Liam Neeson's Naked Gun Reboot Casts One Of The Franchise's Original Characters

Summary Paul Walter Hauser joins as Captain Ed Hocken in the upcoming Naked Gun reboot.

The remaining cast also includes Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson.

After years of development hell, the movie seems to finally be in the right direction with the latest casting details.

Liam Neeson's upcoming The Naked Gun reboot movie has announced the casting of one of the franchise's original legacy characters. As one of the defining comedy franchises of the '80s and '90s, the original movie, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, was released in 1988, and starred comedian Leslie Nielsen as a bumbling police lieutenant investigating a criminal plot to create mind-controlled assassins. The movie took over $152 million at the global box office and spawned two equally successful sequels, concluding with 1994's Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult.

According to Deadline, the Naked Gun reboot has cast one of the original characters from the franchise, Captain Ed Hocken. Cobra Kai and Blackbird actor Paul Walter Hauser has joined the cast, playing the character previously portrayed by George Kennedy in the original movies and Alan North in the prequel series Police Squad! He will join the ensemble that includes Neeson and Baywatch star Pamela Anderson and will be directed and executive-produced by Akiva Schaffer.

Here are the confirmed cast members for the Naked Gun reboot so far:

Actor Character Liam Neeson Frank Drebin Jr. Paul Walter Hauser Captain Ed Hocken Pamela Anderson Unknown

What Can Be Expected From The Naked Gun Reboot?

How Will Neeson's Transition From Action To Comedy Fare?

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The original Naked Gun ranks as one of Nielsen's best movies, and where the reboot might rate among Neeson's filmography remains to be seen.

After years of development hell, a Naked Gun reboot is finally happening, with both Neeson and Anderson, who will appear in an unknown character, signed on for major roles. Neeson will play Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Nielsen's character from the original franchise, marking his first leading comedic role. Primarily an action star, the movie will be an interesting departure for the Northern Irish actor and allow him to explore his range in comedy. The few times he demonstrated his comedic skills include the series Life's Too Short, where he had a cameo for one episode.

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An exciting prospect for the reboot is the involvement of Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, who will co-write and co-produce the film. He and Neeson have worked together before on A Million Ways to Die in the West and Ted 2, so they have a history of collaborating in comedies. Furthermore, MacFarlane's grasp of the comedy genre should result in a movie that packs plenty of laughs. The Naked Gun movies were filled with silly, wacky, slapstick comedy, and linking Neeson's character to Nielsen's should help provide that humorous, symbiotic link to the franchise.

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The original Naked Gun ranks as one of Nielsen's best movies, and where the reboot might rate among Neeson's filmography remains to be seen. The actor is known for his ability to reinvent himself and explore different genres, and if the movie is to be a success, it could lead to a surge of more comedic roles for the Schindler's List star. For now, details about the Naked Gun reboot have been kept largely under wraps, but it appears to be moving in a positive direction to hopefully hit the July 2025 release date.

Source: Deadline