Liam Neeson’s “Naked Gun” Earns $1.6 Million on Opening Night
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Paramount’s remake of The Naked Gun—starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson and receiving positive reviews—grossed $1.6 million on its opening night in U.S. theaters.
Projections suggest the film will earn $15–17 million by Sunday. Considering that most comedies are now released directly to digital platforms rather than in theaters—and given the film’s $42 million budget—Paramount can be satisfied with this opening.
In this reboot, directed by Akiva Schaffer, Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the iconic character from the original series (portrayed by Leslie Nielsen), who is tasked with solving a complex murder case in Los Angeles. Other cast members include Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Danny Huston, and Kevin Durand.
This weekend, none of the new releases are expected to dethrone Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps from the top spot. The superhero film is expected to gross $45–52 million in its second weekend, marking a drop of about 55–60% from its debut.
The family animated film The Bad Guys 2 from Universal and DreamWorks also opened this weekend, earning $2.25 million on its first night. Projections indicate The Bad Guys 2 will sell $20–25 million in tickets by Sunday, likely ranking second behind The Fantastic Four.
The first film introduced Mr. Snake (voiced by Marc Maron), Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), with additional voices by Sam Rockwell as Mr. Wolf, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Lilly Singh, and Alex Borstein. Rockwell, Maron, Robinson, Beetz, Ramos, and Awkwafina all return to reprise their roles in the sequel.
Another new release this week is Together from Neon, starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, which opened a day early on Wednesday night. The film is expected to earn $7.5–10 million in its first five days.
