The trailer for Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun is finally here, and fans are already praising the ‘jaw-dropping’ reboot for a dig at OJ Simpson.
Originally, the franchise was a spin-off from Police Squad! but expanded into three feature-length films, released in 1988, 1992, and 1994.
Created by Leslie Nielsen, who also starred as lead comic character Detective Frank Drebin as he attempts to solve a series of crimes, Naked Gun was one of the most popular comedy film series of its day.
Neeson, 72, has no easy shoes — apparently a pair of black schoolgirl shoes — to fill as Nielson’s son Frank Drebin Jr.
The reboot trailer promises this 2025 version will be just as bizarre as the original as the Taken legend posed in a plaid skirt and strawberry print pants.
Opening on a hostage situation, we see a school girl walk into the bank seemingly unarmed to the confusion of police and the criminals.
She then rips off her disguise and Neeson is revealed, swiftly attacking the armed guards with a sharpened lollipop stick.
He tells a woman he is ‘Frank Dreblin, police squad’ before looking at the camera and adding: ‘The new version’.
The trailer cuts to the new cast kneeling before portraits of each original character, with Neeson telling his ‘daddy’ he loves him.
Fans have been praising a sly dig at OJ Simpson, who appeared as Drebin’s partner Fred Nordberg in the first three Naked Gun films.
Simpson died last year from cancer, having spent time in jail over armed robbery and kidnapping as well as being acquitted of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.
A man assumed to be Nordberg’s son quietly looks to the camera and shakes his head while other descendants tear up around him.
‘This looks dumb and exactly what I want from Naked Gun. That OJ joke was perfection 🤣,’ wrote ducain23 on X.
‘I saw the five minute trailer,’ said mypalal. ‘It has a jaw dropping OJ joke in it. My must see film this summer.’
‘I’m very skeptical as someone who grew up on The Naked Gun films. I wasn’t too excited when I saw Liam Neeson,’ added chazzsutton. ‘Admittedly though, the Nordberg/OJ joke at the end did make me burst out laughing.’
‘Trailer for Naked Gun movie reboot. The OJ Simpson diss… WOW 🤣,’ said kencarr.
Maruch_yt shared: ‘The OJ Joke at the end is so good. I love the naked gun series and I can’t wait for this installment.’
Lonely Island musician, comedian and filmmaker Akiva Schaffer is directing this new instalment, which has given fans even more enthusiasm.
Family Guy icon Seth MacFarlane produced the film, while Schaffer, Dan Gregor, and Doug Mand wrote the script.
Rumours had connected Liam to the role since at least October 2022 with stars like Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes and Busta Rhymes joining him.
In a rare on screen appearance, Pamela Anderson will star as Beth while Paul Walter Hauser plays Captain Ed Hocken Jr. (originally played by George Kennedy).
The Naked Gun is set to reach cinemas on August 1, 2025.
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