The Naked Gun 2025: Trailer, Full Plot, Cast & Instagram Handles
- Kimi
- Aug 2, 2025
- 9 min read
2025 The Naked Gun is the long-awaited fourth, fully canonical sequel to the classic cop-spoof franchise, arriving 31 years after the last installment. Directed by Saturday Night Live and Popstar filmmaker Akiva Schaffer, the reboot casts action icon Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., opposite Pamela Anderson and Paul Walter Hauser.
Over a brisk 85 minutes the trio fires off a barrage of absurd set-pieces and dead-serious deadpan. Released by Paramount on 1 August 2025, early word hails it as “high-hit-rate, fast-paced,” with an 83 % Fresh score and 89 % audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, according to Rotten Tomatoes and The Washington Post.Below is a full rundown of trailer highlights, complete plot, cast list and production background.
The Naked Gun Basic Film Information
Item | Details |
Original Title | The Naked Gun |
Genre | Action / Spoof Comedy |
Running Time | 85 minutes |
Director | Akiva Schaffer |
Screenwriters | Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, Akiva Schaffer |
Producers | Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins |
Distributor | Paramount Pictures – U.S. theatrical release 2025-08-01 |
Positioning | A “legacy sequel” set after Naked Gun 33⅓, centring on the original hero’s son |
The Naked Gun Trailer Highlights
Official Trailer Overview
The 2-minute-13-second official trailer dropped on Paramount’s YouTube channel and surpassed 18 million views in its first week.
It opens in a bank vault where a device labelled “P.L.O.T. DEVICE” is retrieved—an overt self-parody that instantly sets up the film’s fourth-wall humour.
In a “Police Legends Hallway” gag, a framed photo of O.J. Simpson appears; Nordberg Jr. shakes his head in mock disgust. The director confirms this is the movie’s sole spicy reference to pay respect.
The trailer ends with Liam Neeson doing the classic poster pose—legs astride the giant title treatment—paying homage to the 1988 original.
Trailer Easter Eggs
A James-Bond-style gun-barrel shot is abruptly smashed by a banana peel, hinting at the film’s tradition of lampooning spy thrillers.
A banner reading “NO AI USED IN THE MAKING OF THIS POSTER” skewers Hollywood’s current AI debates.
A squad car bursts through a billboard that screams “DEFUND THE POLICE?”, turning a real-world talking point into an absurd visual punch-line.
The Naked Gun (2025) – Plot Summary
ntroduction and Setup
Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) is a well-meaning but comically clumsy Los Angeles police lieutenant, following in the footsteps of his late father, the legendary Frank Drebin Sr.. As the son of the famed Police Squad detective, Frank Jr. feels the pressure of living up to his father’s reputation – he even speaks to his dad’s memory, pleading for guidance “like an owl or something,” in moments of doubt.
The Police Squad itself is on the chopping block, threatened with closure if it can’t prove its worth, which drives Frank Jr. to desperate lengths to succeed. Despite his earnest intentions, his policing style is chaotic. In an early set-piece that sets the tone, Frank thwarts a gritty bank robbery in outrageous fashion: he goes undercover disguised as a petite schoolgirl and ends up foiling the heist with over-the-top maneuvers – at one point ripping off his decoy “mask” and using a giant lollipop as a weapon against the thugs. Frank’s unorthodox heroics get the job done (amid countless sight gags), but also reinforce his image as an endearingly inept, bull-in-a-china-shop kind of cop.
Frank’s closest ally on the force is Capt. Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser), the son of Frank Sr.’s old partner, who serves as the more grounded straight man alongside Drebin’s antics. Together they report to the no-nonsense Chief (CCH Pounder), who frequently reminds Frank of modern protocols – a running joke is Frank grumbling about newfangled rules like body cameras and “having to follow the law,” reflecting his hilariously outdated cop mentality. Though Frank Jr.’s methods are clumsy and old-school, he is determined to save the day and thereby save his unit from being disbanded. This sets the stage for the film’s main caper, which arrives when a perplexing crime lands in Frank’s lap.
A High-Tech Murder and a Femme Fatale
The central case begins when a man is found dead at the wheel of a high-tech electric car under mysterious circumstances. Frank Jr. suspects this is more than a mere accident – he’s convinced it’s a murder waiting to be solved. Eager to prove himself, Frank launches an investigation into the bizarre fatality, unaware that it will lead him into the orbit of a dangerous mastermind. He soon crosses paths with Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), the victim’s sister, who comes to him seeking justice.
Beth is a sharp-tongued true-crime novelist – essentially a modern femme fatale – and she believes there’s a conspiracy behind her brother’s death. She pointedly pushes Frank to dig deeper into the case, making herself an unofficial partner in the investigation. Initially Frank is thunderstruck by Beth’s allure and boldness – upon first seeing her, he launches into a hilariously deadpan internal monologue admiring “her person,” a gag that both satirizes noir voice-overs and nearly breaks the fourth wall with its outrageous punchline. Despite the shock of their first meeting, Beth’s grief and resolve convince Frank to take her seriously.
With Beth joining forces with Police Squad, the case gains a personal dimension and some romantic sparks. Frank and Beth’s dynamic quickly evolves from wary collaboration to mutual attraction. As they work together, Beth proves to be more than a damsel in distress – she’s proactive and resourceful, determined to uncover who killed her brother. Frank, for all his bumbling machismo, is a gentleman at heart and finds himself falling for her. Their chemistry culminates in a ridiculously funny courtship montage, riffing on over-the-top ’80s music video tropes.
In this extended sequence – complete with winter sports antics and even a psychotic snowman cameo – Frank and Beth engage in absurd romantic hijinks, echoing the iconic love montages of the original films but with an extra layer of lunacy. By the end of it, the two are an item, albeit an unlikely one: Frank remains obliviously earnest, and Beth, channeling classic noir heroines, teases and challenges him with her wit. Their budding romance adds an emotional stake to the investigation, as Beth’s personal quest for the truth becomes Frank’s own mission as well. It also leads to numerous double entendres and sight gags, staying true to the franchise’s spoof heritage even in tender moments.
Uncovering Richard Cane’s Scheme
As Frank Jr. and Beth follow the clues, all signs begin to point to one man: Richard Cane (Danny Huston), a powerful tech mogul with a shady reputation. Cane is the visionary behind the very electric car in which Beth’s brother died – in fact, he’s an Elon Musk-like billionaire whose company touts the slogan “We make impossible solutions for a doomed world”. On the surface Cane presents himself as a progressive innovator, but Frank discovers a far more sinister agenda lurking underneath.
Cane is a megalomaniac with reactionary views; he believes society has gone “soft” and openly longs for a return to a less “woke,” more lawless era. In private, he cultivates a retrograde boys’ club atmosphere (one gag involves a secret members-only lounge where patrons freely spout the most offensive jokes and slurs, reveling in politically incorrect behavior) – all of which satirically underscores his warped philosophy.
Frank and Ed Hocken Jr. dig deeper into Cane’s business and uncover evidence tying him to the supposed car “accident.”
It becomes clear that Cane orchestrated the murder, likely silencing the victim (Beth’s brother) who had uncovered dangerous secrets about Cane’s latest project. When Frank attempts a confrontation, Cane proves slippery – he’s always one step ahead, shielded by his hulking henchman Sig Gustafson (Kevin Durand) and an army of goons. A comedic cat-and-mouse game ensues: Frank endures a series of farcical misadventures trying to get closer to Cane. In one episode, he infiltrates a tech expo hosted by Cane, only to cause chaos with a malfunctioning gadget (toilet humor literally ensues, as a “smart” restroom demo goes horribly wrong – a nod to the franchise’s love of physical comedy).
Though Frank’s old-school cop instincts are often at odds with the high-tech world Cane represents, he gradually pieces together the villain’s endgame. Cane’s devious plan is nothing less than domestic terrorism for the sake of his twisted social philosophy. He intends to create a massive crisis that will “toughen up” the populace – in his mind, culling weakness from society. This scheme is set to unfold during a major public event, where the maximum number of onlookers will witness (and suffer from) the chaos he unleashes.
As Frank realizes the scope of what Cane is planning, the stakes skyrocket. Not only is Beth’s quest for justice on the line, but potentially thousands of innocent lives and the very reputation of Police Squad hang in the balance. Frank’s earlier blunders have put the department under scrutiny, so failure here could give the city the excuse it needs to shut down his unit for good. With time running out, the stage is set for a dramatic showdown between Drebin and the tech tycoon.
Final Showdown and Resolution
The climax unfolds at Los Angeles’s famed Ponzi-Scheme.com Arena – a thinly veiled parody of Crypto.com Arena – where Richard Cane puts his grand plan into action. The arena is packed for a high-profile event (a championship fight night), providing the perfect cover for Cane’s mayhem. As crowds cheer, Cane intends to trigger a city-wide catastrophe: his plot will turn a live spectacle into a frenzy of panic, proving his point about society’s fragility. Frank Jr., Beth, and the Police Squad team race to the arena to stop the attack in the nick of time. What follows is a raucous set-piece blending action and comedy in equal measure.
Frank confronts Cane on the arena floor, leading to a wild brawl that spills into the ongoing event. In the middle of a roaring crowd, Frank battles Cane’s goons in delightfully absurd fashion. The fight choreography doubles as slapstick: at one point Frank ends up sliding across the polished floor between the legs of a lineup of henchmen, knocking them down like bowling pins (and nailing each in the groin for good measure). Ringside commentators (played by real-life sports personalities in cameo) provide comical play-by-play as punches fly and literal banana peels slip up the bad guys.
Beth, far from a helpless bystander, gets in on the action too – her quick thinking and well-aimed handbag assist Frank in subduing one of Cane’s key accomplices. Even Frank’s boss, the Chief, finds herself unintentionally KO’ing a villain with a well-timed chair toss, adding to the anarchic fun. Through a series of ridiculous and daring maneuvers, Frank manages to thwart Cane’s plot: the deadly device or signal Cane was going to unleash is neutralized just in time, and Cane himself is cornered by our heroes amid the arena’s uproarious standing ovation.
With Richard Cane’s scheme foiled, Los Angeles is saved from his manufactured chaos. Frank Drebin Jr. emerges battered but victorious, having proven that he can get the job done his way. In the aftermath, Cane is taken into custody (not before one last gag – for instance, Frank “accidentally” firing a tranquilizer dart into Cane’s backside during the arrest). The city hails Frank and his team as unlikely heroes. Importantly, by cracking the case and saving the day, Frank secures the future of the Police Squad unit – there will be no shutdown of his father’s beloved department on his watch. In fact, the brass grudgingly admit that Frank’s unorthodox approach has its merits, especially in a world where a retro crook like Cane nearly got away with high-tech mass crime.
The film wraps up on a celebratory note. Beth thanks Frank for avenging her brother, and their romance, kindled in absurdity, seems poised to continue (cue a tongue-in-cheek passionate kiss that accidentally sets off a arena pyrotechnics gag). Frank, for his part, has finally stepped out of the shadow of Frank Sr. and proven himself a worthy Drebin. As he stands amid the post-fight wreckage, Frank Jr. even looks to the sky for a sign of approval from his late father – and in true Naked Gun fashion, he gets one, albeit in the form of a slapstick twist (for example, a literal owl might flutter by, only to drop something inappropriate on Frank’s shoulder as a final joke). In the end, The Naked Gun (2025) delivers a fast-paced, chronologically zany narrative where the good guys win, the bad guy gets his comeuppance, and a lot of hilariously stupid-smart gags erupt along the way. It’s a case closed with laughter, honoring the spirit of the original films while allowing Liam Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. to carve out his own absurd legend.
The Naked Gun Main Cast & Official Instagram Accounts
Character | Actor | Instagram Handle | Notes |
Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. | Liam Neeson | No official account | Neeson has repeatedly stated he is not on social media; any pages in his name are fan-run. |
Beth Davenport | Pamela Anderson | @pamelaanderson | Frequently posts advocacy work, fashion shoots and Naked Gun set photos. |
Capt. Ed Hocken Jr. | Paul Walter Hauser | @paulwhausergram | Mix of film updates and stand-up-style anecdotes. |
Richard Cane | Danny Huston | @officialdannyhuston | Shares behind-the-scenes snaps and tributes to his famous filmmaking family. |
Nordberg Jr. | Moses Jones | @_mojofamous | Independent actor-producer who spotlights faith-based projects and indie film work. |
Sig Gustafson | Kevin Durand | @thekevindurand | Regularly posts workout clips and on-set selfies. |
Detective Barnes (cameo) | Liza Koshy | @lizakoshy | Promotes comedy sketches, dance clips and her Naked Gun cameo. |
Himself / WWE cameo | Cody Rhodes | @americannightmarecody | WWE–themed posts plus film-set shout-outs. |
The Chief | CCH Pounder | @cchpounder | Showcases art-activism projects and acting updates. |
Arena MC (cameo) | Busta Rhymes | @bustarhymes | Promotes music releases and cameo appearances. |
Conclusion
The Naked Gun is more than a tribute to Leslie Nielsen’s original—it brazenly splices modern pop culture, political correctness, and AI debates into its manic set pieces. Liam Neeson’s unexpectedly stone-faced comedic turn turns this 85-minute, rapid-fire spoof into a singular summer “stress reliever.” If you relish uninhibited visual puns and wordplay—or simply want to watch Neeson lampoon his own legacy—this film is well worth a trip to the cinema.