The Naked Gun Reboot: Box Office Recovers Budget But Misses Big Theatrical Milestones (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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The Naked Gun reboot arrived with strong reviews last week but has not taken off at the box office like Paramount hoped. Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson lead the cast in this new take on the classic franchise that began with Leslie Nielsen’s hit trilogy. This trilogy came from the old Police Squad TV show, so the story is not new, yet that familiarity has not drawn in crowds as much as expected.
THE NAKED GUN was SO GOOD.
It’s non-stop blink and you miss it jokes & it never tries to be anything more than really fucking funny.
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I know you’re tempted to wait and catch this one at home, but trust me – you don’t remember how good it feels to see a real comedy in a theater. pic.twitter.com/CjnqFxmxAD
The Naked Gun Box Office Earnings and Budget Recovery
Despite the lukewarm response, the film earned back its $40 million budget, pulling in $33 million in the US and $23.4 million internationally. According to Box Office Mojo, it has made around $56 million globally.
For Neeson, this is one of his biggest hits in recent years, but it still falls short of the success he saw with his action films during the 2010s. R-rated comedies face tough competition, mostly finding their place on streaming services rather than in theaters. On top of that, Paramount is currently dealing with a sale, making it harder for the movie to get a strong push.
Critical Reception of The Naked Gun Reboot
Directed by Akiva Schaffer and produced by Seth MacFarlane, the film has been met with strong critical acclaim. It currently holds an impressive 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, with many praising Liam Neeson’s straight-faced performance that blends perfectly with the film’s over-the-top humor. One reviewer even hailed it as one of the funniest movies of the decade.
While The Naked Gun could find a devoted following when it arrives on home video, some feel it might have made a bigger splash at the box office. For context, a 2023 comedy like Jennifer Lawrence’s No Hard Feelings grossed around $50 million domestically — a benchmark this movie might have reached under different circumstances. For now, it’s still playing in theaters for those who want to catch it on the big screen.
