First Reactions Are In: Naked Gun Reboot Described as 'Life-Affirming'

A reboot of the beloved Leslie Nielsen classic is hitting theaters this summer, and the natural reaction is somewhere between cautious curiosity and total dread. But according to director Akiva Schaffer, the first test screening didn't go up in flames. In fact, someone in the audience allegedly found the experience "life-affirming."

Schaffer recently spoke to Empire Magazine and gave the first glimpse into how the film's playing with audiences—and what to expect from Liam Neeson as the new face of Frank Drebin (or whatever legally adjacent name he'll be going by). First off, Neeson is not doing a Leslie Nielsen impression.

"Liam's got his own things, but they're not Leslie Nielsen's things," Schaffer said. "It would also be unfair to Liam, because he'd be spending the whole movie trying to match something that is another human being with a whole different—forgive me—set of skills."

That "set of skills" is apparently being put to the test in ways Neeson hasn't quite attempted before. The core of the writing process, Schaffer admitted, was simple: "What's the funniest thing that you can make Liam Neeson say?" And yes, that's more or less the entire premise.

The movie recently had a test screening in Arizona, and to Schaffer's surprise, the feedback wasn't just positive—it was weirdly emotional.

"We went out to Arizona for a preview, and so many of the cards were like, 'It had been so long since I just laughed in a theater with 300 people,'" Schaffer said. "You're just making something silly. But then some people were like, 'I found it life-affirming, because it reminded me the world could still be like the way it was.'"

That's either the most backhanded compliment ever given to a reboot, or a quiet cry for help from audiences starved for theatrical comedies that aren't dumped directly onto streaming.

It's worth noting that the bar for theatrical comedies in 2025 is currently buried somewhere under Netflix's recommendation algorithm. One of Them Days was a rare win this year, pulling in more than $50 million at the box office—beating out Universal's already-forgotten Wolf Man reboot. Meanwhile, comedies like Hit Man, Happy Gilmore 2, and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F are skipping theaters entirely.

So far, there are no official numbers from the test screening. But if Arizona audiences weren't paid in supermarket gift cards and still came out grinning, maybe there's hope. Still, until this thing is in front of paying customers, we'll reserve judgment.

Liam Neeson in a slapstick comedy about bumbling detectives? In 2025? That might be the most life-affirming part.

Quick Recap:

• Test screening held in Arizona, June 2025.
• Audience reactions were described as "Life-affirming… reminded me the world could still be like the way it was."
• Director Akiva Schaffer confirms Neeson is not doing a Leslie Nielsen impression.
• Writing process focused on: "What's the funniest thing you can make Liam Neeson say?"
• No box office yet — theatrical release coming summer 2025.