“Naked Gun” Original Director Blasts Liam Neeson Reboot: “You Shouldn’t Spend Too Much Money on Comedies”

by

David Zucker, who directed the original Naked Gun films, has voiced his disapproval of the recent reboot featuring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. He told Woman’s World that the new movie attempted to replicate the comedic style he developed with his brother Jerry and Jim Abrahams, but didn’t succeed.

According to Zucker, he, his brother Jerry, and their partner Jim Abrahams pioneered a unique style of comedy around 50 years ago, and they executed it so flawlessly that it appears simple. He feels others, like Seth MacFarlane with the recent Naked Gun reboot, have tried to copy their approach but haven’t quite captured the original’s essence.

This new version of The Naked Gun, directed by Akiva Schaffer and produced by Seth MacFarlane, stars Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. He’s the son of the original’s Leslie Nielsen, and he steps into his father’s shoes as a detective. He must solve a murder and save his police precinct from being closed down.

Zucker also said he was unhappy with efforts to recast Leslie Nielsen in the latest Naked Gun movie, explaining, “You can’t replace Leslie Nielsen. No one else can capture that same comedic timing.”

The director was also very critical of how much the new film cost. The reboot is said to have cost $42 million, which is significantly more than the original 1988 movie’s $15 million budget – about $41 million when accounting for inflation.

Zucker pointed out that comedies generally don’t need huge budgets, and a key principle at his studio is to avoid excessive technical effects. He felt the recent Naked Gun movie proved this, showing how spending a lot on flashy scenes doesn’t work when trying to replicate their comedic style.

He criticized the current state of Hollywood, saying, “It seems like everyone is only motivated by profit, and that’s why they decided to make another Naked Gun movie.”

So, I recently heard about the Naked Gun reboot, and Jerry Zucker, the guy who made the originals back in ’88 and ’91, has weighed in. He admitted he wasn’t planning on seeing it, but he has noticed people seem to be enjoying it. He told The Hollywood Reporter that there’s definitely still an audience for good, silly comedies – especially spoofs – in theaters. Interestingly, the director, Jason Schaffer, offered him an advance screening, but Zucker turned it down. He explained he didn’t think he could offer any useful feedback, because he simply wouldn’t have approached the film the same way. It sounds like he’s politely acknowledging it’s a different beast than his original vision.

Read More

2025-11-18 12:18