Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Naked Gun!2025’s The Naked Gun is finally here, and it has plenty of Easter eggs and references that you may have missed. The classic comedy franchise returns with a new coat of paint, following Liam Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. as he investigates another gag-filled crime. Following in the footsteps of the Leslie Nielsen original, the new The Naked Gun makes sure to pay homage to its predecessors.

The Naked Gun acts as a sequel and a reboot, with a new cast filling in the familiar roles inhabited by the original characters. Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. leads the film as the bumbling successor to Nielsen’s original protagonist, and the character brings plenty of repeated gags along with him.

11

The Original Naked Gun Cast’s Cameos

They Are All Framed In Police Squad HQ

Outside of Priscilla Presley, who makes a quick cameo, none of the main cast members from the original Naked Gun return in the 2025 reboot, as most of them have sadly pᴀssed away. However, the characters do get an Easter egg in the form of one of the film’s funniest gags.

Early in the movie, Frank Drebin Jr. sees a picture of his father that hangs in the Police Squad headquarters. He spends a moment talking to the framed image of Nielsen, asking him for guidance. The film then cuts to Paul Walter Hauser’s Ed Hocken Jr., doing the same thing with an image of Ed Hocken.

The punchline comes with one final cameo, this time from O.J. Simpson. Nordberg’s is seen looking at the image of his father before he breaks the fourth wall, turning toward the camera and shaking his head. This hilarious gag parodies the controversial sports star and actor, while still managing to bring the original Naked Gun trio back together.

10

Weird Al’s Newest Naked Gun Cameo

He’s Back Once Again

The main characters of the original Naked Gun aren’t the only ones who are referenced in the reboot. In fact, “Weird” Al Yankovic returns to the franchise as himself yet again. At one point in the original film, Drebin exits an airplane to a roaring crowd. However, he soon discovers that the crowd is cheering for Weird Al, who is exiting the plane behind him.

He then went on to cameo in the next two Naked Gun movies, playing a criminal in the second and himself in the third. Weird Al is back in the reboot, appearing briefly in the film and its post-credits scene. The parody musician plans on performing at the main antagonist’s secret bunker, offering entertainment as the world outside comes to an end.

9

Frank Drebin Jr.’s Poor Driving

He Inherited It From His Father

One of the best bits in the original Naked Gun trilogy is Frank Drebin’s poor driving, a gag that is shown in all three movies. Almost every driving scene with Drebin ends with the police officer crashing his car while parking, whether that be into buildings, property, or other cars.

This joke is continued in the 2025 reboot, proving that Drebin Jr. has taken a lot from his father. Neeson’s character is also a horrible driver. Throughout the movie, he crashes into pedestrians, police barricades, and more. This is a fantastic continuation of one of the original trilogy’s best jokes, a clear callback to the legacy Nielsen’s character left behind.

8

The Stuffed Beaver

It Is The Background Of The Bar Scene

One of the most famous gags in the original Naked Gun is the stuffed beaver joke, one that is so popular that it even inspired Regal’s popcorn bucket for the new movie. While Presley’s Jane Spencer is looking in the attic, Drebin looks up at her and compliments her “beaver.” Jane then hands down a taxidermied beaver, making it a surprisingly literal gag.

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While this joke isn’t repeated in the 2025 film, eagle-eyed viewers will spot the famous stuffed beaver in one of the scenes. When Drebin Jr. walks into the bar that is filled with taxidermied animals, the stuffed beaver can be seen in the background of a sH๏τ, referencing the 1988 film.

7

Frank Drebin Jr. Is Offered A Cigar

Referencing The “Cuban?” Gag

Another small callback to the original movie can be spotted in the scene where Frank Drebin Jr. meets with the villainous Richard Cane (Danny Huston). Cane turns to Drebin and offers, “Cigar?” Drebin comedically responds by agreeing that Cane is indeed holding a cigar.

This parallels a scene in the original Naked Gun, in which Frank Drebin is offered a cigar by Vincent Ludwig, the first movie’s villain. There, Ludwig says “Cuban?,” with Drebin responding, “No, Dutch Irish, my father was from Wales.” This miscommunication with a villain around a cigar is now a running gag in the franchise, thanks to the reboot.

6

Drebin’s Sudden Athleticism & Flexibility

Bringing Back The Naked Gun’s Texas Switches

Frank Drebin Jr. seems to be an average police officer throughout the 2025 film, outside of one scene. When Drebin walks into the apartment of an investigative journalist, he gets framed for murder thanks to his hilarious lack of awareness. Then, the police appear, preparing to take him in. Drebin suddenly does several backflips before diving out the window and into his self-driving car.

This is incredibly reminiscent of a scene from the first movie, in which Nielsen’s Drebin does something similar. He, too, flips around the room, diving behind furniture in order to pull off some hilarious Texas Switches. Although this isn’t confirmed to be a callback, it is hard for fans of the franchise not to notice the similarities.

5

The Sparkling Water Order

Calling Back To The Second Naked Gun Movie

Miscommunication surrounding drink orders is another running gag in The Naked Gun franchise, and it returns in the reboot. In The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, Drebin tells a waiter to give him the strongest thing he’s got. The waiter then brings him a bodybuilder, and Drebin asks for a white Russian. The waiter then looks at the camera, signaling that they won’t take the low-hanging fruit.

This gag is repeated in the 2025 film, when Frank Drebin Jr. orders a sparkling water. He is delivered a glᴀss of water with an actual sparkler in it, calling back to the sequel’s alcohol bit.

4

The Romantic Montage Between Frank & Beth

The Wild Snowman Scene Is A Callback

Frank and Beth (Pamela Anderson) have a romantic connection and quickly fall in love. The development of their relationship is shown in a fantasy sequence, which features the duo going to a cabin and playing in the snow. There, they find a spellbook that brings a snowman to life. They initially start a throuple, but subsequent events put the sentient snowman on a murderous rampage.

This sequence is a reference to a similar moment from the original movie. In the 1988 classic, a fantasy sequence is shown between Drebin and Jane Spencer where they run on the beach and fall in love.

3

The Police Squad Theme Returns

It Plays In The Naked Gun’s Credits

Although it isn’t played during the main events of the film, the original Police Squad! theme makes an appearance in the credits. The classic theme plays over the film’s post-credits scene and the start of the credits, calling back to the franchise’s original musical motif.

2

The Original Naked Gun Footage Shown In The Credits

The Opening Credits Footage Is Played During The End Credits

As the credits roll on 2025’s The Naked Gun, the reboot’s only reused footage is seen. Credits play as the opening of the original movie is shown, following the police car as it drives into wacky situations like a hockey game and a car wash. While the 2025 film didn’t use this bit for its opening тιтle, it is nice to see it return in the credits.