The Future Of Comedies Is In Liam Neeson’s Hands

The Naked Gun might be the best chance the modern film industry has at reestablishing studio comedies as a money maker at the box office. For years now, comedies have been seen as a risky proposition for theatrical release. Among the fifty highest-grossing comedies of all time, only seven had been released in the last five years — and three of them were Chinese releases that didn’t get a major push in Western markets. Instead, feature-length comedy has largely retreated to the world of streaming, even if the films deserve the theatrical treatment.

That’s what makes Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun such an interesting gauge for modern audiences. The legacy sequel to Leslie Nielsen’s parody of the same name, The Naked Gun is already earning rave reviews from critics who are calling it a welcome return for big laughs on the big screen. If The Naked Gun can match that critical success with strong box office results, then it could be a chance for the genre to reassert itself into the dominant space it occupied in the 2000s and 2010s at theaters.

Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun Could Revitalize Studio Comedies With A Strong Performance

The Naked Gun Could Be The Shot In The Arm That Studio Comedies Have Needed

With a bankable star, a franchise name, and experienced comic hands behind the scenes, The Naked Gun could revitalize not only the Naked Gun franchise but theatrical comedies as a whole. The Naked Gun remains a beloved comedy classic decades later, so it was inevitable that someone would remake it.

Luckily, The Naked Gun seems to be a best-case scenario. Liam Neeson embodies the same straight-faced delivery that made Leslie Nielsen so memorable in the role. This is coupled with the backing of a major studio like Paramount, as well as the comedy stylings of director Akiva Schaffer and producer Seth MacFarlane.

If the film has a strong opening at the box office, it could offer proof that comedies with the right amount of star power or brand recognition can bring in audiences. Liam Neeson has that enduring star power that could justify the kind of studio-backed blockbuster comedy that previously dominated theaters, reasserting that as a viable option.

The positive reception to the movie could help move the needle. The strong Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer proves that big-budget comedies can generate positive buzz from critics. Even if The Naked Gun doesn’t break the bank on opening weekend, strong word of mouth from audiences could also ensure it has long legs in theaters.

If Liam Neeson’s legacy sequel is able to turn a strong profit, then The Naked Gun could be the key to bringing more comedies back to the big screen. It could convince studios to embrace fresh approaches to old IP, similar to how 21 Jump Street became a hit. The Naked Gun has the potential to be a game-changer for modern comedies.

How Well Will The Naked Gun Actually Do At The Box Office?

The Naked Gun Needs To Overcome Some Stiff Competition Or Risk Having A Soft Opening

As reported by Variety, The Naked Gun has a production budget of $42 million. Taking marketing into account, The Naked Gun needs to make at least $85 million total at the box office to break even. Variety reports that the film is targeting a $15-$17 million opening weekend.

Box Office Pro has a more optimistic domestic opening weekend prediction of $20-$30 million. Given the star power of Neeson, the strong reviews, and brand recognition, I’d say it’s likely to fall between the two, with an $18-22 million opening weekend. That would be a strong start, making up half its budget in one weekend.

Some serious caveats will likely influence the box office results. Good word-of-mouth and strong reviews could help push audiences into theaters for the film. However, that didn’t elevate Akiva Schaffer’s cult classic (and absolutely hilarious) Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping from bowing out in 2016 with a disappointing $9,680,029 global box office.

There’s also the challenge presented by strong competition. Variety predicts that Fantastic Four: The First Steps will continue to dominate the box office, likely earning the top spot. The Naked Gun will also be going up against the family film The Bad Guys 2, which has enough comedy and charm to potentially divert audiences from The Naked Gun.

Although it faces plenty of challenges and has to deal with the scrutiny of being a big-budget comedy from a major studio, The Naked Gun really does have some big strengths going for it. Liam Neeson is a generational star, whose appeal should help bring in curious audiences and long-term fans who’d otherwise skip the comedy.

The good reviews (many of which are overwhelmingly positive instead of mixed) are a promising sign for the film, suggesting that audiences will walk away talking the film up. While The Naked Gun might not claim the top spot at the box office, a receptive audience could ensure the film earns back its budget over several weeks in theaters.

That’s why it’s potentially a game-changer for comedies in the theatrical space. If The Naked Gun ends up leaving theaters without making back its budget, then studios may decide that even star power and strong execution isn’t enough to generate big bucks with comedies.

However, a strong showing — especially if it’s able to have a lengthy run in theaters — could help revitalize the genre in a big way. As a fan of theatrical releases, the Naked Gun franchise, and everyone involved, I really hope it works out. There’s a lot riding on the success of The Naked Gun, but it seems just good enough to potentially save theatrical comedies.

Source: Variety, Box Office Pro