David Zucker, the visionary director behind the original "Naked Gun" film series, has lent his voice to the enthusiastic reception of the recent reboot starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson. Though he hasn't personally caught a screening, Zucker harbors a firm belief that the film's triumph serves as a beacon of hope for the comedy genre.
Expressing his elation regarding the reboot's reception, Zucker enthused, "My heart leaps with joy, for it underscores the robust appetite for comedy in theaters, particularly parodies. Audiences are embracing it with open arms, and that's fantastic news!" He further reached out to director Akiva Schaffer, conveying his congratulations via text, "I've already pinged him, saying, 'I hear the reviews are stellar, and it's on a roll!'"
Despite his upbeat demeanor, Zucker harbors no intentions of watching the new iteration. He clarified, "I won't be catching it, but then again, I don't watch sequels crafted from my material by others, and that's perfectly alright with me." Zucker had collaborated on a script for a fourth "Naked Gun" film, which he pitched to Paramount, yet remained uninvolved in the reboot process.
He gracefully declined an executive producer credit, stating, "I refuse to take credit for something I haven't nurtured from its inception. Money is the least of my concerns." Joking aside, he added that the credit would scarcely cover a couple of electric bills after agents and managers took their cut.
Zucker is laser-focused on his own endeavors, notably "Counterintelijence," initially conceived as the fourth "Naked Gun" film, and "The Star of Malta," a noir parody script. He harbors hopes that the buzz surrounding the reboot will catalyze interest in his projects.
The director was touched by a call from producer Seth MacFarlane, who sang praises for his earlier works like "Airplane!," "The Naked Gun," and "Top Secret." Zucker reminisced, "He spent the first ten minutes waxing lyrical about how much he adored those films. It's hard to stay upset with someone who calls you a genius!"
