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Liam Neeson could trade in action movies, turn to comedy in 'Naked Gun' remake

Actor says he's been approached to take over role made famous by Leslie Nielsen
Liam Neeson and Leslie Nielsen, Naked Gun
Posted at 8:36 AM, Jan 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-22 08:36:38-05

Liam Neeson could be trading in his tough-guy persona for another kind of character -- a naked one.

The 68-year-old Irish actor told People that he's been approached to take over the role of Lt. Frank Drebin, made famous by the late Leslie Nielsen, in a remake of "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!"

"I've been approached by Seth McFarlane and Paramount Studios to maybe resurrect the 'Naked Gun' films," Neeson said while promoting his latest movie, "The Marksman."

Neeson has, in recent years, catapulted to action-hero status since first starring as a vengeance-driven father in the "Taken" trilogy. His filmography of the last decade includes a smorgasbord of action thrillers ranging from "A Walk Among the Tombstones" and "Run All Night" to "Cold Pursuit" and "Honest Thief."

But before the "Taken" series, Neeson was largely known for his dramatic roles in movies like "Schindler's List," "Rob Roy" and "Michael Collins."

"It'll either finish my career or bring it in another direction," Neeson joked. "I honestly don't know."

Nielsen himself was actually a dramatic actor before appearing in the 1980 comedy "Airplane!" From that point forward, Nielsen found himself as the elder face of humor, leading to his starring role in the ABC series "Police Squad!"

Although the show was canceled after six seasons, it spawned the original "Naked Gun" movie and its two sequels.

Nielsen died in 2010 in Fort Lauderdale. He was 84.