The newNaked Gunmovie, starringLiam Neeson, has overcome odds to delight audiences. No one expected the movie to be as good as the old comedies starring Leslie Nielsen, but audiences were pleasantly surprised.The 2025Naked Gunmovie modernizes the misadventures of Detective Frank Drebin (or rather, his son, Frank Drebin Jr.), but it still pays respect to the films that came before it.
The Naked Gun(2025) continues many of the jokes from the first three films, including Drebin’s inability to drive without causing a commotion, inner monologues, and more. However, the best reference comes in the shape of musical comedy legend"Weird Al" Yankovic, who has now appeared inall fourNaked Gunfilms. His cameo in the new movie is the funniest one yet, and it helps demonstrate what makes the 2025 version so popular with audiences.
“Weird Al” Has Appeared in Every ‘Naked Gun’ Movie
The Naked Gunhas kept a tradition of including “Weird Al” Yankovic in every movie. In the first film,The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) has just returned from a mission to stop a terrorist plot against the United States. As he gets off the plane, he walks up to a podium, which he thinks is for him to address the press. However,it’s actually for “Weird Al,” who was on the same plane as Drebin. He’s greeted by adoring fans and paparazzi. YankovictoldThe Paris Reviewthat whenThe Naked Guncame out, he was still single, and he’d take dates to see the film with him. He didn’t warn them ahead of time that he would appear in the movie, but he’d wear the same Hawaiian shirt, so that when he emerged from the plane in the film, they’d get excited.
“Weird Al” shows up again inThe Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fearwith a much different cameo. He doesn’t play himself but instead plays a criminal who’s holding officers in the Police Squad building hostage. He’s quickly apprehended by Drebin, who swings the door open, unknowingly defeating the criminal. The credits only name the character by his line, which goes, “You pigs … say your prayers.” “Weird Al” is hardly recognizable as the criminal, since he’s missing his signature Hawaiian shirt and curly hair. “Weird Al” is also known for being one of Hollywood’s nicest celebrities, so to see him holding Police Squad hostage is out of the ordinary. Let’s just hope he didn’t take any dates to see that movie with the same criminal outfit he wears in the film.
WithThe Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, “Weird Al” is back to playing himself. The film finds Drebin working at the Academy Awards, which is the target of a serial bomber. On the red carpet, “Weird Al” arrives in a limousine alongside Vanna White. At the same time, Drebin and his wife, Jane, are trying to get into the ceremony, but they’re rejected because they’re not celebrities. Drebin and his wife knock out “Weird Al” and Vanna White and steal their clothes to sneak into the ceremony. When “Weird Al” and Vanna White come to, they point out Drebin to security, while he’s backstage searching for the bomb.
The “Weird Al” Cameo in Liam Neeson’s ‘Naked Gun’ Is the Best
In the 2025 continuation ofThe Naked Gun, “Weird Al” makes another cameo appearance as himself. In the movie, a group of billionaires plan to hide in a bunker while the rest of the world turns into chaos, thanks to the billionaires' device. The leader of the billionaires, Richard Cane, tells the others that the bunker will include entertainment. “Weird Al” then greets the room via video, saying that he’ll be ready to perform when they arrive. The billionaires never end up making it to the bunker, and a small mid-credits scene shows “Weird Al” in the bunker, wondering why they never showed up.
His cameo in this film is particularly funny for the same reasonas his cameoin the second film. “Weird Al” is generally an upbeat, silly person in his movie and TV appearances, so it’s hilarious to see him aligned with the antagonists in this movie. Although his appearance was never confirmed beforeThe Naked Gunwas released, it’s not too surprising that he shows up. After all, the film is directed by Akiva Schaffer, a member of the musical-comedy group The Lonely Island.As a fellow musical-comedian, “Weird Al” has collaborated with Schaffer multiple times, so it’s only natural he’d show up for Schaffer’sNaked Gunmovie as well.
‘The Naked Gun’ Honors a Legacy of Comedy
For a moment, it seemed like Liam Neeson’sThe Naked Gunwouldn’t be able to live up to the originalNaked Gunfilms.The Naked Gun’s original writers, Jerry and David Zucker,did not returnto the franchise for the new movie. That left a lot of pressure on Liam Neeson, Akiva Schaffer, and others to try to recreate the charm of the original without the creators' help. However, they remarkably overcame those odds, as they earned the highestRotten Tomatoes critics' scorein the franchise, with 90%.
What works so well for the newNaked Gunis that the movie never strays too far from the style of humor seen in the original. It’s all updated for a modern age where technology is everywhere, but classic jokes remain, like Drebin’s terrible driving and his constant miscommunications. “Weird Al” is one of those classic jokes, and the fact that he’s even included shows how far the film was willing to go to honor the original trilogy. With Leslie Nielsen and otherNaked Gunactors no longer with us, “Weird Al” and Priscilla Presley, who plays Jane Spencer-Drebin, are the only two actors from the original trilogy to show up in the new film.
Where To Watch ‘The Naked Gun’ Movies
Audiences who want to revisit “Weird Al’s” cameos in the original threeNaked Gunmovies are in luck, as the films all have multiple streaming locations.The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police SquadandThe Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fearare both streaming on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video’s MGM+ add-on.Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insultis streaming on Paramount+ as well as Pluto TV. All three films are also available to rent or purchase digitally on retail platforms like Apple TV and Fandango at Home.ThenewNaked Gunmovie, which also features “Weird Al,” is now playing exclusively in theaters.
The Naked Gun
