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The first trailer for Paramount's Naked Gun reboot has arrived, with Liam Neeson taking over the role of Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the original Frank Drebin, originated by late actor Leslie Nielsen. Liam Neeson… Leslie Nielsen… You get it.
The character of Frank Drebin originally debuted in the short-lived TV show Police Squad where he was played by Leslie Nielsen, spinning off into 1988's film Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad. The movie managed to land a pair of sequels with 1991's Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear, and 1994's Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult.
Though the original Naked Gun remains a classic, the sequels are less well-remembered, with diminishing returns guaranteeing the death of the franchise. Now The Naked Gun is getting a new shot at life over 30 years after the release of the original, with a premise that largely hinges on the similarity between the names 'Liam Neeson' and 'Leslie Nielsen' as its first port-of-call for laughs.
Liam Neeson, not exactly known for his comedic roles, certainly leans into the absurdity of the Naked Gun franchise with his purposely way-too-intense performance in the trailer, lending us some hope that producer Seth McFarlane (of Family Guy fame) and director Akiva Shaffer (best known as one third of The Lonely Island comedy troupe) may have what it takes to follow up the original franchise's still-resonant goofball vibes.
The Naked Gun hits theaters August 1 with a cast that also includes Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, rapper Busta Rhymes, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, among others.
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