Directed by Akiva Schaffer and penned by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, Is There a Cop to Save the World? breathes new life into the parody franchise made famous by Leslie Nielsen, starring Liam Neeson. Set to hit French theaters on August 13, 2025, this action-comedy (original title: The Naked Gun) also features Pamela Anderson and Paul Walter Hauser. After a direct-to-VOD release available for purchase on December 11, 2025, and for rental starting December 17, 2025, the film will be broadcast on Canal+ on Friday, February 13, 2026, at 9:10 p.m.
Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. is a member of the elite Special Brigade, where quick thinking often takes precedence over strict protocol. When he inherits a complicated case with worldwide implications, his seemingly unconventional and occasionally awkward methods turn out to be his greatest asset.
The story explores themes of both legacy and reinvention: it features familiar police parody archetypes—chases, false leads, detective tropes—but reimagined within a slapstick framework, filled with absurd setbacks and visual gags. The plot also introduces new characters, including a femme fatale played by Pamela Anderson, expanding the comedic palette while staying true to its parody spirit.
Fourth installment in a franchise launched in 1988 with Y a-t-il un flic pour sauver la reine?, this reboot steps into a universe that originally began on television with Police Squad! (1982). During the 1980s and early 1990s, the style was characterized by fast-paced gag writing and a deadpan, serious approach that heightened the absurdity—drawing inspiration from the Zucker Brothers’ classic comedies and films like Airplane!. After Leslie Nielsen’s passing in 2010, the series needed a fresh start: this time, the idea of Drebin’s son becomes the key to preserving the franchise’s DNA while introducing a new hero.
The project is built around established comedy talents: Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, who have collaborated on sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother, and Akiva Schaffer, bringing experience from Saturday Night Live and Hollywood films. Filming began on May 6, 2024, in Atlanta, under the working title Law of Toughness. The shoot was carried out in 35mm to evoke a nostalgic, "retro" look reminiscent of action movies from the 1980s and 1990s, drawing inspiration from classics like Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop 2, as well as more recent James Bond entries.
In terms of acting, Liam Neeson's choice centers on a striking contrast: traditionally associated with action and drama, he is here cast in a comedic role, playing against type. Pamela Anderson, on the other hand, takes on the part of a femme fatale—a character echoing classic genre cinema—and plays with her public persona, extending it beyond her more dramatic turn in The Last Showgirl.
Is there a cop brave enough to save the world?
Film | 2025
Opening in theaters: August 13, 2025
Streaming on Canal+: February 13, 2026, at 9:10 PM
Action / Comedy | Duration: 1h25
Directed by Akiva Schaffer | Starring Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser
Original title: The Naked Gun
Country: United States
Straddling homage and innovation, Is There a Cop to Save the World? revisits the conventions of police parody — with its straight-faced seriousness, constant absurdity, and precise comedic timing — while introducing a new tone: a “blockbuster” level threat and a hero incapable of being ordinary. It’s a fresh take that allows the franchise to resonate with new audiences without dismissing its legacy.
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