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The Naked Gun
American crime comedy film series
American crime comedy film series
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| title | The Naked Gun | |
| image | The Naked Gun franchise logo.png | |
| creator | Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker | |
| origin | Police Squad! (1982) | |
| owner | Paramount Pictures | |
| tv_series | Police Squad! (1982) | |
| films | {{Plainlist | |
| video_games | The Naked Gun: ICUP (2012) | |
| years | 1982–present |
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
- The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991)
- Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994)
- The Naked Gun (2025) The Naked Gun is a media franchise based on the TV show Police Squad!, consisting of American crime spoof-slapstick comedy films, created by the comedy filmmaking trio Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker. It includes one television series, four theatrical films and a video game. The series centers on a bumbling police detective who solves criminal cases in comical fashion. Leslie Nielsen stars in the television series and the first three films as the protagonist Detective Lieutenant Frank Drebin; a fourth film starring Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. was released in 2025. Critics have praised the TV series and the films, all four of which have been financially successful.
Television
''Police Squad!'' (1982)
Main article: Police Squad!
Police Squad is an American crime parody television series that was broadcast on ABC in 1982. The series starred Leslie Nielsen as Franklin "Frank" Drebin, and was co-created and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. Parodying police procedurals, the series featured the use of sight gags, wordplay and non sequiturs. Although the show was canceled after six episodes, it was later followed by the successful Naked Gun film series, and in 2013 TV Guide ranked it #7 on its list of 60 shows that were "Cancelled Too Soon".
Film
| Title | U.S. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| release date | Director | Writers | Producer(s) | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear | Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | The Naked Gun | |
| David Zucker | Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker & Pat Proft | Robert K. Weiss | ||||||
| David Zucker & Pat Proft | ||||||||
| Peter Segal | Pat Proft | |||||||
| and David Zucker & Robert LoCash | Robert K. Weiss and David Zucker | |||||||
| Akiva Schaffer | Akiva Schaffer | |||||||
| and Dan Gregor & Doug Mand | Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins |
''The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!'' (1988)
Main article: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Detective Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) tries to uncover a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II, who is on an official visit to the United States. The main suspect is Vincent Ludwig, a rich businessman (Ricardo Montalbán), who uses a hypnotic device to turn others into murderers. On the case, Drebin falls in love with Ludwig's assistant, Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley). She knows nothing about Ludwig's plot, and after the pair spends the night together, Jane helps with Frank's investigation. As with previous ZAZ spoof comedies, the plot was mostly culled from a more serious film, in this case Telefon.
''The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear'' (1991)
Main article: The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Frank discovers that Jane's new boyfriend, Quentin Hapsburg (Robert Goulet), is involved in an evil plan to kidnap Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer (Richard Griffiths), a scientist whom President George H. W. Bush (John Roarke) has chosen to determine a new national energy policy. Hapsburg plans to kidnap the real Dr. Meinheimer and replace him with a lookalike named Earl Hacker (also portrayed by Griffiths) who will endorse an energy policy according to the dictates of the energy lobby.
''Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult'' (1994)
Main article: Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult
In the third film of the series, Frank is married to Jane, and he has retired from Police Squad. The film introduces the criminal Rocco Dillon (Fred Ward), who is stuck in prison. He is contacted by someone called Papshmir to be given a target for a bombing. Frank is pulled out of retirement. He goes undercover pretending to be a prisoner named "Nick 'the Slasher' McGurk Jr., III" at the jail where Dillon is being held, and they break out of jail. Outside they are escorted by Dillon's gangster mother (Kathleen Freeman) to his country retreat, where Frank also meets Rocco's voluptuous moll (Anna Nicole Smith). The gang plots to blow up the Academy Awards. When Jane arrives looking for Frank, she is taken hostage.
''The Naked Gun'' (2025)
Main article: The Naked Gun (2025 film)
After years of aborted attempts at a new film, a sequel was greenlit in 2022. Directed by Akiva Schaffer and written by Schaffer, Dan Gregor, and Doug Mand, the film stars Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. Principal photography was originally tentatively scheduled for summer 2023. Principal photography ran from May to June 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. The film was released on August 1, 2025.
Future
In August 2025, producer Erica Huggins said in an interview that discussions about a sequel to the new film were ongoing between the actors, writers and producers.
Video games
''The Naked Gun: ICUP'' (2012)
The Naked Gun: ICUP, a point-and-click adventure game, was released by Gamecentric Media and Paramount for iOS, Android, and Windows in 2012. The story and concept were penned by Robert LoCash, a writer of the Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult. Due to Leslie Nielsen's death in 2010, voice actor A.J. LoCascio took over as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the original character. The game received an average score of 60 on the review aggregator Metacritic.
Cast and characters
| Character | Television | Film | Video game | Police Squad! | *The Naked Gun: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From the Files of Police Squad!* | *The Naked Gun 2½: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Smell of Fear* | ''[Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult | Naked Gun | [The Naked Gun | *The Naked Gun: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I.C.U.P.* | Det. Lt. Franklin "Frank" Drebin | Cpt. Ed Hocken | Det. Fred Nordberg | Ted Olson | Al | Johnny the Snitch | Jane Spencer-Drebin | "Weird Al" Yankovic | Papshmir | Vincent Ludwig | Mayor Lillian Barkley | Dominique | Queen Elizabeth II | Quentin Hapsburg | Dr. Albert S. Meinheimer | Earl Hacker | Commissioner Anabell Brumford | Hector Savage | Terence Baggett | President George H. W. Bush | Rocco Dillon | Muriel Dillon | Tanya Peters | Louise | Tyrone | Franklin "Frank" Drebin Jr. | Beth Davenport | Cpt. Ed Hocken Jr. | Richard Cane | Sig Gustafson | Chief Davis | Det. Barnes | Det. "Not Nordberg Jr." | Ellen | Bella | Ken Wong | |||||||||
| Leslie Nielsen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alan North | George Kennedy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter Lupus | O. J. Simpson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ed Williams | colspan="2" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ronald "Tiny Ron" Taylor | colspan="4" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| William Duell | colspan="5" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Priscilla Presley | Priscilla Presley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Himself | Police station thug | Himself | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Raye Birk | Raye Birk | colspan="2" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ricardo Montalbán | colspan="4" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nancy Marchand | colspan="4" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charlotte Zucker | colspan="4" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeannette Charles | colspan="3" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2" | Robert Goulet | colspan="3" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2" | Richard Griffiths | colspan="3" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2" | colspan="3" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2" | Jacqueline Brookes | colspan="3" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2" | Anthony James | colspan="3" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2" | Lloyd Bochner | colspan="3" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2" | John Roarke | colspan="3" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="3" | Fred Ward | colspan="2" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="3" | Kathleen Freeman | colspan="2" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="3" | Anna Nicole Smith | colspan="2" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="3" | Ellen Greene | colspan="2" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="3" | Bruce A. Young | colspan="2" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="3" | Adam Hasart | Liam Neeson | A.J. LoCascio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="4" | Pamela Anderson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="4" | Paul Walter Hauser | Matthew Faulkner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="4" | Danny Huston | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="4" | Kevin Durand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="4" | CCH Pounder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="4" | Liza Koshy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="4" | Moses Jones | Michael Sweeney | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="5" | Alison Haislip | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="5" | Michelle Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="5" | Andrew Bush |
Additional crew and production details
| Title | Crew/Detail | Composer | Cinematographer | Editor(s) | Production | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| companies | Distributing | |||||||||||
| company | Running time | Police Squad! | *The Naked Gun: | |||||||||
| From the Files of Police Squad!* | *The Naked Gun 2½: | |||||||||||
| The Smell of Fear* | *Naked Gun 33⅓: | |||||||||||
| The Final Insult* | The Naked Gun | |||||||||||
| Ira Newborn | Sherman Kunkel | Tom Benko, | ||||||||||
| and Malcolm Campbell | Paramount Television | American Broadcasting Company, | ||||||||||
| CBS Television Distribution | 144 minutes | |||||||||||
| (24 mins/episodes) | ||||||||||||
| Robert M. Stevens | Michael Jablow | Paramount Pictures Corp. | Paramount | 85 minutes | ||||||||
| Christopher Greenbury | ||||||||||||
| & James R. Symons | Paramount Pictures, | |||||||||||
| Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker Productions | Paramount Pictures Corporation | |||||||||||
| James R. Symons | Paramount Pictures | 83 minutes | ||||||||||
| Lorne Balfe | Brandon Trost | Brian Scott Olds | Paramount Pictures, | |||||||||
| Fuzzy Door Productions | Paramount Pictures | 85 minutes |
Reception
Box office performance
| Film | Release Date | Opening Weekend (North America) | US/Canada gross | International gross | Total gross | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | December 2, 1988 | $9,331,746 | $78,756,177 | $73,689,000 | $152,445,177 | $14.5 million |
| The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear | June 28, 1991 | $20,817,139 | $86,930,411 | $105,310,000 | $192,240,411 | $23 million |
| Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | March 18, 1994 | $13,216,531 | $51,132,598 | $81,273,000 | $132,405,598 | $30 million |
| The Naked Gun | August 1, 2025 | $16,805,560 | $52,647,396 | $49,500,000 | $102,147,396 | $42 million |
| Total | $269,466,582 | $309,472,000 | $579,238,582 | $109.5 million |
Critical and public response
| Title | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ | title=CinemaScore | publisher=CinemaScore | access-date=April 15, 2022 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220413083139/https://www.cinemascore.com/ | archive-date=April 13, 2022 | url-status=live }} | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police Squad! | 91% (32 reviews) | ||||||||||
| The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/naked_gun_from_the_files_of_police_squad | title=The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) | website=Rotten Tomatoes | publisher=Fandango | access-date=April 4, 2025}} | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-naked-gun-from-the-files-of-police-squad! | title=The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) | website=Metacritic | publisher=CBS Interactive | access-date=August 3, 2019}} | A− |
| The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/naked_gun_2_12_the_the_smell_of_fear | title=The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) | website=Rotten Tomatoes | publisher=Fandango | access-date=April 4, 2025}} | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-naked-gun-212-the-smell-of-fear | title=The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) | website=Metacritic | publisher=CBS Interactive | access-date=August 3, 2019}} | B+ |
| Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/naked_gun_33_13_the_final_insult | title=Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) | website=Rotten Tomatoes | publisher=Fandango | access-date=April 4, 2025}} | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/naked-gun-33-13-the-final-insult | title=Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) | website=Metacritic | publisher=CBS Interactive | access-date=August 3, 2019}} | B+ |
| The Naked Gun | 88% (318 reviews) | 75 (48 reviews) | A− |
Accolades
At the 34th Primetime Emmy Awards, Police Squad! was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Nielsen) and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series ("A Substantial Gift (The Broken Promise)").
At the 1992 MTV Movie Awards, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear was nominated for Best Kiss (Nielsen and Presley).
At the 15th Golden Raspberry Awards, Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult won Worst Supporting Actor (Simpson) and Worst New Star (Smith).
References
References
- Roush, Matt (June 3, 2013). "Cancelled Too Soon". ''[[TV Guide]]''. pp. 20 and 21
- Kroll, Justin. (2022-10-13). "New 'Naked Gun' Movie A Go At Paramount With Liam Neeson In Talks To Star And 'Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer Directing".
- Villei, Matt. (January 18, 2023). "' Naked Gun' Reboot Hopes to Start Shooting This Summer, Says Liam Neeson". Collider.
- (March 25, 2024). "Untitled Naked Gun Reboot".
- (28 February 2024). "'Naked Gun' Remake Set for 2025 by Paramount; 'TMNT' and 'Paw Patrol' Sequels Dated for 2026".
- (4 October 2024). "Paramount Dates & Shifts Slew Of Movies For 2025: Glen Powell's 'Running Man', 'Smurfs', 'Naked Gun', 'Vicious' & More".
- Galuppo, Mia. (2025-08-11). "'Naked Gun' Producers Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins Talk Greenlight Hurdles and Sequel Possibilities".
- Fahey, Mike. (2012-01-04). "The Sins of ''The Naked Gun'' Are Visited Upon Frank Drebin's Son". [[Kotaku]].
- (October 2025). "Bleeding Cool}}{{Dead link".
- "The Naked Gun: I.C.U.P.".
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- "BoxofficeMojo". The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!.
- (September 11, 1995). "UIP's $25M-Plus Club".
- "AFI{{!}}Catalog".
- "The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear".
- "The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear". BoxofficeMojo.
- D'Alessandro, Anthony. (July 15, 2002). "Top 50 worldwide grossers".
- "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult".
- "The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult". BoxofficeMojo.
- "Verifying".
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- Rubin, Rebecca. (2025-07-30). "Box Office: ‘Fantastic Four’ to Remain No. 1 as Liam Neeson’s ‘Naked Gun’ Targets $15 Million Debut".
- "CinemaScore". [[CinemaScore]].
- "Police Squad! (1982)". [[Fandango Media.
- "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)". [[Fandango Media.
- "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)". [[CBS Interactive]].
- "The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991)". [[Fandango Media.
- "The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991)". [[CBS Interactive]].
- "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)". [[Fandango Media.
- "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)". [[CBS Interactive]].
- "The Naked Gun (2025)". [[Fandango Media.
- "The Naked Gun (2025)". [[CBS Interactive]].
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