Liam Neeson Shocks Fans: ‘Naked Gun’ Reboot Trailer Drops as Pamela Anderson Romance Heats Up

Hollywood icon Liam Neeson is back in the headlines after stealing the spotlight at the New York premiere of Paramount’s The Naked Gun reboot—and he’s doing it with the same straight-faced swagger that made the original franchise a cult classic. Standing on the red carpet alongside co-star Pamela Anderson, the 73-year-old actor was asked why audiences need another Drebin adventure. His answer was pure Frank Drebin Jr.: “Because we’re all f—ed, and we need a few giggles.” Set to open nationwide on August 1, The Naked Gun drops Neeson into the role of bumbling detective Frank Drebin Jr., who races to stop a billionaire villain from unleashing a mind-warping toxic gas. Producer Seth MacFarlane promises the reboot “nails the timing” for big-screen slapstick, while YouTuber-turned-actor Liza Koshy predicts the film’s rapid-fire joke pace will feel like “a dopamine rush” for TikTok-era viewers. But it isn’t just Neeson’s deadpan one-liners making waves. Social media lit up after Anderson and Neeson played coy about their off-screen chemistry during a Today show interview. Hosts rolled footage of the pair sharing a cheeky on-air “kiss,” prompting Craig Melvin to ask point-blank whether the single stars are officially dating. Anderson smirked, “I don’t understand the question,” while Neeson teased that they decided to “just let it breathe” after discovering a “lovely budding chemistry” on set. Rumors of a romance first sparked when Anderson planted a red-carpet kiss on Neeson’s cheek at the film’s London premiere last week. According to insiders cited by Page Six, the Baywatch alum and the Taken star have been “smitten” since principal photography wrapped earlier this year. Fans have since flooded TikTok with mash-ups of the duo’s flirtatious press-tour moments, driving search interest for terms like “Liam Neeson girlfriend,” “Pamela Anderson Liam Neeson dating,” and “Naked Gun cast.” The reboot also boasts a supporting lineup designed to bridge generations: comedy legend “Weird Al” Yankovic, Oscar-winner Paul Walter Hauser, and social-media favorite Koshy all share screen time with Neeson and Anderson. Paramount is betting that the ensemble—paired with the franchise’s signature sight gags—will revive the big-screen spoof for a post-pandemic audience hungry for escapist laughs. Industry analysts note that Neeson’s pivot from brooding action hero back to comedy could broaden his box-office appeal. The actor spent the last decade anchoring high-octane thrillers, yet his earliest breakout role was the Oscar-nominated drama Schindler’s List, proving his range. With The Naked Gun poised for a lucrative opening weekend and the Anderson dating buzz dominating entertainment feeds, Neeson’s comedic comeback may be just the ingredient moviegoers—and search algorithms—have been waiting for. The Naked Gun opens Friday, August 1, in theaters nationwide. Advance tickets are already charting in Fandango’s top-five sellers, and early tracking suggests a $45–50 million debut. Whether audiences show up for the slapstick, the star power, or sheer curiosity about Hollywood’s newest rumored couple, one thing is certain: Liam Neeson’s still got a very particular set of skills—this time, making us laugh when we need it most.