The Liam Neeson-led reboot could be the biggest theatrical comedy since the start of the pandemic—could it save the entire genre? Even the world’s most bumbling detective could probably figure out why there haven’t been any comedy blockbusters lately.

As the star of “The Naked Gun” trilogy, Leslie Nielsen left some very large cop shoes to fill. Though the films were made decades into his long career, Lieutenant Frank Drebin remains Nielsen’s signature role.

I was very skeptical of the new Naked Gun, starring Liam Neeson, when it was announced as part of the 2025 movie schedule. I grew up a child of the ‘80s, and the original Naked Gun series, especially the first one,