The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
#1
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The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
Jesus...just stop already...
Detective Frank Drebin is coming back with Ed Helms on board to portray Leslie Nielsen’s character in Paramount’s reboot of “The Naked Gun” comedy franchise.
The studio has tapped the scripting team of Thomas Lennon and R. Ben Garant — best known for the “Night at the Museum” and “Reno 911″ franchises, to write the screenplay as a new spin on the Drebin character.
Helms starred in “The Hangover” trilogy and “We’re the Millers” and recently recently wrapped “Stretch” opposite Chris Pine and Patrick Wilson. He stars in the romcom parody “They Came Together,” which will premiere at Sundance, opposite Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler.
Paramount released “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” in 1988 with Nielsen battling Ricardo Montalban’s character plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II at a baseball game in Los Angeles. Sequels “The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear” and “Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult” followed in 1991 and 1994; the three films cumed $275 million.
The films were based on the 1982 ABC spoof series “Police Squad!,” which was cancelled after six episodes. Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker created the series, which also starred Nielsen as Drebin in a similar deadpan vein as his Dr. Rumack character in 1980′s “Airplane!”
“It’s true what they say: Cops and women don’t mix,” Drebin said in the first film. “It’s like eating a spoonful of Drano; sure, it’ll clean you out, but it’ll leave you hollow inside.”
Lennon and Garant recently wrote “Baywatch” for Paramount and “Rent a Ghost” for Fox and just sold “Guinea Pigging” to Fox 2000 for Mitch Hurwitz to direct. They wrote and directed “Hell Baby,” which debuted at Sundance this year” and Garant wrote the Lionsgate horror/thriller “Jessabelle” for Blumhouse and Principato-Young with an Aug. 29 release date.
Helms is repped by CAA, Principato-Young and attorney Ira Schreck. Lennon and Garant are repped by CAA, Principato-Young and attorney Karl Austen.
The studio has tapped the scripting team of Thomas Lennon and R. Ben Garant — best known for the “Night at the Museum” and “Reno 911″ franchises, to write the screenplay as a new spin on the Drebin character.
Helms starred in “The Hangover” trilogy and “We’re the Millers” and recently recently wrapped “Stretch” opposite Chris Pine and Patrick Wilson. He stars in the romcom parody “They Came Together,” which will premiere at Sundance, opposite Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler.
Paramount released “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” in 1988 with Nielsen battling Ricardo Montalban’s character plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II at a baseball game in Los Angeles. Sequels “The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear” and “Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult” followed in 1991 and 1994; the three films cumed $275 million.
The films were based on the 1982 ABC spoof series “Police Squad!,” which was cancelled after six episodes. Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker created the series, which also starred Nielsen as Drebin in a similar deadpan vein as his Dr. Rumack character in 1980′s “Airplane!”
“It’s true what they say: Cops and women don’t mix,” Drebin said in the first film. “It’s like eating a spoonful of Drano; sure, it’ll clean you out, but it’ll leave you hollow inside.”
Lennon and Garant recently wrote “Baywatch” for Paramount and “Rent a Ghost” for Fox and just sold “Guinea Pigging” to Fox 2000 for Mitch Hurwitz to direct. They wrote and directed “Hell Baby,” which debuted at Sundance this year” and Garant wrote the Lionsgate horror/thriller “Jessabelle” for Blumhouse and Principato-Young with an Aug. 29 release date.
Helms is repped by CAA, Principato-Young and attorney Ira Schreck. Lennon and Garant are repped by CAA, Principato-Young and attorney Karl Austen.
#2
DVD Talk Legend
re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
Ed Helms as Drebin...no thanks.
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Rival11 (02-28-24)
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Rival11 (02-28-24)
#5
DVD Talk Legend
#6
DVD Talk Legend
re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
Yeah, this will never get off the ground. Ed Helms was supposed to star in the Vacation reboot, too.
Leslie Nielsen is Frank Drebin. The first has held up so well, even 25 years later. If there's an unnecessary reboot, it's this.
What sucks is the "Naked Gun: What 4?" script won't ever be produced. That was great. I wonder what happened to Paramount's plan to produce DTV sequels to established franchises?
Leslie Nielsen is Frank Drebin. The first has held up so well, even 25 years later. If there's an unnecessary reboot, it's this.
What sucks is the "Naked Gun: What 4?" script won't ever be produced. That was great. I wonder what happened to Paramount's plan to produce DTV sequels to established franchises?
#11
DVD Talk Legend
re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
Leslie Nielsen was so great in these parody movies because he traditionally was a dramatic actor. He had years of serious roles under his belt. Casting a guy who has mainly (only?) done comedic roles seems to completely miss the point.
#17
DVD Talk Legend
re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
I blame the script/director for that disaster. Martin has proven many times over what he can do as an actor.
#18
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
#19
DVD Talk Legend
re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
This news has made me sad. Because I think this is a horrible idea and it's made me realize how much I miss Nielsen.
#20
DVD Talk Legend
#21
DVD Talk Legend
re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
What, you didn't like Dracula: Dead and Loving It?
#23
DVD Talk Legend
re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
Did he? Well damn...what was he thinking?
#24
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re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
The thing is, they could easily just make a movie with Ed Helms as an idiot police detective and it could be funny and probably do well. Instead they're just going to stick "The Naked Gun" label on whatever script they come up with, guaranteeing that dumb people will go see it and smart people will shit all over it.
#25
DVD Talk Legend
re: The Naked Gun (2025, D: Schaffer) S: Liam Neeson
Although, I feel Wrongfully Accused is very underrated.
It was weird watching Creepshow for the first time and seeing Nielsen in it. I think it was the same year Police Squad! was on ABC.