The Naked Gun (2025) puts Liam Neeson in the deadpan role of Frank Drebin Jr., with Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport. Directed by Akiva Schaffer, the 90-minute comedy brings the police-parody franchise back with a tightly scripted, absurdist style—and a new pairing built around Neeson’s straight-faced action-star persona.
Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson in The Naked Gun
Paramount Global Content lists the film as a comedy that premiered August 1, 2025. Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr.; Anderson plays Beth Davenport; Akiva Schaffer directs. Paramount lists a 90-minute runtime, while the Associated Press review lists 85 minutes, so the reported length varies by source. Paramount’s film listing and the Associated Press review give those respective figures.
The casting sets up a deliberate contrast: Neeson is widely associated with action roles, but here the comic engine is his serious delivery amid ridiculous situations. In a Global News interview published July 23, 2025, he explained the appeal simply: “We need a few giggles in the world.” At the New York premiere, he put it more bluntly to Variety: “Because we’re all fucked. And we need a few giggles.” These are Neeson’s explanations for taking on the comedy, not evidence of audience response.
Is The Naked Gun a comedy?
Yes. Paramount classifies it as a comedy, and the film’s approach is broad police parody: rapid-fire jokes, absurd turns, and a straight-faced lead performance. Variety’s premiere report describes the comedy as fast-moving and absurd; The National’s account gives a practical example of how carefully that style was built.
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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
Why the gags were tightly scripted
Anderson said her scat performance was written in advance, not improvised: “That whole thing was scripted. I had to learn the whole thing.” The National reported that there was almost no improvisation in the film. That detail matters because the joke depends on precise timing and a deliberately constructed performance, rather than a spontaneous aside.
Who does Pamela Anderson play in The Naked Gun?
Anderson plays Beth Davenport. The film pairs her character with Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. in the new installment’s comic world. The available interviews discuss their professional rapport and Neeson’s admiration for Anderson, not a private relationship between the actors.
Variety asked Neeson about an earlier “in love with her” remark. He called it “just a throwaway line” and said he admired Anderson, adding that she had “no airs and graces, no big ego” and was “there to do the work.” His comments describe his respect for a co-star; they do not establish the actors’ relationship status or prove the remark was a publicity stunt.
How does the 2025 film connect to the original Naked Gun?
The franchise began with Police Squad! and continued in theaters with three films: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988), The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991), and Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994). The 2025 movie carries the lineage forward through Frank Drebin Jr., while shifting the lead performance to Neeson. The Associated Press reports the series’ connection to Police Squad!; Paramount identifies the original trilogy as part of the franchise.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The useful comparison is not simply old versus new. The original films established the police-squad parody and rapid joke rhythm; the 2025 installment retains absurdist comedy but centers on a different performer’s deadpan style. The supplied interviews describe the new film’s tightly scripted gag construction, but they do not provide a basis for claiming a critical consensus about how it compares with the earlier movies.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can I watch The Naked Gun?
Paramount announced on September 29, 2025 that the film would begin streaming on Paramount+ in the United States and Canada on September 30, 2025. That is a dated announcement, not confirmation that the film remains available there now or that it is available in other countries. Check the current Paramount+ catalog in your region for present availability. The announcement said international availability would be shared later.
Paramount also reported that combined viewership of the three original films on Paramount+ rose 84% during the first month of the 2025 film’s theatrical window. That figure is Paramount’s platform statistic for that specific period, not an independent audience survey or a measure of the new film’s reception.
Rating and content notes
The Associated Press review lists the film as PG-13 for crude and sexual material, violence and bloody images, and brief partial nudity. The AP lists an 85-minute runtime; Paramount’s title listing gives 90 minutes. These are source-specific listings rather than a settled single runtime.
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