‘The Naked Gun’ Reboot in the Works With Liam Neeson in Talks to Star

The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer will direct the film based on the ’80s crime spoof franchise

The Naked Gun Liam Neeson Akiva Schaffer
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A reboot of the crime spoof series “The Naked Gun” is in development at Paramount, and Liam Neeson is in talks to star in the role that the late Leslie Nielsen made iconic, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Akiva Schaffer, best known as one third of The Lonely Island but also the director of this year’s “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” movie on Disney+, has been tapped to direct the rebooted “Naked Gun” film.

Schaffer will reunite with the “Rescue Rangers” writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand to write the script based on a previous draft from Mark Hentemann & Alec Sulkin.

Seth MacFarlane of “Family Guy” and “Ted” fame is also producing the reboot alongside Erica Huggins via their company Fuzzy Door.

“The Naked Gun” franchise, also known as the Police Squad movies, are a trio of films from the writing and directing team of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker that was also behind films like “Airplane!” and “Top Secret!” The films, including the first “The Naked Gun: From the Files of the Police Squad!” from 1988, starred Nielsen as Det. Sgt. Frank Drebin as he uncovers a plot to try and assassinate Queen Elizabeth II. The films collectively have grossed $477 million worldwide and also spawned a TV series.

Though Neeson is best known for some of his dramatic and action roles, he has cut his teeth throughout his career with comedy, and this year he starred in the drama “Marlowe” and also has made cameos in “Atlanta,” “Derry Girls” and in the Star Wars series “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

Schaffer is represented by UTA and attorneys Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Gregor and Mand are represented by UTA and Kaplan/Perrone.

Deadline first reported the news.

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