Every Reference The Naked Gun Reboot Makes to the Original Movie

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Delight in laughter at its finest! The grand comedy spectacle has graced the silver screen anew through The Naked Gun. This production, masterminded by Akiva Schaffer, with script contributions from Doug Mand and Dan Gregor, revives the original 1988 hit, Naked Gun: Files From the Police Squad!, which was inspired by the television series of the same name. The series famously starred Leslie Nielsen as Lt Frank Drebin. However, there’s no need to recall that history lesson to appreciate the fresh take on The Naked Gun, as it proudly stands independent, with Liam Neeson taking over the role of the new Frank Drebin.

In the 2025 version of “The Naked Gun”, much like its 1988 forerunner, there’s a continuous stream of jokes from corner to corner. These films prioritize humor over narrative coherence and sensible storytelling. They are brimming with visual gags, double meanings, and numerous comic sequences. Interestingly, many of these jokes echo the 1988 film. Following, we’ve highlighted the main references and callbacks the 2025 “Naked Gun” pays to its original installment.

It’s all in the family

As a die-hard movie buff, let me share an intriguing fact: Liam Neeson portrays Lt Frank Drebin Jr., the offspring of none other than Frank Drebin, the character brilliantly played by Leslie Nielsen in the classic “Naked Gun” flicks.

Yes, even O.J. Simpson

In that identical scene, every officer is weeping for their deceased father, expressing their longing and desire to make them proud. However, when it comes to Moses Jones’ son (Nordberg), unlike others, he doesn’t express his sorrow about his dad; instead, he gives a subtle nod to the camera, indicating understanding.

Weird Al Yankovic

At the start of the ’88 movie “The Naked Gun”, Derbin exits a plane and addresses what he believes is a press conference meant for him. However, it turns out that it was intended for Weird Al Yankovic, another passenger on the same flight. In this upcoming film, Weird Al has been employed to entertain the wealthy elite in their underground bunkers once the PLOT (Prime Law of Toughness) mechanism gets triggered.

Bathroom troubles

The two Drebins share many similarities, but what sets them apart is their peculiar incidents related to restrooms. In the 2025 film, Drebin finds himself in an embarrassing situation after consuming a hot dog from a convenience store, resulting in an urgent need for a toilet. To alleviate this predicament, he takes over the bathroom of a coffee shop by firing his gun into the air to scare away the people waiting in line. On the other hand, Nielsen’s Drebin accidentally leaves his microphone on during a press conference while he was using the restroom, causing everyone present to hear the sounds of him urinating and singing absurdly.

Good driving is overrated

A common trait among the Drebins is an alarming lack of driving skills. They seem to struggle with even the basics, like parking or avoiding collisions. In each movie, they’re involved in accidents, hit pedestrians, and create havoc on city streets. It’s high time their licenses were taken away!

Police station problems

It’s not wise to rely on Drebin when it comes to handling vehicles. In the latest installment, Lethal Weapon’s Drebin gets an electric car from wealthy antagonist Richard Caine (Danny Huston), including a charging station at the police station. Drebin fails to notice that the car is still plugged in and drives away, resulting in pandemonium as a prison wall collapses and criminals escape. This isn’t the first time The Naked Gun has brought turmoil right into the police station. In the original, Drebin accidentally leaves his car in drive, causing it to roll uncontrolled down a slope outside the station while he fires at it and incites hysteria.

Femme fatales

As a devoted cinephile, I can’t help but marvel at the enduring influence of the captivating femme fatale in cinema history, particularly in the noir genre of the 1940s and beyond. In the hilarious “Naked Gun” movie series, characters like Jane Spencer (played by Priscilla Presley in the original) and Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson in subsequent films) have donned the femme fatale mantle with a delightful twist of humor. These films infuse their roles with a comedic flair that softens the traditional tough edge associated with this archetype, and by 2025, the silliness factor has been amped up significantly, turning what was once a hard-edged character into a source of genuine laughter.

Running into walls

In reference to captivating characters like femme fatales, it’s worth noting that Pamela Anderson isn’t the only one who has the power to lead a Drebin astray, causing him to blunder straight into a wall. Similar enchantment occurred when Priscilla Presley attempted to seduce Drebin Senior.

Inner monologues

In the scene when Drebin encounters Jane, his thoughts overflow with admiration about her striking beauty. Meanwhile, Drebin Jr’s thoughts are equally extraordinary, as he describes Beth as having a rear end that could make any restroom long for its usual occupant. The 2025 film creatively reimagines inner monologues by having all police officers express their thoughts simultaneously in a comical sequence.

A “romantic” montage

As Drebin and Davenport’s romance intensifies, we’re in for a hilarious sequence depicting their blossoming affection, accompanied by Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” This playful montage echoes the earlier Drebin/Spencer one, which was set to Herman’s Hermits’ “I’m Into Something Good,” but lacks the snowman that causes chaos in the lives of the romantic pair.

Revealing clothes

Instead of a swift transformation, Neeson’s character, Drebin, surprises Davenport by shedding his police uniform to don a comfortable cardigan in an endeavor to charm her. The original quick change scene, which involves more adult content, adds to the humor when Drebin unexpectedly strips down…to nothing at all, also known as his natural state. In other words, Nielsen’s Drebin, on the brink of intimacy, removes layers from his suit to reveal…nothing but himself.

Who needs a windshield?

In the movie The Naked Gun, there’s a side-splitting visual joke when character Drebin is involved in a high-speed chase. His car slams into several street items, cracking his windscreen, and filling the vehicle with bees. However, just when you think it can’t get funnier, he drives into two men carrying a windshield, which magically fits into his car, solving his windshield problem. This scene is a riot and a clever nod to the ’88 film, where Drebin finds himself in a car with a learner driver, and the windscreen shatters, leaving everyone drenched in glass.

Police lights

The opening montage from the 1988 movie “The Naked Gun,” which depicted a police car navigating through absurd locations such as a high school locker room and a family residence, is revived in the end credits of the latest film, serving as a delightful wink to the original‘s outlandishness.

Stay for the credits

In these films, even the list of cast and crew is amusing. For instance, The Naked Gun series boasts a hilarious credit sequence, but we’re talking about the actual scrolling list. It’s packed with humorous credits like “Netflix Password.” This is a spin-off from the original films, which also had their fair share of witty credits, such as crediting actors based on just one line they delivered.

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2025-08-01 20:06