Though the TV present Police Squad was cancelled in 1982 after simply six episodes, the hilarious hijinks of Leslie Nielsen’s Frank Drebin lived on with the Bare Gun movie collection that started six years later. Now, over 30 years after Nielsen final performed the character, Liam Neeson is enjoying Frank Drebin Jr. within the simply-named The Bare Gun.
The 2025 film launch has earned numerous constructive crucial reception and gotten off to a strong begin on the field workplace this previous weekend. Now David Zucker, the director of the unique Bare Gun, has shared a supportive message in response to the comedy flick’s success. That mentioned, he nonetheless has “no intention” to ever see the brand new Bare Gun, although his rationalization for why doesn’t come from a spot of unwell will in any way.
David Zucker Is Glad The Comedy Is Performing Properly In Theaters
The Bare Gun got here in third place for its opening weekend, trailing behind The Unbelievable 4: First Steps coming in at #1 once more and The Dangerous Guys 2 resting within the #2 spot. Nonetheless, a $17 million opening for a film like that is nothing to sneeze at, particularly in an age the place it’s rarer for comedies to get silver display screen runs. Zucker pointed that out to THR, saying:
I’m enthusiastic about it as a result of it simply reveals that there’s a robust marketplace for comedy in film theaters, and spoof particularly. Persons are liking it, which is nice. I actually just like the director, and I simply couldn’t want him extra nicely. I texted him already, saying, ‘I hear the opinions are nice, and it’s monitoring nicely.’ He was very comfortable to listen to from me, and we’ll most likely get collectively later within the month when the smoke clears.
The Bare Gun was directed by The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer, whose earlier filmmaking credit embody Popstar: By no means Cease By no means Stopping and Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Whereas it stays to be seen if the fourth Bare Gun film will “save comedy” like that PSA amusingly promised, clearly Schaffer’s work paid off. CinemaBlend’s personal Mike Reyes is among the many film’s supporters, giving a 4/5 rating in his The Bare Gun assessment. It’s good to listen to that David Zucker is happy with this success and has been in touch with Schaffer about that, particularly given his feedback from Might.
David Zucker Isn’t In Sequels To His Motion pictures Helmed By Different Folks
Again in Might, David Zucker revealed that he turned down a producer credit score on The Bare Gun after being displeased with the script. Whereas it seems like his stance has softened a bit since then, the director behind different spoofs like Airplane! And Prime Secret! nonetheless isn’t keen on seeing one other particular person’s imaginative and prescient for a property he beforehand labored on. As he defined:
I’m not gonna see it, however I don’t see any of the sequels that had been of my materials accomplished by different individuals, and that’s positive. I’ve advised Akiva that I’ve no intention to see it. He really invited me to return see an early lower of it, however I advised him there’s nothing I may do to assist as a result of it actually isn’t what I might have accomplished. That’s to not say that he didn’t really find yourself doing an excellent film. However I don’t assume I may assist with that.
The Bare Gun 4 had been in improvement stretching again to the late 2000s, and at one level David Zucker was engaged on a script with Pat Proft and Mike McManus that may have adopted Frank Drebin’s thirty-something son. There was additionally a time when Ed Helms was connected to steer a extra simple reboot. However finally it’s the Liam Neeson-led model that got here collectively, and whereas it’s not as if Zucker was rooting for the brand new film to fail, he doesn’t care to see the way it turned out as a result of it’s not the form of Bare Gun 4 he wished to make.
Whereas David gained’t be seated in a theater to witness the comedy on show in The Bare Gun, the remainder of you are able to do so now. Liam Neeson is joined onscreen by Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter, CCH Pounder, Danny Huston and Kevin Durand, amongst others, and hopefully change into accessible to stream with a Paramount+ subscription earlier than the 12 months is over.