crumbs 14,304 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Interesting development in the long-gestating reboot of (arguably) the greatest comedy of all time. Not only does Seth McFarlane appear to be developing the project (ugh), but it seems he and the studio have approached Liam Neeson to take over the iconic role of Lt. Frank Drebin (brilliantly portrayed by Leslie Nielsen in the original films). Quote Now that he may be easing back from these high-powered roles, comedy may be on the horizon for the actor. "I've been approached by Seth McFarlane and Paramount Studios to maybe resurrect the Naked Gun films," he told People (the TV Show!). He jokes, "It'll either finish my career or bring it in another direction. I honestly don't know." Even though I don't care for the idea of rebooting Naked Gun, I actually think Neeson would be a great choice to succeed Nielsen. It follows the model of hiring a dramatic actor and playing it straight, blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding as a result of their incompetence. At least McFarlane is probably more likely to hire Ira Newborn for the score, which is an important factor in these films. I believe he's a teacher nowadays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,177 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Leslie Nielsen… Liam Neeson… is this just because of the name? mrbellamy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmilson 7,397 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I don't know, maybe after years playing action heroes capable of killing many goons, will the audience accept Neeson as an incompetent and dumb police officer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Who will replace OJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bespin 8,480 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Finally, Liam Neeson's career is finished? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumbs 14,304 Posted January 20, 2021 Author Share Posted January 20, 2021 1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said: Leslie Nielsen… Liam Neeson… is this just because of the name? Surely you can't be serious? 1 hour ago, Edmilson said: I don't know, maybe after years playing action heroes capable of killing many guns, will the audience accept Neeson as an incompetent and dumb police officer? I think that's the genius of casting him in the role; he would play it totally straight while all the comedy unfolds around him. I think the contrast would be quite amusing. Check out this skit between Neeson and Ricky Gervais. He plays it deathly serious and the result is hilarious: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I suppose Hollyweird was bound to reboot these classics at some point, and ruin them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Will it be funny? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored 306 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Please let it be cancelled like so many other recent attempts at remakes. Modern Hollywood will never get comedy as good as that right. 18 minutes ago, The Big Man said: Will it be funny? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha ...probably not, no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumbs 14,304 Posted January 20, 2021 Author Share Posted January 20, 2021 This will only work if ZAZ are involved (and even then, none of their recent efforts were much to write home about). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I'm totally on board with this and Neeson, even if I'm not expecting much. But ya never know. Nick Parker and crumbs 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor 7,478 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Yes, same here. And I'm a fan of MacFarlane too. Could be good, could be a dud (like the PINK PANTHER remake). Time will tell. A new NAKED GUN movie is not something I'm anxiously waiting for anyway, so I'll take it as it comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 9 hours ago, Gruesome Son of a Bitch said: Who will replace OJ? I don't see why he couldn't return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerateWohl 4,343 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Won't they replace Frank Drebin with a woman now? Worked perfectly in Ghostbusters and Ocean's 8. Didn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I see what you did there... Gotta love women, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romão 2,274 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I'm fine with Neeson, but I'm not fine with MacFarlane. He has many talents, but making me laugh is not one of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,346 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 'Meet Lt. Frank Drebin ... if he has a 'certain set of skills', they're very well-hidden'. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,675 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I'm generally a MacFarlane fan, but Neeson does not strike me as a comedy actor in the sense that's needed for Drebin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muad'Dib 1,801 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 They need to hire someone who has a sense for visual jokes. That's where everything clicks with Airplane and Naked Gun, when the joke is good on paper but is amped up on camera. And if that don't work, throw an extra joke on the background. I'm midly curious about this having the Airplane parody MacFarlane did on Ted. But don't let him direct it! He has zero eye for staging a scene properly xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 There’s no mention of Neeson as Drebin in the article. This reboot has been in the works for years with Ed Helms. Neeson could very well just be the chief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored 306 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 2 hours ago, Koray Savas said: There’s no mention of Neeson as Drebin in the article. This reboot has been in the works for years with Ed Helms. Neeson could very well just be the chief. Well, if Ed Helms is the star then it's gotta be good right...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,326 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 5 hours ago, GerateWohl said: Won't they replace Frank Drebin with a woman now? Worked perfectly in Ghostbusters and Ocean's 8. Didn't it? Francine Debrin isn't supposed to be very intelligent, so they will never go for a woman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 What about a transgender person? Would that be OK? 2 hours ago, superultramegaa said: Well, if Ed Helms is the star then it's gotta be good right...? They'll have to wait at least 20 years for him to get old enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Steve Carrell would be perfect. Or Ted Danson. Edmilson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,322 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 18 minutes ago, Koray Savas said: Or Ted Danson. Too old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,322 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 A long-gestating reboot of the “Naked Gun” franchise with Liam Neeson is finally moving forward at Paramount, landing a release date of July 18, 2025. The currently untitled project will be directed and executive produced by Akiva Schaffer, who co-wrote the draft script alongside Dan Gregor and Doug Man, reprising their partnership from the Emmy-winning film “Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers.” Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins are producing via their company Fuzzy Door. karelm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stark 312 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 It would be cool if they pluck Ira Newborn out of oblivion for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,322 Posted Tuesday at 05:52 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 05:52 PM Pamela Anderson Joins Liam Neeson In Paramount’s New ‘Naked Gun’ Movie She was genuinely funny in that old show Stacked on Fox, could work out here crumbs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,033 Posted Tuesday at 05:59 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 05:59 PM She was unintentionally funny in Baywatch, so either way this is gonna be fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayesian 1,359 Posted Tuesday at 06:43 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 06:43 PM I can't believe I only discovered this thread now. Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin?? Color me curious -- and cautiously optimistic! I have fond memories of the Naked Gun movies. Along with the Hot Shots and Airplane movies, they made up the bulk of an entirely distinct category of comedy whose existence was like an island in the long timeline of Hollywood movies. The main reason the absurdist humor worked, of course, was that Leslie Neilsen played the role completely straight but also tongue in cheek. That's probably damn harder than it looks, and I hope Neeson gives a performance that can compare. He has to play the role like he knows the world he's in is ridiculous and absurd but still takes it dead seriously. More than that, though, the NG movies worked because everyone played their roles straight. There was no winking at the audience. I hope the script treats the audience like adults and doesn't stoop to Deadpool-style pandering. Also, I hope during the opening credits they do something like put up Leslie Neilsen's name and then awkwardly/frantically try to replace it with Liam Neeson's. That would make me laugh. Tom Guernsey and Jurassic Shark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Penna 3,675 Posted Tuesday at 06:55 PM Share Posted Tuesday at 06:55 PM They also need to use Newborn's theme for the opening and closing. Tom Guernsey and Jurassic Shark 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crumbs 14,304 Posted Wednesday at 03:01 AM Author Share Posted Wednesday at 03:01 AM 14 hours ago, Bayesian said: More than that, though, the NG movies worked because everyone played their roles straight. There was no winking at the audience. I hope the script treats the audience like adults and doesn't stoop to Deadpool-style pandering. The films have a very specific tone; a swirling mix of absurdism, camp and straight. They nail the contrast between characters playing it totally straight while ridiculous antics occur in the background. One of my favourite examples: I'm cautiously optimistic based on the casting so far. Anderson is perfect for a Jane-esque love interest, a great foil to Neeson. Curious to see who they cast as the villain. It's hard to top Ricardo Montalbán (he nailed the tone for that first movie) but I hope they continue the trend of casting established dramatic actors. If you believe this article, Mads Mikkelsen was in talks for the role last year. 14 hours ago, Richard Penna said: They also need to use Newborn's theme for the opening and closing. Is it beyond the realms of possibility Newborn would come back to score the film? His scores are intrinsically linked to the tone of these films. I'm struggling to think of many composers who could emulate it. Bayesian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IheartMelissaBenoist 34 Posted 13 hours ago Share Posted 13 hours ago On 19/01/2021 at 6:42 PM, Gruesome Son of a Bitch said: Who will replace OJ? Hmm, good question. Any former football stars now retired and picking up commercials and acting gigs planning to murder two people 8-10 years from now...? But I do think Liam Neeson is actually an excellent choice, I can absolutely see him doing a great job playing Frank Drebin. Or will Neeson play a new character, and we get little references or easter eggs of Leslie Nielsen? I think I'd be OK with that. The Variety article linked above doesn't appear to specify Neeson will be Drebin, but I have no idea if any other press releases or official announcements have confirmed Neeson as Drebin. On 16/04/2024 at 10:01 PM, crumbs said: The films have a very specific tone; a swirling mix of absurdism, camp and straight. They nail the contrast between characters playing it totally straight while ridiculous antics occur in the background. One of my favourite examples: I'm cautiously optimistic based on the casting so far. Anderson is perfect for a Jane-esque love interest, a great foil to Neeson. Curious to see who they cast as the villain. It's hard to top Ricardo Montalbán (he nailed the tone for that first movie) but I hope they continue the trend of casting established dramatic actors. If you believe this article, Mads Mikkelsen was in talks for the role last year. Is it beyond the realms of possibility Newborn would come back to score the film? His scores are intrinsically linked to the tone of these films. I'm struggling to think of many composers who could emulate it. Don't crucify me, but... Michael Giacchino? Wouldn't be all that far from his Incredibles work, IMHO. (eta "s" at end of "Incredible") Stark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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