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Liam Neeson risks ‘finishing career’ by starring in slapstick Naked Gun reboot
“It’ll either finish my career or bring it in another direction. I honestly don’t know.”
Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson is negotiating a spot in a ‘Naked Gun’ reboot, getting top billing in the slapstick comedy.
Fans are surprised by the casting choice as the straight-faced star is most known for his tough guy roles in hits like ‘Taken’ and serious dramas like award-winner Schindler’s List.
The Antrim man has proven his comedic chops before however, making appearances in a number of comedies led by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane – the man who has now set his sights on Neeson for Naked Gun.
The beloved franchise starred the late Leslie Nielsen as Detective Frank Drebin across three films released in 1988, 1991 and 1994.
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! became an immediate classic for Nielsen and co-stars Priscilla Presley and Ricardo Montalban.
Following Nielsen’s death in 2010, talks of a return to the series fizzled out as quickly as they started as a reboot of an ‘80s classic seemed risky.
According to Deadline, the success of Top Gun: Maverick this year was a necessary testing of the waters to wipe away doubts and get the Naked Gun reboot rolling.
“I’ve been approached by Seth McFarlane and Paramount Studios to maybe resurrect the Naked Gun films,” Neeson recently told People Magazine.
“It’ll either finish my career or bring it in another direction. I honestly don’t know.”
“I think the action movies will draw to a close, they have to”, Neeson said about the potential new direction for his career.
“Audiences aren’t stupid, you know. They’re gonna go, ‘Oh, fuck, this guy, Liam Neeson. He’s got to be 71, 72, 73…’”
"I’ll stop at some stage,” the star said.
Paramount Pictures is planning on moving forward with the film with Akiva Schaffer to direct and Seth MacFarland to produce with Erica Huggins.
Dan Gregor and Doug Mand will pen the script, sources told Deadline.
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