THE NAKED GUN Sequel First Reactions Call It “Deliciously Stupid” and “An Actual Comedy Movie”
The Naked Gun is back this summer, and early reactions suggest it’s everything fans hoped for and then some. With Liam Neeson stepping into the role of Frank Drebin Jr., son of Leslie Nielsen’s legendary character, the new film seems to capture the gleefully absurd spirit of the originals.
“I saw The Naked Gun and I can now say they ARE making them like they used to! There are so many great jokes in this and you can tell the filmmakers had so much fun making an actual comedy movie,” wrote IGN’s Jeffrey Vega after an early screening.
Variety’s Katcy Stephan said: “The Naked Gun is so deliciously stupid, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Very true to the spirit of the Leslie Nielsen movies I grew up loving.”
But the biggest praise might go to Liam Neeson himself. One viewer on X wrote, “I bow to no man in my adoration of the original NAKED GUN, so I’m glad to report that the new one is fantastic. If there was any justice in the world, Liam Neeson would get an Oscar. Smart and hilarious from beginning to end.”
That’s awesome! Given Neeson’s deadpan delivery and the franchise’s legacy of slapstick brilliance, I can see it. The original Naked Gun films, born from the short-lived cult TV series Police Squad!, are still regarded as some of the funniest comedies ever made. The first movie landed in 1988, followed by two sequels: Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult (1994).
This new installment promises to keep that same anything-goes tone, with plenty of ridiculous gags, absurd set pieces, and even some classic bathroom humor. The cast is stacked, too, featuring Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, rapper Busta Rhymes, and WWE star Cody Rhodes.
And in true Naked Gun fashion, they’re even going big on theater swag as the the movie comes with a wild popcorn bucket that pays homage to one of the original’s most iconic jokes. It’s a big plastic beaver full of popcorn emblazoned with Frank Drebin's immortal line, "Nice beaver."
The Naked Gun hits theaters August 1. Get ready for pure, unapologetic nonsense—just the way we like it.