The Naked Gun Reboot News Has Fans Doubting Liam Neeson's Particular Set Of Comedic Skills
There really isn't much surprise anymore when hearing the news that another movie reboot is in development. This has become a common Hollywood practice over the last decade, and as Variety reports, fans of '80s comedy flicks rejoiced when Paramount announced that a reboot of the 1988 movie, "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!," is currently in the works. Involved in the production is Seth MacFarlane, who signed onto the project in early 2021, as well as The Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer. However, it's the recent news of who they are aiming for to take on the lead role, detective Frank Drebin, that has many fans scratching their heads.
For those unfamiliar with the original film, "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" was directed by David Zucker and starred Leslie Nielsen, who both had previously collaborated in 1980's "Airplane!" The "Naked Gun" film was adapted from the original 1982 TV series "Police Squad!," which also starred Nielsen. The film follows Frank Drebin as he uses his detective work to determine who is planning an assassination attempt on a visiting Queen Elizabeth. This silly flick did well at the box office, bringing in $140 million, and led to a couple of sequels. But, with this reboot, the current choice of Liam Neeson as the lead actor is a bit perplexing.
Fans find it hard to believe Liam Neeson can bring on the funny
With the news coming out that Seth MacFarlane and Akiva Shaffer are aiming to fill the role of Frank Drebin in the reboot of the 1988 "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" with Liam Neeson, it's hard not to wonder the reasoning. Looking at Neeson's impressive list of credits, which extends back over 40 years, it's tough even to find any comedic performances he's delivered. For the most part, Neeson's go at comedy almost entirely comes from smaller guest staring roles. A couple of examples include popping up in "Anchorman 2" and the comedy series "Inside Amy Schumer."
But with this "Naked Gun" reboot, all the comedic pressure will rest on Neeson's shoulders, and online discussions have fans doubting if he's up for the challenge. On Twitter, @GlizzyMacgyver comments about how Neeson fans have become accustomed to his seemingly endless string of tough-guy characters by saying, "Could you imagine the bravado of Liam Neeson's voice trying to deliver comedy lines with the quip of Leslie Nielsen?" User @1bourbon_badger thinks the overall project is bound to fail, stating, "There's just no way that in 2023 they can make this movie remotely close to being as funny, clever, satirical, and witty as the original .... especially with Liam Neeson."
Over on Reddit, Neeson's possible new gig is bringing in the same sort of skepticism. U/Furlock_Bones thinks the comedy will come from just seeing Neeson attempt this role by commenting, "I don't think they can ever recreate the magic of slapstick, dialogue-based humor from the 80's, but this joke was worth their efforts."