Liam Neeson is in discussions to star in a reboot of the classic comedy franchise 'The Naked Gun', scheduled for release on August 1. The film will see Neeson play Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Leslie Nielsen's iconic bumbling detective. Akiva Schaffer of The Lonely Island directs and co-writes, with Pamela Anderson co-starring as Beth Davenport.
Neeson, 73, admits he hasn't watched the original films since their initial release in the 1980s and 1990s. He emphasised that he would not attempt to mimic Nielsen's performance, stating, 'I've done over 100 movies, so I don't need someone to tell me how to act.' The project marks Neeson's first full-length comedy, though he has previously done comedic TV skits.
The actor revealed that Seth MacFarlane approached him about the role three years ago. Despite initial apprehensions about leading a comedy for 90 minutes, Neeson was reassured by MacFarlane's involvement and the script's quality. He noted that his approach would be to 'just be serious' and rely on sight gags rather than trying to be funny.
Neeson also reflected on his action star era coming to an end, saying, 'I'm 73, for fuck's sake. I don't want to be doing that stuff with a Zimmer frame.' He expressed admiration for comedians like Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, and Will Ferrell, but stressed that he had no desire to bleach his hair for the role, as some had suggested.
