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The O.J. Simpson joke is a visual nod to his role as Detective Nordberg in the original Naked Gun films. Liam Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. kneels before a photograph of his father; the shot then widens to reveal other officers kneeling before photographs of their own fathers. Director Akiva Schaffer said the scene was written early to address questions about how a new film would handle Simpson’s place in the franchise.
What is the O.J. Simpson joke?
In the teaser, Frank Drebin Jr. kneels in front of a photograph of his father, Frank Drebin, played in the original films by Leslie Nielsen. The reveal shows that other officers are also kneeling to photographs of their fathers. Simpson is not the subject of that first photograph; the joke points back to his franchise role through the wider scene.
![Naked Gun Trilogy Collection [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51kTro3z-5L._SL160_.jpg)
![The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! / The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51cp+gojdJL._SL160_.jpg)
Simpson played Detective Nordberg in the original Naked Gun films. The gag acknowledges the character’s place in the series without bringing Simpson back as a cast member. ABC News’ April 3, 2025 teaser report identifies Simpson’s earlier role, while Variety’s April 4 trailer coverage identifies the O.J. reference.
Why did the filmmakers include it?
Schaffer said people’s first question when he mentioned writing a new Naked Gun was what the film would do about O.J. Simpson. In a Vanity Fair interview published July 31, 2025, he said the kneeling scene was among the first things written as a way to address “all the elephants in the room.”
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That explains the director’s stated rationale, not how every viewer must interpret the gag. Its visual setup lets the film acknowledge the original franchise’s history without making Simpson’s return part of the new cast.
Is there another Nordberg reference in the film?
Yes. The Associated Press review of the released film, published August 1, 2025, describes a later moment involving a Nordberg plaque: an officer approaches it, then decides against it. The AP also reports that the bank-heist scene shown in the teaser opens the film, so the trailer’s comic introduction is part of the movie rather than a separate scene made only for promotion.
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![The Naked Gun: 4 Film Collection + Police Squad Complete Series (5 Discs) [Region Free] [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/514OpBngLQL._SL160_.jpg)
- Blu-ray Disc – Region Free playback (compatible with US Blu-ray players)
- Official Australian manufactured release
- Includes Police Squad! (1982) complete television series
- Includes The Naked Gun trilogy and 2025 Naked Gun feature film
- Starring Leslie Nielsen and Liam Neeson
Who is in the new Naked Gun?
The 2025 film stars Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. and is directed by Akiva Schaffer. Paramount’s official film listing also names Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport and Paul Walter Hauser as Ed Hocken Jr. Paramount lists the theatrical premiere as August 1, 2025.
Paramount announced that the film would premiere on Paramount+ in the United States and Canada on September 30, 2025. That was a dated announcement, not confirmation of current availability in every territory; check the service in your region for its present listing. Paramount’s September 29, 2025 announcement gives the original date and territory.
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