Rejected Naked Gun Movie Gets an Update From Co-Creator After Liam Neeson Film

The future of The Naked Gun franchise is still evolving, but one of its original creators is not done with his version of the story. Following the recent reboot led by Liam Neeson, new comments reveal that an earlier script hasn’t been forgotten and could still find its way to the screen.

David Zucker talks about Counterintelijence

David Zucker, who co-created The Naked Gun, recently shared an update on a scrapped sequel he worked on with writers Pat Proft and Mike McManus. Their script, titled Counterintelijence, was originally pitched as a fresh take on the series.

However, Paramount Pictures chose not to move forward with it. Zucker said to ScreenRant that the studio instead “hired somebody else, and it turned out to be less than great,” referring to the newer reboot direction.

Unlike the traditional formula, this version would have shifted the story into a spy-thriller setting. Zucker explained the idea was to move beyond the aging cop concept and build something new.

The film would draw inspiration from franchises like The Bourne Identity, James Bond, and Mission: Impossible, while still keeping the signature spoof humor intact. He added it would “make it truly the son of Frank Drebin,” focusing on a younger lead instead of replacing Leslie Nielsen.

Zucker also explained why he was hesitant about the reboot approach. “You can’t replace Leslie. And I wouldn’t want to,” he said, calling the original concept unique for its time but now outdated. While he acknowledged Liam Neeson as a strong performer, he felt the newer version leaned too much on repeating old ideas rather than reinventing them.

Despite setbacks, Zucker remains optimistic about his script. “We’re still going to use our original script… and we’re calling it Counterintelijence… It’s a great, great script, which we’ll do someday,” he said. However, he joked that returning to the franchise would only happen if the studio replaced “all the moron executives” behind the reboot.

Source: Comingsoon.net