The Naked Gun 2 Back on the Case: Fresh Update on Liam Neeson Comedy Sequel
After a strong 2025 bow, The Naked Gun is already eyeing its next case: director Akiva Schaffer details where the sequel stands and what’s next for the Liam Neeson-led franchise.
The Naked Gun reboot hit in 2025, landed with audiences and critics, and then... corporate musical chairs at Paramount. So where does that leave a sequel? Director Akiva Schaffer just gave a refresh, and it is a mix of 'not now' and 'never say never.'
So, is a sequel actually happening?
'We are not planning another.'
That is Schaffer, speaking with CBR at the Critics' Choice Awards. The timing is the wrinkle: he says a change in ownership at Paramount went down about a week after the movie opened. Translation: everyone is waiting to see what the new regime wants before anyone pushes the big red greenlight button.
Creative-wise, they are not empty-handed. Schaffer says his co-writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand have a running list of gags on deck, producer Erica Huggins has a larger swing in mind, and Schaffer adds they have 'a few' big ideas ready. In other words, the team's primed if the studio calls, but no one is pretending a sequel is in motion.
How the reboot actually did
- Box office: $102 million worldwide on a reported $42 million budget.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 87% from critics; 72% audience score from 2,500+ user ratings.
- Hardware: Won Best Comedy at the Critics' Choice Awards, ahead of The Phoenician Scheme and Eternity.
- Now streaming: The Naked Gun (2025) is on Paramount+.
Who is in it and where it fits
This 2025 film is the fourth entry in the franchise. Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr., son of the late, great Leslie Nielsen's original character. The supporting lineup includes Pamela Anderson, Kevin Durand, and Paul Walter Hauser. For context, the series started with the 1982 TV show Police Squad! and jumped to the big screen with 1988's The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!.
Bottom line
No sequel is planned right now, mostly because Paramount changed hands right after the movie opened. The creative team has ideas if asked, and the first outing delivered solid reviews, an award, and a profit. Whether that combo is enough to sway the new bosses is the open question.