Liam Neeson revives Naked Gun franchise in reboot set for Summer 2025

The hilarious 1988 comedy Naked Gun is getting back in the public eye, releasing information about a reboot starring Irish actor Liam Neeson. The film will be hitting theaters on July 28, 2025, and is being produced by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins' production company Fuzzy Door.

Paramount Pictures announced release dates on Wednesday for several upcoming pictures. It will be directed and executive-produced by Akiva Schaffer, who co-wrote the draft script with partners Doug Mand and Dan Gregor.

The movie was first announced back in 2022, however, news of the newest Naked Gun first spread around 2009. Rumors of The Naked Gun: 4 The Rhythm of Evil being in development were highly speculated. Unfortunately, it never reached production, and original star Leslie Nielsen passed away in 2010.

According to Deadline, Neeson agreed to the role after MacFarlane, with whom he worked on other films like Ted 2, The Orville, and A Million Ways To Die In The West, approached him and offered. At that point in his career, the Irish actor was considering retiring from acting, and told People, "It'll either finish my career or bring it in another direction. I honestly don't know."

The Naked Gun (1988) is an irreverent slapstick comedy that trails the adventures of Lieutenant Frank Drebin (Nielsen), who seeks to uncover the delinquent behind a devious plan to assassinate Queen Elizabeth in Los Angeles.

Schaffer and collaborators have made an unexpected casting choice, seeing as how Neeson is not known for his roles in comedy. Lately, he's appeared in a series of action thrillers in the years since Taken got him numerous parts in the later half of his career. Neeson has previously dipped into similar roles in comedies like Love Actually, as well as taking on the role of Clinch Leatherwood in Seth MacFarlane's raunchy western A Million Ways to Die in the West and a priceless cameo in Ted 2. Neeson's roles in those comedies might prove that he's the right man for The Naked Gun.

The studio also announced the launch of Paw Patrol 3 on July 31, 2026, after the studio's success with the September sequel PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie which garnered $200 million worldwide. In addition, TMNT 2, directed by Jeff Rowe, is set for Oct. 9, 2026, following the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which premiered last August and amassed $180 million worldwide.

Dan Gregor says on X...

I can’t wait to get punched by the legend himself, Liam Neeson!!!https://t.co/rF18M42jXB

— dan gregor (@gregorcorp) February 29, 2024