The latest example of Hollywood’s franchise rebooting fetish is here. 1980s comedy classic The Naked Gun is getting revamped by Paramount and will star Ed Helms (The Hangover, TV’s The Office) as bumbling cop Frank Drebin (previously portrayed by Leslie Nielsen). According to Variety, the new film will be scripted by Thomas Lennon and R. Ben Garant, known for their work on Reno 911 and Night at the Museum.
Ed Helms will star as Frank Drebin in ‘Naked Gun’ reboot
There’s no director attached to the project yet, but it sounds like Helms will indeed take the role of Drebin rather than starring as a new detective in the same vein as Nielsen’s signature character. While rebooting feels like something we see more commonly in the sci-fi or fantasy genres, reviving an old comedy franchise isn’t unheard of — witness the 2008 remake of the old Get Smart spy-comedy series.
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