David Zucker, the director of the original Naked Gun film, has spoken out against it once more. This go around, he takes aim at the recent reboot with Liam Neeson. Initially, Zucker appeared to back down after the movie’s release. Now, he has put out some very strong words about the direction and more importantly execution of this new project.
Zucker, along with Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams, originally co-created the Naked Gun films. He is vehemently opposed to the financial outlay in the overhaul. He raised concerns that large budgets and comedy do not mix well, stating, “Big budgets and comedy are opposites, and in the new Naked Gun, you could see that they spent a lot of money on scenes full of technical pizzazz while trying to copy our style.”
The filmmaker pointed out how the reboot is purposely trying to substitute Leslie Nielsen. Nielsen had infamously played the role of Frank Drebin in the original trilogy, before his death in 2010. Zucker firmly stated, “They tried to replace Leslie Nielsen in the new Naked Gun, and you can’t replace him. No one else can do that.” This feeling is the truth behind his assertion that Nielsen’s particular brand of comedic genius cannot be faked.
Getting to the roots of their unique comedic brand, which has inspired generations of comics over the years. He added, “My brother Jerry and our partner Jim Abrahams invented spoof comedies 50 years ago. We created our own distinctive voice, and we did it so smoothly that it looks simple. People started copying it… He completely blew it,” in reference to Seth MacFarlane, the creator responsible for the new reboot.
For all his negative comments, Zucker still recognized the public’s desire for comedy on the big screen. “I’m excited about it because it just shows that there’s a strong market for comedy in movie theatres, and spoof in particular,” he noted. While he’s excited, though, he is far from convinced about the reboot’s authenticity and quality. He noted that not a single person has contacted him to request his participation in the project.
“They have not contacted me to make a cameo or be involved in the writing. Whether or not they’re going to do a good job with it… it’s not rocket science, but it’s not easy.” – David Zucker
In 2024, Zucker made no bones about how much he hated that decision to pass the franchise baton to different creators. He stated he was “not excited about having the franchise given to other people,” reiterating his strong connection to the original films and their legacy.