Naked Gun | Original creators are blocked from Naked Gun 4

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Writer Pat Proft says he’s “blocked” from Naked Gun 4, as he and director David Zucker discuss the planned sequel.

The original The Naked Gun film, starring the much-missed Leslie Nielsen, is remarkably celebrating its 35th birthday. And The Hollywood Reporter has celebrated in time honoured fashioned by chatting to some of the team behind it.

Specifically, co-writer and director David Zucker, and co-writer Pat Proft.

The full piece is here, and there’s much to munch on for the (many) fans of the original film. But towards the end, talk turns to the planned fourth Naked Gun film, that Paramount has in development.

The current plan for Naked Gun 4, which it won’t be called, is for Liam Neeson to play Frank Drebin, with Seth McFarlane producing and the terrific Akiva Schaffer (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) directing.

Yet Zucker and Proft were originally involved in a fresh The Naked Gun movie. Zucker, Proft and Mike McManus penned a screenplay for it too, and as Zucker reported, “we heard Jon Gonda at Paramount had read the script and laughed all the way through it. But somewhere along the line, they decided not to go with Pat and Mike and me”.

Zucker said that when the new team came in, “I was never able to meet with Seth”.

Pat Proft is more to the point: “I’m not happy – and there’s a story with it. But I’m not pleased. It may come out and may be great – and good for that – but I sure as (“Cluck” – Ed) should be writing it. I should have done this one.”

One reason Zucker gives why he wonders if they don’t fit the new movie was a joke he and Proft wroter about whether a police officer should have to adjust the Kevlar vest she’s wearing, or instead have breast reduction surgery. “That was too much for them”, he noted.

“We’ve been totally blocked out of it”, Proft added.

There’s no timescale as of yet on the new Naked Gun, which feels like it’s been in development for an inordinate amount of time now. We’ll keep you posted as we hear more.