Why David Zucker’s Shade on the Naked Gun Reboot Actually Makes Sense… Kinda

Ah, Hollywood – the place where reboot culture runs wild, and fanbases hold their breath with a mix of hope and terror. This time, it’s a Naked Gun reboot. Liam Neeson, of Taken fame, will take up the Drebin legacy in the reboot, playing the son of the iconic (and hilariously incompetent) Lieutenant Frank Drebin, originally portrayed by the late, great Leslie Nielsen. This casting alone has left the internet collectively scratching its head—but wait, it gets more awkward.

The reboot has faced more than just skepticism from fans. David Zucker, the co-director and co-writer behind the original Naked Gun series, has not exactly held back in roasting the reboot. When the new trailer dropped with Neeson dishing Taken-style violence followed by a cheeky O.J. joke, Zucker’s reaction? “No thanks.” But is his criticism legit, or just a case of Hollywood not returning his calls?

The Naked Gun Reboot Doesn’t Have Zucker in Its Corner

Zucker, the comedy mastermind behind the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker (ZAZ) trio, recently admitted that he wasn’t invited to the Naked Gun reboot party. Ouch. Despite Seth MacFarlane (yes, the Family Guy guy) and director Akiva Schaffer hailing him as an inspiration, they hit Zucker with a polite-yet-patronizing, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

And Zucker’s got feelings. How much? Well, enough to compare the reboot trailer to an X-rated fever dream he claims he can’t unsee (wow, we’d like that unpacked). Fuming? Maybe. Valid? Potentially. Zucker was quick to remind everyone that comedy, at least the kind he used to make, is “not something just any fan can replicate.”

Here’s where it gets a tad salty but kinda on-point. “What we do is very specific,” Zucker said, emphasizing that just loving the originals doesn’t magically make you a master of slapstick and absurdity. The guy’s not wrong. For every Airplane! masterpiece, there are about a hundred Meet the Spartans hype jobs that make us question humanity’s taste.

To Reboot It, Do We Lose the ZAZ Sauce?

If you’re not familiar with the OG Naked Gun movies, know this: they were comedy gold. They had that rare blend of physical humor, wordplay, and ridiculous parody that audiences loved in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The franchise didn’t just poke fun at detective tropes; it clowned on the entire idea of cop procedurals, all while Leslie Nielsen played it straighter than Paul Hollywood judging a soggy bottom on Great British Bake Off.

But Zucker argues, quite rightly, that this stuff isn’t as easy as rolling in fart gags and calling it a day. “What we did,” he says, “is like those ‘Don’t Try This at Home’ warnings.” And honestly? We’ve seen what happens when studios slapstick this up without love (cough Scary Movie 5, cough).

Sure, Seth MacFarlane and Schaffer may have comedy chops – the Family Guy creator and Lonely Island alum are no amateurs. But ZAZ built the formula from scratch, and it’s no small feat to inject that same magic into a Naked Gun reboot.

That Andy Samberg Pitch, Though

Now, here’s where this saga gets even spicier. Zucker wasn’t just sitting on his hands. He had his own Naked Gun 4 script ready to go before Paramount crushed his dreams of a ridiculous comeback. According to Zucker, his reboot wasn’t even a cop movie. Instead, it spoofed Mission Impossible and Jason Bourne. And the kicker? He wanted Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Popstar) as Frank Drebin Jr.

Honestly, that pitch sounds like it could’ve worked, especially since Samberg’s brand of deadpan goofiness is the closest modern Hollywood gets to Nielsen vibes. But alas, Paramount passed. On one hand, another spy parody (coughAustin Powerscough) doesn’t sound earth-shattering. On the other hand, anything Andy Samberg touches has cult classic potential (Hot Rod, anyone?).

Is Zucker Being Too Harsh?

Here’s the thing. When an OG comedy legend like Zucker throws shade, there’s always some merit to their gripes. He’s right that copycatting isn’t the same as creating. Truly amazing parody balances absurdity with a weird reverence for the source it mocks. Think Popstar or Black Dynamite, not tired Scary Movie knockoffs.

But here’s the flip side. Throughout film history, there’s proof that fans-turned-creators can give older franchises a fresh start. Just look at Rian Johnson’s work with Knives Out, or even Greta Gerwig’s jaw-dropping Barbie. Could the Naked Gun reboot end up being a win for comedy, even if it lacks Zucker’s seal of approval? Maybe.

Whether or not Neeson can bring Drebin energy to today’s meme-happy audiences will be the true test for the Naked Gun reboot.

What Fans Can Expect

From all the shade-throwing aside, one thing is clear. The Naked Gun reboot is leaning in hard to Neeson’s action-hero reputation, and MacFarlane’s signature boldness probably guarantees some no-holds-barred laughs. If the Taken parody in the trailer made you chuckle, this could be worth the popcorn. But for the die-hards who grew up yelling “Don’t call me Shirley,” this ride could feel very different.

We’ll just have to wait until it hits theaters to find out if Neeson’s deadpan humor can coexist with the legacy of belly-laughs and low-key genius that ZAZ built.

Until then, one thing’s for sure – this reboot doesn’t just have Zucker’s eyes watching. The entire comedy world is waiting, hoping this one doesn’t botch the punchline.