Thescreescore – The new Naked Gun isn’t just a reboot; it’s a comedic coup. Writers Doug Mand and Dan Gregor recently revealed to thescreescore.com how they cleverly sidestepped a studio mandate to heavily feature Frank Drebin Sr., a move that threatened to ground the film’s anarchic spirit. Their solution? An owl. Yes, you read that right. Liam Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. is carried through the air by an owl, supposedly his father, in one of the film’s most unexpectedly brilliant sequences.
According to Mand and Gregor, the studio’s note demanding a "deeper relationship" with Drebin Sr. felt like a "death knell," potentially forcing the film to rely too heavily on audience familiarity with the original trilogy. Instead of creating a conventional father-son storyline, they embraced absurdity. "How do we do that in a really stupid way?" Gregor asked rhetorically, explaining their decision to make Drebin Sr. an owl.
Mand added another layer to the joke, highlighting the underlying theme of toxic masculinity and the desire for paternal approval. The image of a macho man, literally carried by an owl, yearning for a hug, is both hilarious and unexpectedly poignant. The writers even considered alternate endings, including one where the owl is simply eating a rat, completely deflating the supposed emotional resonance. Another involved a lion, but budgetary constraints (a common Hollywood hurdle, Mand joked) led to the owl’s triumph.
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This unexpected approach perfectly encapsulates the film’s spirit. The Naked Gun successfully balances homage to its predecessors with a fresh, comedic voice. It’s a testament to Mand and Gregor’s skill that they transformed a potentially stifling studio note into one of the film’s most memorable and laugh-out-loud moments. The owl cameo isn’t just a gag; it’s a statement of intent, a playful rebellion against formulaic filmmaking, and a perfect tribute to the spirit of Leslie Nielsen’s legacy. The film is in theaters now.
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