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Andy Samberg has, in fact, seen Tiffany Haddish and Bill Murray getting down on the dance floor.

The actor-producer made a recent stop by Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where Haddish was filling in as host. During his appearance, he recalled the last time he had seen the Girls Trip star.

“I hope this isn’t speaking out of turn. The last time I was at a thing you were at, I had just co-hosted the Golden Globes and I was leaving the afterparty,” Samberg recounted, adding that he “had a few drinks.” He hosted the 2019 awards ceremony with Sandra Oh.

“As I was leaving, I looked over at the dance floor and I believe what I saw was you and Bill Murray freaking like junior high students,” he continued before asking, “Now, is this factual or did I imagine it?”

Haddish confirmed, “You saw right. He and I, we danced all night.

This article contains spoilers for "The Naked Gun."

In Nicole Kidman's version of the cinephile's pledge of allegiance, we come to movie theaters to laugh, to cry, and to care, yet we don't seem to be doing much of the first part. To be fair, there have been several great theatrical comedies released over the past five years like the screamingly funny slapstick epic "Hundreds of Beavers," but they've rarely come from major studios. There are, of course, exceptions like "Barbie" or the miniature success of "No Hard Feelings," but otherwise, recent studio comedies have gone underseen, been relegated to streaming, or simply not been made. A comedy like 2023's extremely funny "Joy Ride" simply isn't treated with the same fervor as a blockbuster action movie. But if there's one film this year that possesses the power to hopefully change that tide, it's "The Naked Gun."

Ethan Anderton's overwhelmingly...

This article contains spoilers for "The Naked Gun."

This month's reboot of "The Naked Gun" may be a parody of the action film in general, but that doesn't mean its satiric targets are all that broad. The movie recognizably spoofs at least a handful of films, though not in a fashion that would allow the film to become quickly dated, something that /Film's Ethan Anderton observes in his review. In other words, there's nothing like the moment from "Hot Shots: Part Deux," in which Saddam Hussein is shot to pieces and then reforms a la the T-1000 in "Terminator 2," happening here. Instead, "The Naked Gun," as directed by co-writer (and "The Lonely Island" member) Akiva Schaffer, is more concerned with stuffing its brief runtime with jokes-a-plenty. In a similar fashion to Schaffer's prior comedy movies like "Hot Rod" and "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping," "The Naked Gun" is all about the yuks.

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

"There was a couple years, though, where it was not a big punchline, but where if it came up, you had to disavow it." Those are the words of director Akiva Schaffer, one third of the comedy group The Lonely Island, talking about their 2007 comedy "Hot Rod" on "The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast" in 2024. "Even on talk shows, you'd have to, like, really make sure you made fun of it before they did."

Time has been kind to "Hot Rod," with the film achieving cult status over the years. In its day though, the comedy was a flat out flop. Despite Schaffer's success alongside his partners Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone on "Saturday Night Live," this pattern of flop-turned-cult-classic would...

This article contains minor spoilers for "The Naked Gun," so beware.

The reboot of the classic spoof franchise "The Naked Gun" hits theaters this weekend, and you'd be hard pressed to find a comedy that packs so many hilarious jokes into its breezy hour and a half runtime. Seriously, there hasn't been a comedy on the big screen that makes you laugh so often, so hard, and so consistently in a long time. Even if you find that a joke doesn't work for you, don't worry, another one will come along in just a moment.

That's largely because director Akiva Shaffer, along with co-writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, really took the time to study the magic of the original property, figuring out how to craft the story without imposing on the myriad of jokes and making sure to meticulously shape gags so they didn't overstay their welcome. There are...

Comedy is back in theaters in a big way this weekend with the arrival of the "Naked Gun" reboot. This time, Liam Neeson stars in the spoof comedy as Frank Drebin Jr., son of Leslie Nielsen's detective character form the original parody franchise, and director Akiva Shaffer is at the helm, keeping the spirit of the beloved comedy film series alive while also injecting it with just enough modern flare to keep it fresh.

Tackling such a revered property is no easy feat, and even Shaffer himself was skeptical that a reboot of "The Naked Gun" was even possible. But the casting of Neeson is what helped bring everything together for him, and it was off to the races. However, even with Neeson in the lead role, there was still quite the challenge of satisfying longtime spoof fans while updating things for a new audience, a hurdle that is...

This article contains spoilers for "The Naked Gun."

It almost seemed like a grave mistake to revive a long dormant franchise whose comedic identity revolves around the impossible-to-recreate screen presence of Leslie Nielsen, but rest assured, it's a glorious new day for "The Naked Gun" series. In the Akiva Schaffer-directed reboot of the same name, Liam Neeson embraces his sillier side as Frank Drebin Jr., the equally destructive offspring of Nielsen's character. After spending the latter half of his film career playing older tough guys, Neeson gets to channel that energy into an incredibly funny performance that honors his cinematic daddy without outright copying him. His comedic turns in "The Lego Movie," "A Million Ways to Die in the West" and a scene-stealing cameo in "Ted 2" were all warm-ups for a film that could easily guide Neeson into the next phase of his career. But he's not...

If anyone had postulated that the star of serious fare such as Schidler’s List (1993) or Taken (2008) would show such a flare for comedy – other than the self-parody present in something like Ted 2 (2015) – they would be worthy of the title of Nostradamus. With The Naked Gun, Liam Neeson reinvents himself as a comedic force to be reckoned with and the film proves to be a more than enjoyable romp from start to finish.

The film follows Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) and his cohorts on Police Squad as they try to solve a murder before the entire police department is shut down. Of course, this is a crime that goes much deeper than the simple murder that starts the investigation. It, naturally, involves a conspiracy of some other sort that a nefarious criminal is behind whom Drebin may, or may not be destined to bring to justice.

Spawned from...

It may be Superhero Summer with movies like Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps dominating the box office charts, but one of the steamy season’s most anticipated comedies, The Naked Gun, is ready to rake in millions for the genre. According to analysts, The Naked Gun is targeting a $15-$17 million debut from 3,300 locations. The amount is a decent bit of scratch for a rebooted comedy, especially as the genre struggles at the box office. As Liam Neeson points out in a recent Naked Gun PSA, comedy films don’t perform in theaters like they used to, and if we want movies like The Naked Gun not only to exist, but succeed, we need to show up to the cinema when it counts.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Naked Gun:

“Only one man has the particular set of skills… to lead Police Squad and save the world!

The late Leslie Nielsen may have left us more than 14 years ago, but his legacy still lives on in our memories, especially for those who grew up watching his comedies during the 80s and 90s era. His signature brand of deadpan and nonchalant personalities made him such an undisputed icon for spoof movies, as seen in the likes of Airplane!, and of course, the Naked Gun trilogy.

For the latter, the last Naked Gun was Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult over 30 years ago. It was originally meant to be the final instalment of the movie series, but in the eyes of the Hollywood vultures studio execs, they will always find a way to maintain or revive a franchise wherever they see fit. And so they did, and after a long-gestating attempt over the years, The Naked Gun is back with a legacy sequel. Again, with Leslie Nielsen no longer here,...

Over the past five years, seeing a straight-up comedy that puts big laughs first and foremost has become a rarity. Gone are the days when filmmakers like Judd Apatow and Adam McKay were given big summer blockbuster release dates for their star-studded comedies, and multiplex general audiences are far worse for it. There's nothing better than sharing a fit of laughter with a big group of people. While there are blockbusters that come with a fair share of jokes, whether it's something like "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" or the video game-infused action of "Free Guy," rarely do we get to sit down in the theater for a movie that has the explicit goal of making us laugh.

Thankfully, "The Naked Gun" has the power to change that, as long as audiences give it a chance to tickle their funny bone. 

Directed by Akiva Shaffer (one-third of the "Saturday Night Live...

It takes a bold man to step into the shoes of Leslie Nielsen, former Hollywood matinee idol (see how heroic and gallant he is in 1956’s Forbidden Planet!) and late-in-life comedic genius. Thank God — or rather, thank the holy trinity of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker — for Nielsen’s reinvention as keeper of the big-screen, charismatic-idiot flame. Even within Airplane‘s cast of fellow actors previously known for their gravitas, Nielsen proved himself as a first-rate boob. His deadpan was deadly. Naturally, it was a no-brainer to cast...

General audiences at multiplexes likely will not be able to tell that the dead-on spoof of a movie trailer that opens the new reboot of ’80s classic The Naked Gun is actually part of the film itself as it no doubt will have just followed 25 minutes of real trailers, but it is an inspired beginning as star Liam Neeson shows up to plead for the return of comedy to theaters, an endangered species he goes on to detail by name-checking numerous funny films of a distant past and encouraging moviegoers to support the comedy of their choice — if they can find it.

The sad thing is that it is not just a spoof. The style of Lol-, hit-the-wall-with-a-barrage-of-laugh-lines-for-85-minutes-straight comedy has become something of a rarity in theaters, where the sound of laughter can be contagious if experienced communally. Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler are relegated to streamers these days.

Akiva Schaffer’s The Naked Gun might be the riskiest attempt at a legacy sequel in recent memory. It attempts to resurrect not just a dormant franchise, but the cinematic spoof genre as a whole after it was beaten to death by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer in the mid-aughts. Schaffer has been almost single-handedly keeping the genre on life support since his 2007 feature directorial debut, Hot Rod. And while The Naked Gun isn’t an unmitigated success like Schaffer’s Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping and Chip n’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers, it’s also a much purer, freewheeling spoof, with a lower barrier of entry that serves it well.

This isn’t a film that plays much inside baseball. One notable exception is a gag centered around the loss of nearly every major cast member from the original films, and Schaffer and co-screenwriters Doug Mand and Dan Gregor...

According to Liam Neeson (and the past several years of film releases), comedy at the cinema is dying. Back in my day, you couldn’t last the school day without hearing people talk about films like Tommy Boy, Airheads, Wayne’s World, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Coneheads, The Big Lebowski, Napoleon Dynamite, and more. Those days are steadily going the way of the dodo. However, in a new PSA, Liam Neeson says you can help save the genre by showing your support for The Naked Gun, coming to theaters on August 1, 2025.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Naked Gun:

“Only one man has the particular set of skills… to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) follows in his father’s footsteps in The Naked Gun, directed by Akiva Schaffer and from producer Seth MacFarlane. Joining the cast are Pamela Anderson,...

The comedic stylings of writer, actor, stand-up comedian, and executive producer Ramy Youssef tend to be laced with tragedy. His A24 Hulu series "Ramy" is as heartbreaking as it is humorous, following its Egyptian-American protagonist Ramy (Youssef) as he tries to navigate his faith and identity to mostly tragic ends. Similarly, his executive-produced A24 Netflix series "Mo," about Mo (Mo Amer), an undocumented descendant of Palestinian refugees living in Houston, is also frequently rather sad as it confronts the terrible reality of being undocumented in America. Both shows use a bit of surreal humor and absurdity to help make the more depressing elements slightly more palatable and blend the comedic and tragic tones, but Youssef's newest show takes this concept to brand new heights. 

On the A24-produced Prime Video series "#1 Happy Family USA," Youssef and co-creator Pam Brady tackle what it was like to grow up as an Egyptian-American...

After the critical failure of 2011’s The Smurfs and its 2013 sequel, The Smurfs 2, Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures rebooted the beloved series based on the Belgian comic with Smurfs: The Lost Village in 2017. Although seen as an improvement, it still wasn’t the success anyone was hoping for. The Peyo Company — owner of the Smurfs brand and named after its creator — decided to switch direction and partnered with Paramount Pictures for the next reboot attempt, simply titled Smurfs. Unfortunately, it’s more of the same. A few fun moments wrapped around a well-meaning story, but with a rather bland end result.

Smurfs Plot

When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is taken hostage by evil wizard brothers Razamel and Gargamel (both voiced by Jp Karliak), Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the rest of the Smurfs on a dangerous rescue mission, with the fate of the universe at stake.

Smurfs Review No Name Smurf...

What is the deal with the Smurfs? It’s hard to find anyone who is a genuine fan of the blue-skinned, mushroom-dwelling cartoony creatures — they are, arguably, the worst thing to come out of Belgium since King Leopold II — yet Smurf-based films and TV shows continue, relentlessly, to be made.

Now, by unpopular demand, they’re back. Following the advice of Justin Timberlake in The Social Network and dropping the ‘The’, this is another crack at the live-action/animated hybrid format established with 2011’s The Smurfs — think Who Framed Roger Rabbit with none of the charm and James Corden replacing Bob Hoskins. It’s a tedious entry in a tedious series, with more than a whiff of corporate mandate about it.

The script, by Pam Brady (a writer on South Park and Hot Rod), at least shows initial glimmers of self-awareness, gently ribbing the Smurfs’ simplistic, characteristic-based naming convention — with notable exceptions for Smurfette and,...

Filmmakers like Mel Brooks and the trio of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker (also known as Zaz) once made spoofs the cream of the comedy crop with hits like "Young Frankenstein," "Blazing Saddles," "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun." Sadly, the popularity of "Scary Movie," a truly great horror parody from 2000 that followed in similar footsteps and kicked off a franchise of its own, resulted in a swath of far worse copycats from two of the film's co-writers, Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. "Date Movie," "Epic Movie," "Disaster Movie," "Vampires Suck," and more all tried to cash-in on spoofing popular blockbusters of the time, but the comedy left plenty to be desired, and the poor reception essentially killed the greatness and the appeal of spoof comedy — at least for a little while.

Thankfully, there have still been bright spots in the years since, such as the music biopic-skewering "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...

Andy Samberg has fully endorsed Liam Neeson's upcoming The Naked Gun movie, singing the praises of the new comedy film ahead of its release. The Naked Gun is one of the most famous comedy franchises of all time, and now that it is getting revived with Liam Neeson in the role, many fans can't wait to see The Naked Gun when it releases on August 1.

Speaking with Screen Rant's Owen Danoff while promoting their animated TV series Digman!, Andy Samberg and Neil Campbell were asked about The Naked Gun. The Naked Gun director Akiva Schaffer is a frequent collaborator of Andy Samberg, with both of them being members of the comedy music group The Lonely Island.

Samberg described The Naked Gun as "pure joy," saying that Schaffer "crushed it." Samberg explains that everyone he has seen the film with loves it, and that the film is "all jokes,...

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Daniel Warren Johnson's run on Skybound Entertainment's "Transformers" has been a resounding success. The comic has attracted huge critical and commercial attention since debuting in 2023; over the past two years, "Transformers" has outsold most Marvel and DC comic titles. It also received a Best Continuing Series award and Johnson himself won Best Writer/Artist at the 2024 Eisner Awards.

But all good things must come to an end. Last August, Johnson confirmed in a Reddit Ama that he would only be writing "Transformers" up to issue #24. He explained:

"When I make anything, writing, drawing, or both, I only know how to go 110 percent. So all that to say, I'm killing myself and can only go for so long. My choice to leave at 24 is more of a choice for my mental health and for my family than however I...

When news first broke that "The Naked Gun" was receiving a legacy sequel starring Liam Neeson, many of us shook our heads and criticized Hollywood for churning out yet another needless reboot. After all, the original movies are some of the best comedies of all time, and no one -- not even an actor of Neeson's quality -- could match the deadpan brilliance of Leslie Nielsen, right? However, those concerns were alleviated after the first "Naked Gun" reboot trailer threw shade at Oj Simpson, suggesting that director Akiva Schaffer and his co-writers Dan Gregor & Doug Mand have some clever zingers up their sleeves.

Well, now it's time for us naysayers to throw up our hands and admit we were wrong, as the latest trailer (see above) boasts a joke so gloriously silly that it wouldn't seem out of place coming from the mouth of Nielsen's clueless detective, Frank Drebin.

Admit it: it’s hard to imagine The Naked Gun without Leslie Nielsen, or the comedy stylings of filmmaking legends Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker. But worry not. The new sequel not only has Liam Neeson in deadpan comedy mode, one he rarely employs but has previously excelled in – see Life’s Too Short, or The Lego Movie – but also comes from The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer. There’s real potential, then, for something seriously silly that can live up to the original rapid-fire comedies. Check out the trailer:

As was made clear in the film’s first teaser (a gag repeated here too), Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr., a Police Squad cop hoping to walk in his father’s footsteps. And while Neeson is playing it even straighter than Nielsen’s Drebin Sr. did, the gags remain gloriously silly: Drebin eating several fast foods that upset his stomach; the precinct...

"They're going to shut down Police Squad if you don't solve this case. Do this by the book..." Or else! Ha. That's the sound of tha police! Paramount has debuted the first full official trailer for their reboot of The Naked Gun, a comedy franchise involving a buffoon police officer and his just as goofy colleagues on the Police Squad (first teaser was in April). This new remake / reboot is directed by Lonely Island mastermind Akiva Schaffer, who also made the other hilarious movies Hot Rod, The Watch, and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers recently. It's the single most important Naked Gun movie since the other Naked Gun movies. Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world! Liam Neeson stars in this as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., son of the original Frank Drebin, played by comedy maestro Leslie Nielsen. Joining the case are Pamela Anderson,...

In a rather dire year for studio comedies, the one that most has our attention is a new take on The Naked Gun from Akiva Schaffer, the Lonely Island member and brilliant mind behind Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping and Hot Rod. With Liam Neeson on board to lead, alongside a cast including Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Cch Pounder, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, Liza Koshy, Eddie Yu, and Danny Huston, the first teaser has now arrived.

Here’s the short synopsis: “Only one man has the particular set of skills… to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) follows in his father’s footsteps in The Naked Gun.” Set for an August 1 release, check out the humorous first teaser and poster below.

Update: See the full trailer below.

The post The Naked Gun Trailer: Akiva Schaffer and Liam Neeson Reboot the Spoof Comedy...

The Gold Standard is a Gold Derby series where we speak to legendary figures in Hollywood who take us through their award-worthy greatest hits. Below, Danny McBride revisits his greatest hits, up to the recently concluded, Emmy-contending, always side-splitting The Righteous Gemstones.

There’s been no shortage of Hollywood producers and filmmakers who have enlisted Danny McBride to bring his inimitable brand of coarse, Southern-drawled comedy to their projects. But whether it’s The Foot Fist Way or Eastbound & Down or Vice Principals or The Righteous Gemstones, the most enduring, most McBride-ian works don’t merely feature the onscreen talents of the 48-year-old Georgia native. He has played a formidable role in creating them.

“I would definitely not make it as an actor if I had to rely on other people hiring me to sustain my career,” McBride tells Gold Derby. “I don’t think I could pull it off.

Paramount Pictures has just released the newest trailer for the animated/live-action crossover adventure. The studio that brought us the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise will tap into another nostalgic property this July with Smurfs, an animated adventure based on characters created by Belgian comic artist Peyo. Paramount Animation brings this film in association with Domain Entertainment. The movie is also a Ty Ty and Jay Brown production.

Rihanna joins the village as the new voice of Smurfette, as well as contributing to the soundtrack of the movie with her new song, “Friend of Mine,” which can be found on the soundtrack that’s out Friday — you can check it out Here. Smurfs combines the style of the classic Saturday morning cartoons with more modern 3D animation. Smurf Village is devastated when a mysterious force abducts Papa Smurf and it’s up to a small group of ragtag Smurfs to get him back.

Here’s a wonderful Mother’s Day story as Warner Bros./Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie flies past $900M: The entire movie started with a mother’s love for her son, noticing his passion for the create-your-own-world game.

Around 2011, former Miramax and Lorne Michaels Entertainment executive Jill Messick was in between producing gigs, and like many parents with millennial young children, recognized her 11-year old son Jackson’s obsession with the pixelated brick-building universe.

Jill Messick

Seeing Jackson’s affinity for the game, Messick was promptly moved to cold-call Stockholm, Sweden-based Mojang Studios to inquire about the movie rights. She then cobbled together frequent flyer miles to fly over and pitch the game’s architect and company founder Markus Persson.

At the time, Mojang — being an indie startup that mushroomed into the creator of one...

After a century of non-recognition for their broken bones and unsightly bruises, movie stunt designers are finally getting their own Oscar. It’s about time stunt guys and gals get their flowers for death-defying feats. But forget Mission: Impossible Xiv and the next James Bond — many comedies are stuffed with outrageous acts of physical prowess, too.

Here are six of the most insane stunts from classic comedies…

1 Jackass 3D

The Guardian couldn’t get enough of this tour de force, featuring Steve O in a port-o-potty that’s shot into the air like a rocket. But wait — the flying toilet is tethered to the earth with bungee cords, meaning Steve O gets doused in doo-doo with each bounce. If the Academy had its act together in 2010, the Jackass team could have claimed its Oscar.

2 Safety Last!

The fact that Harold Lloyd hanging from a clock hand in 1923 still inspires sweaty...

Liam Neeson is an actor with a very particular set of skills. In the last decade and a half, that has primarily been looking gruff, talking smack, and kicking ass in a slew of geriaction films, from the Taken franchise to The Grey to The Commuter and, most recently, In The Land Of Saints And Sinners. But in The Lonely Island alum Akiva Schaffer's long-gestating, finally-nearly-here reboot of The Naked Gun, Neeson is set to show off a new skill only previously hinted at in guest spots on the likes of Life’s Too Short and Derry Girls — comedy. And if the first trailer for the movie is anything to go by, then the only thing Neeson's Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. is going to be killing here is us... because we might just die laughing. Check it out below;

Okay, hands up: who had 'Liam Neeson shivving baddies with...

To kickstart their very Mission: Impossible focused CinemaCon presentation, Paramount first debuted the official trailer for their upcoming action-comedy The Naked Gun, a movie they are cheekily describing as "The single most important Naked Gun movie since the other Naked Gun movies."

It's a short teaser, featuring leading man Liam Neeson, as he intervenes during a bank heist, but you're going to have to just watch it to believe it. We also learn that he's playing Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Leslie Nielsen's Lt. Frank Drebin, who the film will honor and it seems like they'll do it in typical Naked Gun fashion.

The film will provide some much-needed humor to an action-packed summer, opening in the wake of Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps and opposite the animated sequel The Bad Guys 2 and the body horror film Together. It's likely Fantastic Four will repeat as the box office champ,...

"Who are you?!" "Frank Drebin - Police Squad. The new version." Woop! Woop! Paramount has unveiled a hilarious teaser trailer for their new update of The Naked Gun, a comedy franchise involving a buffoon police officer and his just as goofy colleagues on the Police Squad. This new remake / reboot is directed by Lonely Island mastermind Akiva Schaffer, who also made the hilarious movies Hot Rod, The Watch, and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers before this. It's the single most important Naked Gun movie since the other Naked Gun movies. Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world! Liam Neeson stars in this as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., son of the original Frank Drebin, played by comedian Leslie Nielsen. Joining the case are Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Cch Pounder, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, Liza Koshy, Eddie Yu, with Danny Huston.

While audiences might be getting sick of sequels, remakes, and reboots, there's at least one coming to theaters this summer that we're actually looking forward to. "The Naked Gun" franchise is being revived with Liam Neeson taking on the role of Frank Debin Jr., son of Leslie Nielsen's Detective Frank Drebin from the original "Naked Gun" spoof trilogy of films that spawned from the short-lived comedy series "Police Squad!"

While reviving old comedy franchises can be rather risky, "The Naked Gun" comes with a promising filmmaker behind the camera, one who hasn't found much box office success but has consistently delivered some of the greatest comedies of the 21st century. Akiva Shaffer, one-third of the groundbreaking "Saturday Night Live" comedy group known as The Lonely Island, who ushered in the era of the "SNL Digital Short," is directing the film, having previously been at helm of "Hot Rod" (which...

April is bringing fresh movies, shows, and specials to Paramount+! Whether you love action, comedy, or family-friendly content, there’s something for everyone. Get ready for new originals, classic favorites, and exclusive premieres. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming next month!

1. The Last Stop in Yuma County (April 1)

A traveling salesman, stranded at a remote Arizona rest stop, becomes caught in a dangerous hostage situation when two ruthless bank robbers arrive, willing to use violence to protect their stolen money.

2. Before Dawn (April 1)

A young man leaves his family’s sheep farm in the Australian outback and joins his fellow countrymen on the Western Front during World War I, hoping to help bring an end to the brutal conflict.

3. An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile special (April 6)

Filming on March 26 at London’s Palladium Theatre, a primetime concert special will feature live performances by Elton John and Brandi Carlile,...

Every now and then, a true cinematic classic flies so far under the radar that its destiny to become a cult favorite is clear right from the start. Such was the case with the 2016 mockumentary musical comedy Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, which stars Saturday Night Live alumnus and Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andy Samberg as Conner "Kid Conner" Friel, a pop star struggling to go solo after being part of the rap group phenomenon The Style Boyz.

Grossly missed by many upon release, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping has now landed on Prime Video, and we urge you to either discover or rediscover this modern comedy masterpiece. Directed by The Lonely Island members Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone and written by and starring fellow The Lonely Island member Andy Samberg, as well as Taccone, and Schaffer, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping was co-produced by Judd Apatow and Rodney Rothman.

In an alternate universe, it could have been Kenny Powers shouting, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” On a recent episode of Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, Danny McBride explained how the opportunity almost came to fruition when he made the Lorne Michaels-produced Hot Rod, “one of the first movies I ever did.”

“When we were shooting Hot Rod, I met Bill Hader, Andy Sandberg and Akiva (Schaffer) and Jorma (Taccone) and all those guys,” McBride said. “And they were just coming off their first year of SNL. And so it was cool. I liked those guys.”

The guys liked McBride as well. “Lorne actually prodded me to see if I was interested in joining the cast,” he told Von. “But it was really the same exact week that we sold Eastbound and Down. And so I was like, as much as I’m flattered,...

Beloved director of such iconic films as Grosse Pointe Blank and Miami Blues, George Armitage, has died at 82. A popular director in the '90s and Roger Corman protégé, known for his dark comedies, he also helmed the 1972 Blaxploitation film called Hit Man. The news was confirmed by his son, the writer-producer Brent Armitage.

Born and briefly raised in Hartford, Connecticut, Armitage's family moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s. His first job in the industry was in the mail room at 20th Century Fox, which led to him getting into production on television shows. He worked as an associate producer on the soap opera Peyton Place starting in 1967, and leveraged that experience to get in with the folks at Roger Corman's New World Pictures. Corman was a revolutionary in the industry, creating an entire ecosystem of micro-budget films that gave many Hollywood mega-talents their start.

RelatedWhy Grosse Pointe Blank...

George Armitage, the director of Grosse Pointe Blank and Miami Blues, as well as a close collaborator of Roger Corman’s, has died. He was 82.

George Armitage entered the business in the ‘70s but it took a while to find his footing. That came with 1990’s Miami Blues, which starred Alec Baldwin as a criminal fresh out of prison posing as a cop with a stolen police badge. Armitage would develop his mixture of crime and comedy later that decade with 1997’s Grosse Pointe Blank with John Cusack and Minnie Driver.

Even though he was a buddy of Corman’s, it does feel like George Armitage is too rarely mentioned in the list of notable directors who got their start working under him. But we can’t ignore where he got his start. George Armitage met Roger Corman at just the right time in the 1960s. In 1971, Corman hired him to write Gas-s-s,...

George Armitage, who directed, wrote and produced films including “Grosse Pointe Blank” and “Miami Blues,” died Saturday in Playa del Rey, his son Brent confirmed. He was 83.

Raised in Hartford, Conn., Armitage started out in the 20th Century Fox mailroom before becoming associate producer on the long-running series “Peyton Place” in the 1960s. He met Roger Corman on the Fox lot and moved into feature films, writing the Corman-produced 1970 comedy “Gas! – Or – It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It.”

He continued making films for Corman and his brother Gene Corman, moving into directing with “Private Duty Nurses.” The 1972 Blaxploitation film “Hit Man,” which he directed and co-wrote, starred Pam Grier and Bernie Casey. Next up was “Vigilante Force,” with Kris Kristofferson and Jan-Michael Vincent, and the TV movie “Hot Rod.”

“Kaplan, Demme, Dante, Arkush and me… We were making little 45 Rpm rock ’n’ roll movies.

George Armitage, the director known for Hit Man (1972), Miami Blues (1990) and Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), has died. He was 82.

The writer, director and producer died last Saturday, Deadline has confirmed with his former agency Gersh. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

Born Dec. 13, 1942 in Hartford, Connecticut, Armitage moved to Beverly Hills with his family as a child. After majoring in political science and economics at UCLA, he found himself breaking into the film industry, working in the mail room at 20th Century Fox while waiting for his real estate license to come through.

Within a year, Armitage was an associate producer on the ABC soap Peyton Place. “It was an incredible experience,” he recalled in 2015.

“There was a producer there named Everett Chambers who would work on a number of films with John Cassavetes, he was usually helpful,” said Armitage. “This was just at the time when the fortysomething...

Paramount Animation wants to start the weekend by adding some pep to your step with the first single, “Higher Love,” from the forthcoming Smurfs movie. The joyous track hails from Desi Trill and features DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Natania, and Subhi. You can listen to the track by watching the video posted above, which includes new footage of the Smurfs.

Desi Trill is a new genre of music that celebrates South Asian music with an emphasis on collaborations with other artists. “Higher Love” begins with a spin on Belinda Carlisle’s 1987 hit “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” before rolling into fresh lyrics and beats from Cardi B, Natania, and Subhi. The lyric video features the Smurfs mugging for the camera and getting into mischief. It also features fuzzy creatures similar to the Kakamora from Disney’s Moana movies.

“I’m excited to be a part of this iconic collaboration,...

Saturday Night Live celebrates 50 years on the air in 2025. It also means that creator Lorne Michaels has spent half a century amassing an eye-popping net worth.

SNL's anniversary celebration culminates with a three-hour primetime special on February 16. Michaels will be joined by A-list celebrities, music legends, and countless cast members he helped discover and propel to the top of the comedy world.

Along the way, Michaels has made quite the fortune for himself through SNL and his production company. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Michaels net worth is an estimated $500 million in 2025. To put that in context, that is much higher than Robert Downey Jr.'s estimated $300 million net worth.

Of course, creating and producing Saturday Night Live is responsible for a large part of Michaels' lifetime earnings. But the 80-year-old has also created a media empire that extends beyond the halls of Studio 8H.

Film and television productions have increased Michaels' net worth.

Are you feeling a little blue today? Paramount Pictures has something that could have you feeling Smurfy in no time! The studio that brought us the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise will tap into another nostalgic property this July with Smurfs, an animated adventure based on characters created by Belgian comic artist Peyo. Paramount shared a little trailer tease yesterday, but now smurf on over to smurf the new trailer for the animated/live-action hybrid, Smurfs.

Rihanna gives a little intro as the new voice of Smurfette, as well as contributing to the soundtrack of the movie with her cover of “Heaven is a Place on Earth,” formally by Belinda Carlise. Smurfs combines the style of the classic Saturday morning cartoons with more modern 3D animation. Smurf village is devastated when a mysterious force abducts Papa Smurf and it’s up to a small group of ragtag Smurfs to get him back.

The cast of Saturday Night Live shares a bond unlike most anything else in television. The small group of performers spend countless hours together in pursuit of comedy. So when SNL fired one cast member in the '90s, it was no surprise to hear a couple of his colleagues took a stand.

Chris Parnell has the distinct honor of being fired from Saturday Night Live twice. The first came in 2001 after he joined the cast in 1998. SNL brought Parnell back halfway through the next season only to show him the door again in 2006.

The first firing came as a bit of a shock to Parnell. He thought he was hitting his stride, but his clashes with Lorne Michaels didn't help his case. He learned in the summer of 2001 that Michaels and SNL chose not to renew his contract.

In an interview with Cracked, Parnell reflected on the experience. He...

He might have earned himself a reputation for pummeling henchmen's domes, but Liam Neeson is actually game for a laugh when the opportunity arises. Take, for example, his turn in the 2014 comedy "A Million Ways to Die in the West," which saw Neeson playing a deadpan gunslinger out for the blood of the film's star, writer, and director, Seth MacFarlane. Given the subject matter and MacFarlane retaining the same standard of humor he's known for in "Family Guy," it's kind of a wonder the movie managed to get the "Taken" actor on board. However, while it turns out the Oscar-nominated performer was won over by a jab that MacFarlane had previously taken at him in animated form, he also had specific stipulations for his villainous character in the film, Clinch Leatherwood.

During an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" in 2014, Neeson recalled that he was the punchline of...

It may not be Dodgeball 2, but Ben Stiller is returning to the arena of sports comedies, and he's bringing a whole host of beloved actors with him. The Dink will be the first film to bring Pickleball to the big screen. The new comedy is being directed by Josh Greenbaum, who is also currently working on the long awaited Spaceballs 2, from a script written by Sean Clements.

Per Deadline, Stiller will be joined on the court by some beloved actors, comedians, and a bona-fide sporting legend. Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille), Chris Parnell (Rick & Morty), Martin Kove (Cobra Kai), Christine Taylor (Dodgeball), Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live), and Aaron Chen (Fisk) have all joined the cast of The Dink. And, "you cannot be serious," as John McEnroe, the man who managed to make tennis interesting to millions, will also be joining them on the court.

As well as Stiller, The Dink...

Saturday Night Live has had a number of spooky sketches over the years — from Ichabod Crane quizzing the Headless Horseman about paranormal fellatio, to the campfire horror story about lunching with a 22-year-old aspiring filmmaker. Absolutely terrifying.

While these examples were obviously pretty silly, one of the Lonely Island’s Digital Shorts actually featured some pretty hair-raising jump scares. A lot of them. Like, the whole friggin’ thing is jump scares.

“The Mirror” from a March 2008 episode found Elliot Page being constantly startled by the sudden appearance of a buck-toothed ghoul with a mysterious head wound (Andy Samberg) in the bathroom mirror. It was all a dream, but then it turns out to have been Samberg’s character’s nightmare. No wait, it was a nightmare being shared by Dracula and his live-in partner Debbie Lieberstein?

Not surprisingly, “The Mirror” was inspired by a horror movie, but oddly enough, it...

Sometimes packing a film with talented, mainstream actors makes a film entertaining. Other times, a more formulaic approach is taken. Physical comedy, timing, and a great theme help put any comedy film on the radar. In the 90s, a technique that caught on quickly was comedy films consistently featuring real bands playing themselves. On some rare occasions, a band would cameo in a film franchise that they liked, like Blink-182 in American Pie.

When comedy films use real music or a live band, sometimes the band will pose as a fictional band. In other cases, they are the backdrop of the plot in the film, playing themselves to serve the story. The film Hot Rod featured the band Queens of the Stone Age as a fictional version of themselves. Whichever path the bands take in a film, it's always awesome to see familiar faces embedded into any movie.

Queens of...

Saturday Night Live‘s golden year is reuniting cast members past for some new laughs.

This weekend, SNL alums and musical comedy trio The Lonely Island made a surprise appearance with their new song ‘Sushi Glory Hole’, the group’s first digital short on the sketch comedy show in six years.

A la 2006’s Emmy-winning “D— in a Box,” the song’s title is pretty self-explanatory, featuring Akiva Schaffer and Andy Samberg (Jorma Taccone is not featured but is credited as a writer) in their finest Wolf of Wall Street attire, pitching their new concept to a group of investors.

‘Sushi Glory Hole, imagine that / Instead of strange d—, you’ll be getting a snack,” raps Samberg during their pitch, complete with a tiny model.

James Austin Johnson, Andrew Dismukes, Devon Walker and Chloe Fineman then demonstrate how to use the Sushi Glory Hole,...

Mainly known for his role as Jake Peralta in the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Andy Samberg is one of the most illustrious comedy figures of the last two decades. His career started with the comedy trio The Lonely Island, but slowly and steadily, and with the exposure of Saturday Night Live, Samberg grew up to be the most popular member of the group.

Beyond comedies, Samberg has delved into voice acting in very high-profile animated movies as well as parody films, such as Hot Rod. However, Samberg also has the range to create more three-dimensional and insightful characters, playing interesting roles in movies like Palm Springs and Celeste and Jesse Forever.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Illustrates Samberg's Great Range

IMDb Score:

8.6

Rotten Tomatoes:

95%

Rotten Tomatoes User Score:

94%

Ben O'Reilly is Spider-Man's clone who was supposed to be evil, but became an ally and even took the Spider-Man mantle for a...