The original director of the 1980s police comedy Naked Gun revealed why he will not watch the upcoming remake starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. 

David Zucker, 77 — who is also known for helming movies such as Airplane! (1980) as well as films in the Scary Movie franchise — shared his candid thoughts on the new trailer for the reboot that officially dropped on Thursday. 

The Naked Gun was a box office success when first released in 1988 – and was followed by two sequels in the 90s. Cast members of the original included Leslie Nielson, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban and O.J. Simpson. 

‘I never saw Airplane 2 because you can’t unsee that stuff,’ the filmmaker told TMZ. ‘I’m not planning on seeing the Naked Gun remake either. 

‘I regret having seen the trailer for it. It’s like watching 2 Girls 1 Cup. I can’t unsee it,’ Zucker continued, referencing to a 2007 Brazilian pornographic film. 

David’s reaction to the remake comes nearly one year after he also informed the outlet that Paramount never reached out to him and he had no involvement in the reboot.

The original director of the 1980s police comedy Naked Gun revealed why he will not watch the upcoming remake starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson; David Zucker seen in 2022 in West Hollywood 

David Zucker, 77, shared his candid thoughts on the new trailer for the reboot that officially dropped on Thursday

The original Naked Gun movie — which was based on the series Police Squad! — was also co-written by himself as well as Jim Abrahams, Pat Proft and his brother Jerry Zucker. 

The 2025 film was directed by Akiva Schaffer and produced by actor and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. 

‘Paramount is just going ahead and doing it, they haven’t involved me,’ David told TMZ last year in April while discussing the reboot. 

‘So, I don’t have any thoughts on it. They’re just gonna do what they want, that’s Hollywood.’

Zucker and other co-creators — which also included Michael McManus — had previously pitched a script to the production company for a fourth installment in the franchise. But Paramount ended up not pursuing it. 

‘We were not excited about having the franchise given to other people,’ the director further expressed. 

‘At the time, I couldn’t believe it because we thought we had a great script, and they loved the script from what we heard.’ 

Zucker added, ‘I don’t have any control over it, I’m not involved. They haven’t asked me for my help. It’s completely their concept, and they’re just gonna go ahead and do it.’ 

The Naked Gun was a box office success when first released in 1988 – and was followed by two sequels in the 90s. Cast members of the original included Leslie Nielson, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban and O.J. Simpson

‘I regret having seen the trailer for it. It’s like watching 2 Girls 1 Cup. I can’t unsee it,’ Zucker continued, referencing to a 2007 Brazilian pornographic film

David’s reaction to the remake comes nearly one year after he also informed the outlet that Paramount never reached out to him and he had no involvement in the reboot; Zucker seen in 2019 in Beverly Hills 

‘They have not contacted me to make a cameo or be involved in the writing. Whether or not they’re going to do a good job with it — this kind of spoof, I mean it’s not rocket science, but it’s not easy.

David explained, ‘And I always say, “Kids, don’t try this at home.” We kinda developed this way of doing spoof over years and years. We kinda know the roles. But that’s not to say that somebody else can’t do it in their style.’

Read More Naked Gun creator David Zucker is unimpressed by upcoming reboot

He also pointed out that ‘younger generations’ are coming across films such as The Naked Gun and Airplane! 

However, he added. ‘I don’t know whether or not a remake of Naked Gun will especially move the needle one way or the other, as far as people watching Naked Gun again.’ 

Back in 2023, David reflected on previously working on a script for another Naked Gun movie during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 

‘Pat, Mike and I wrote a script for Naked Gun 4, and we heard Jon Gonda at Paramount had read the script and laughed all the way through it. But somewhere along the line, they decided not to go with Pat and Mike and me. 

‘So that’s when they got Seth MacFarlane, and he has Akiva Schaffer directing Liam Neeson. I was never able to meet with Seth.’ 

Pat Proft had also joined in on the conversation and admitted, ‘I’m not happy – and there’s a story with it. But I’m not pleased. It may come out and may be great – and good for that – but I sure as f*** should be writing it. I should have done this one.’

‘Pat, Mike and I wrote a script for Naked Gun 4, and we heard Jon Gonda at Paramount had read the script and laughed all the way through it. But somewhere along the line, they decided not to go with Pat and Mike and me’; Zucker and late Jim Abrahams seen in 2006 

He later added, ‘We’ve been totally blocked out of it. The unfortunate part of it is that Paramount owns it, so they can do what they f***ing want. So that’s it.’

Zucker also revealed that the director of the remake had met up with him and said, ‘Akiva did reach out and came to my house. I had a very nice meeting with him.

‘He’s a great guy, and we just talked about comedy. At some point, maybe they were going to give me the script. They wanted me to be involved, but I never got a script, so nothing ever came of it.’ 

The Naked Gun hit theaters in December 1988 and raked in $152.4 million on a budget of $12 million. 

In 1991, the sequel The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear was released followed by Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult in 1994. 

On Thursday, the official trailer to The Naked Gum remake was dropped – and fans were left both shocked and delighted at a wild O.J. Simpson reference. 

OJ had a major role in the original three films, just three months before the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, of which the NFL star was controversially acquitted after a trial that was followed feverishly around the world.

Now the comedy franchise is being revived with Liam Neeson, who plays the son of the first three movies’ lead character, police lieutenant Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen).

The teaser dropped and showcased Liam’s hilarious performance as Frank Jr., who has followed his father’s footsteps into law enforcement. 

But maybe the most memorable part of the sneak peek is the last scene, showing a row of cops getting down on their knees to pay tribute to a memorial wall of pH๏τos of their late fathers, who were also on the force.

The Naked Gun hit theaters in December 1988 and raked in $152.4 million on a budget of $12 million

On Thursday, the official trailer to The Naked Gum remake was dropped – and fans were left both shocked and delighted at a wild O.J. Simpson reference; Simpson seen in 1995 

While most of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ men’s pictures draw emotional reactions from their sons, the pH๏τo of O.J.’s character Detective Nordberg elicits a somewhat different response.

Nordberg’s son looks up at the pH๏τo of his late father, then aims a knowing glance at the camera while shaking his head in disappointment.

The previous instalment in the Naked Gun franchise was the final feature film that O.J. appeared in before he died of prostate cancer last year, aged 76.

When the new trailer dropped this week, fans reacted with hilarity on social media, exclaiming: ‘LMAOOOO,’ and sharing that ‘The Oj simpson bit cracked me up.’

In fact, the gag impressed even viewers who were left cold by the rest of the teaser, such as one who remarked: ‘Ok. The OJ joke worked. The rest? Oof.’

‘Hate seeing this was being rebooted but that OJ part of a laugh out of me,’ wrote another as still another confessed: ‘The OJ scene DID make me laugh.’

Even OJ’s lawyer Malcolm LaVergne, who is now executor of his estate, said he thought the joke was funny and was glad his late client was brought up in the trailer given his principal role in the original movies, via TMZ.

The trailer opens with a bank robbery that turns into a hostage crisis, with armed cops staging a desperate standoff outside the building.

In the midst of all the chaos, a little girl with a lollipop wanders insouciantly past the police perimeter and walks right into the bank.

But maybe the most memorable part of the sneak peek is the last scene, showing a row of cops getting down on their knees to pay tribute to a memorial wall of pH๏τos of their late fathers, who were also on the force

Nordberg’s son looks up at the pH๏τo of his late father, then aims a knowing glance at the camera while shaking his head in disappointment

When the new trailer dropped this week, fans reacted with hilarity on social media, exclaiming: ‘LMAOOOO,’ and sharing that ‘The Oj simpson bit cracked me up’

When one of the robbers demands to know what she wants, she rips off her mask and reveals herself to be none other than Liam’s character Frank Jr. in disguise.

‘Your a**,’ growls Frank Jr., drawing himself up to his full height and using the sharp end of the lollipop stick to slash the criminal to death.

In a sH๏τ that instantly went viral, Liam – who is 6’4″ – stands up proudly in his schoolgirl outfit, which is so small that his strawberry underwear is distinctly visible.

The remake is set to hit theaters later this summer on August 1.