Paramount’sThe Naked Gunreboot debuted amid heavy competition this week and ispoised to deliver a solid box office runthanks to the excellent reviews that it has received from critics and audiences. The slapstick comedy starsLiam NeesonandPamela Andersonin the lead roles, and isexpected to gross over $15 million at the domestic box officethis weekend. Movies likeThe Naked Gunaren’t often released in theaters these days, but thanks to the strong performances of a handful of other R-rated comedies in the last couple of years, things are looking up.
The Naked Gunis currently sitting at a “certified fresh” 90% score on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, where its audience score is hovering around 80%. The critics' consensus on RT reads, “With Liam Neeson’s gravelly gravitas proving to be a perfect fit for Frank Drebin’s deadpan buffoonery,The Naked Gunrevives the original trilogy’s daffy sense of humor like it never went out of style.” Collider’sAidan Kelleydescribed itas “one of the funniest movies of the decade.“The Naked Gunis directed byAkiva Schaffer, who remains best known for his work alongsideAndy SambergandJorma Tacconeas The Lonely Island trio; the movie is produced bySeth MacFarlane, who has delivered some of the most lucrative franchises in Paramount’s history.
Based on the classic 1988 comedy film starringLeslie Nielsen, which itself was adapted from the popular television seriesPolice Squad,The Naked Gunearned an excellent A- gradefrom opening day audiences on CinemaScore. This puts it in the fine company of the original film, and above the B+ grades earned by the more recentThe Lost City,Violent Night, andOne of Them Days. The original film was a breakout hit, grossing over $150 million at the worldwide box office. Itspawned two sequels,The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, which was an even bigger hit, andThe Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, which made over $100 million worldwide as well.
Neeson Is Due for a Comeback
The new film is poised to deliver Neeson’s best opening weekend haul (in a live-action lead role) sinceTaken 3, which was released over a decade ago. He hasn’t had a bona fide box office hit since 2018’sThe Commuter. Neeson broke out of his dramatic image and established himself as an older action star with the firstTakenin 2008; perhaps it’s time for another transition. This isn’t the first time he’s worked in the genre,nor is it his first rodeo with MacFarlane.The Naked Gun’s positive reviews should go a long way.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
The Naked Gun
