“I Can’t Unsee It”: Original Naked Gun Director Has Brutally Honest Thoughts On Liam Neeson’s Reboot Trailer

The Naked Gun‘s original director, David Zucker, shares his reaction to the first trailer for the Liam Neeson-led reboot. Spanning out of the Police Squad TV series, Leslie Nielsen’s iconic and absurd comedy series followed the misadventures of Detective Sergeant Frank Drebin, in his hapless but good-hearted attempts to fight crime. After a lengthy period of development hell, The Naked Gun’s reboot sees Neeson step into the role of Frank Drebin Jr., as he attempts to continue his father’s legacy with his own zany escapades.

As reported by TMZ, Zucker shared his reaction to The Naked Gun reboot’s first trailer when speaking to the outlet. Despite his previous experience with sequels within his and Nielsen’s Airplane! franchise, he viewed the trailer and stated that he regretted it, going as far as to compare his experience to watching a certain infamous viral internet video. Check out Zucker’s response below:

I never saw ‘Airplane 2’ because you can’t unsee that stuff. I’m not planning on seeking the ‘Naked Gun’ remake either. I regret having seen the trailer for it. It’s like watching ‘2 Girls 1 Cup.’ I can’t unsee it.

What Zucker’s Comments Mean For The Naked Gun Reboot

The Director Holds His And Nielsen’s Work Highly

Even before Zucker’s reaction to The Naked Gun’s first trailer, the upcoming reboot faced an uphill battle. While the franchise has had an inconsistent reception that has fluctuated in acclaim, Nielsen’s comedic talent and quick-witted and absurd humor helped craft a series that quickly barraged viewers with as many jokes as it could. As such, anyone stepping in to take the series forward would have the difficult task of living up to the franchise’s reputation, no matter the creative team.

However, it is also important to understand why Zucker is being honest in his disapproval of the reboot. Two years ago, the director spoke about the failed The Naked Gun 4 attempt, which was pᴀssed over for Seth MacFarlane’s reboot. Although it had seemed that the original director would be involved following a meeting with Akiva Schaffer, Zucker never received a script, which likely fueled some grudge against the reboot movie. Pat Proft also shared his disapproval of the treatment in the same interview, even recalling one joke from the script that wasn’t well-received by Paramount.

Our Thoughts On Zucker’s The Naked Gun Reboot Reception

The Reboot’s First Trailer Teased A Return To The Series Quick Fire Humor

The Naked Gun reboot’s first trailer showcased how the series would build upon the franchise for a new generation. While the reboot’s cast takes a meta twist on Neeson’s reputation as an action star, the trailer also showed that it has set out to capture the rapid-fire humor of the original through a modern lens. This included paying tribute to an early Frank Drebin moment before being followed by a quick string of gags that felt like the original movie’s tone. While Zucker’s critique is significant, it will be left for viewers to decide once the movie releases.
Source: TMZ

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The Naked Gun

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The Naked Gun is set for a reboot via writer-director Akiva Schaffer, with Liam Neeson starring in the lead role. The film is rumored to have Liam Neeson playing the son of the former franchise protagonist, Detective Frank Drebin.

Specifications

Release Date
2025-07-31
Rating
Not Yet Rated
Genres
Comedy (Genre), Action (Genre)
Cast
Liam Neeson (Person), Pamela Anderson (Person), Paul Walter Hauser (Person), Kevin Durand (Person), Danny Huston (Person), Cody Runnels (wm-72179624 | Person), Liza Koshy (Person), Busta Rhymes (Person), CCH Pounder (Person)
Director
Akiva Schaffer (Person)
Writers
Mark Hentemann (wm-7625910 | Person), Alec Sulkin (wm-71020119 | Person), Dan Gregor (wm-72194937 | Person)
Producers
Daniel M. Stillman (wm-7191550 | Person), Erica Huggins (wm-7271184 | Person)
Franchise(s)
The Naked Gun (Franchise)

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