Nothing to See Here - Ed Helms Headlining Naked Gun Restart
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There is a belief held by John Landis and the Zuckers straight actors are funnier than comedians on film. A sight gag or a line of dialogue gets a bigger laugh if the actor plays it with conviction. The straighter he plays it, the greater the laugh. As funny as the Naked Gun movies are, Leslie Nielsen was the glue that held it together. Nielsen, a classically trained dramatic actor, played Detective Frank Drebin as serious as he did from his leading man days.
Variety reports Paramount is restarting the franchise as a vehicle for Ed Helms.
Helms is an amusing and likeable fellas on camera, and screenwriters R. Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon are working the police procedural spoof to fit the Hangover actor. Nobody wants Helms to imitate Nielsen. That would be a waste of time, money and talent. They are obliviously going to go in their new direction. Only... that would, if I had to guess, involve making Drebin in on the joke. Make him as zany as the sight gags around him. Big mistake.
Assuming that's their big plan to distinguish themselves from Nielsen and the Zuckers.
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