Original ‘Naked Gun’ director slams Liam Neeson reboot

Posted On August 5, 2025August 5, 2025

David Zucker, the director of the original three Naked Gun films, has hit out at the Liam Neeson reboot and claims he has “no intention” of seeing the new movie.

The filmmaker, who was behind the original series Police Squad and the three subsequent movies made out of it starring Leslie Neilson, told The Hollywood Reporter that he will not be watching the Akiva Schaffer-directed movie. This is largely because he had previously written a script for a fourth instalment which was turned down.

Zucker explained: “I’m not gonna see it, but I don’t see any of the sequels that were of my material done by other people, and that’s fine. I’ve told Akiva [Schaffer] that I have no intention to see it.”

The director then revealed that Schaffer had actually invited him to see an early version of the film, but he declined as he felt it was too different to his original idea. “That’s not to say that he didn’t actually end up doing a good movie,” Zucker added, “But I don’t think I could help with that.”

Despite this, he said he was pleased to see the new movie, which stars Neeson as Frank Drebin’s son, performing well at the box office, having already taken in $17 million over the course of its opening weekend.

“I’m excited about it because it just shows that there’s a strong market for comedy in movie theatres, and spoof in particular,” Zucker said, before noting, “People are liking it, which is great. I really like the director, and I just couldn’t wish him more well.”

Although he still isn’t keen to see the movie, Zucker added that he and Schaffer will “probably get together later in the month when the smoke clears.”

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