The Naked Gun Trailer's Stupidest Joke Proves The Comedy Reboot Is In Good Hands

When news first broke that "The Naked Gun" was receiving a legacy sequel starring Liam Neeson, many of us shook our heads and criticized Hollywood for churning out yet another needless reboot. After all, the original movies are some of the best comedies of all time, and no one — not even an actor of Neeson's quality — could match the deadpan brilliance of Leslie Nielsen, right? However, those concerns were alleviated after the first "Naked Gun" reboot trailer threw shade at OJ Simpson, suggesting that director Akiva Schaffer and his co-writers Dan Gregor & Doug Mand have some clever zingers up their sleeves.

Well, now it's time for us naysayers to throw up our hands and admit we were wrong, as the latest trailer (see above) boasts a joke so gloriously silly that it wouldn't seem out of place coming from the mouth of Nielsen's clueless detective, Frank Drebin. The moment occurs when Neeson's character — who is also Drebin's son — notes, "It says you served 20 years for man's laughter." The suspect he's interviewing responds with, "You mean manslaughter," and Frank Drebin Jr. signs off with, "It must have been quite the joke." Take a bow.

The best jokes in the original "Naked Gun" movies often involve Frank saying ridiculous things while being convinced that his mistakes are correct. Take, for example, the scene where Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley) offers him a night cap, to which he replies, "No thanks. I don't wear them." The joke is simple and overly literal — and that's why it's perfect. And just like Frank responding to Jane, Neeson's detective delivers his aforementioned blunder with self-assured confidence, making him feel like a true chip off the old Drebin block.

That said, were us cranky old cynics wrong to ever doubt this reboot/sequel? After all, Schaffer has a strong track record for delivering great comedies, so at least the movie is in the hands of someone who understands this stuff.

When it comes to comedies that are silly in a genius way, look no further than Akiva Schaffer's "Hot Rod." The movie follows Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg), a terrible amateur stuntman who plans to jump over some buses with his bike in the hopes of raising enough money to get his stepdad a new heart and beat him in a fight. However, Rod sets out to perform the biggest stunt of his life after a history of failing at, well, everything — what could possibly go wrong?

Similar to "The Naked Gun," "Hot Rod" is a movie about ridiculous people who are unaware that everyone else thinks they're a joke. It's a story about improbable heroes overcoming the odds almost by mistake — just like Frank Drebin somehow managing to solve crimes, even though he's incompetent. More than anything, "Hot Rod" is loaded with laugh-out-loud moments, and that's all one could ever really ask for from a comedy.

Of course, "The Naked Gun" isn't the first time that Schaffer has made a spoof, nor is it his first project about comedic detectives. He previously directed a handful of episodes of the "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," so he knows all about mining laughs from the world of cop-themed entertainment. What's more, he also helmed "Popstar: Never Stop Stopping," an underrated gem that hilariously skewers the music industry. In short, his sensibilities firmly align with the "Naked Gun" school of comedy, and the latest trailer's jokes prove that the movie is in capable hands.

"The Naked Gun" opens in theaters on August 1, 2025.