks To Star And 'Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer Directing|website=Deadline Hollywood|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=October 13, 2022|access-date=December 26, 2022}}

In April 2024, Pamela Anderson joined the cast of the film.{{cite web|title=Pamela Anderson Joins Liam Neeson In Paramount's New 'Naked Gun' Movie|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=April 16, 2024|access-date=April 16, 2024|url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/pamela-anderson-naked-gun-1235887034/}} In May, Paul Walter Hauser joined the cast, playing Capt. Ed Hocken,{{cite web|title='Naked Gun': Paul Walter Hauser Joins Liam Neeson in Reboot|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Ryan|last=Gajewski|date=May 1, 2024|access-date=May 1, 2024|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/naked-gun-paul-walter-hauser-liam-neeson-reboot-1235888081/}} alongside Kevin Durand in an undisclosed villain role{{cite web|title=Kevin Durand Joins Liam Neeson in 'Naked Gun' Remake (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Borys|last=Kit|date=May 2, 2024|access-date=May 2, 2024|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kevin-durand-joins-liam-neeson-in-naked-gun-1235888748/}} as well as Danny Huston,{{cite web|title=Danny Huston Joins Paramount's 'Naked Gun' Reboot|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Matt|last=Grobar|date=7 May 2024|access-date=7 May 2024|url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/naked-gun-reboot-casts-danny-huston-1235907451/}} Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes, CCH Pounder and Busta Rhymes.{{cite web |last1=Grobar |first1=Matt |title=Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes, CCH Pounder & Busta Rhymes Round Out Cast Of Naked Gun Reboot |url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/naked-gun-reboot-adds-liza-koshy-cody-rhodes-cch-pounder-busta-rhymes-1235928618/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=23 May 2024 |date=May 23, 2024}}

=Filming=

Principal photography began on May 6, 2024, in Atlanta, under the working title Law of Toughness, and wrapped on June 28.{{cite web|url=https://thecinemaholic.com/naked-gun-reboot-filming/|title=Liam Neeson's Naked Gun Reboot Starts Filming in Atlanta in May|website=The CinemaHolic|last=Vardhan|first=Harsh|date=March 14, 2024|access-date=March 27, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.georgia.org/industries/film-entertainment/georgia-film-tv-production/now-filming-georgia|title=Now Filming in Georgia|website=Georgia|date=May 10, 2024|access-date=May 10, 2024}}

Release

The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on August 1, 2025.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/10/paramount-movies-2025-glen-powell-running-man-1236107827/|title=Paramount Dates & Shifts Slew For 2025: Glen Powell's Running Man, Smurfs, Naked Gun, Vicious & More|date=October 4, 2024|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=October 4, 2024}} It was originally scheduled for July 18, 2025.{{Cite web |last=Stephan |first=Katcy |date=February 28, 2024 |title='Naked Gun' Remake Set for 2025 by Paramount; 'TMNT' and 'Paw Patrol' Sequels Dated for 2026 |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/naked-gun-remake-2025-paramount-tmnt-paw-patrol-sequel-2026-1235925545/ |access-date=February 28, 2024 |website=Variety |archive-date=February 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240228184542/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/naked-gun-remake-2025-paramount-tmnt-paw-patrol-sequel-2026-1235925545/ |url-status=live}}