If you've ever wondered what happens when you give a clumsy police detective a badge and put him in crazy situations, you're about to find some amazing comedy. The Naked Gun movies were made by the legendary comedy trio Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker and follow a clumsy police detective who tries to solve big crimes, but funny mistakes happen all the time. These three filmmakers were already famous for making hilarious spoofs like Airplane! Before creating the character Frank Drebin, who was brilliantly played by Leslie Nielsen. What many fans don't know is that these popular movies actually started as a TV show called Police Squad!, which had Leslie Nielsen as Frank Drebin and only ran for six episodes in 1982 before it got canceled. Even though the show was short-lived, critics loved it and said it was perfectly funny, which helped start this franchise and become one of the most successful comedy movie series ever made.
The first Naked Gun movie came out on December 2, 1988, and was loved by both critics and audiences, leading to two more movies: The Naked Gun 21/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994). It's now thought of as one of the best comedy movies ever made. Leslie Nielsen's serious but funny acting made Frank Drebin an unforgettable character, but sadly, Nielsen passed away in 2010, leaving behind an incredible comedy legacy. Now, the franchise continues with Liam Neeson stepping into the role for the brand new 2025 movie. Whether you've been a fan for years or you've never heard of Frank Drebin's world of silly chaos, this guide will show you every movie in the right order to watch them. Get ready for a trip through some of the most memorable, silly, and truly funny movies ever made - where the laughs are promised and the weird plot holes are part of the fun, not mistakes.
Police Squad! (1982)
Detective Frank Drebin works for Police Squad, a special section of the police force, where he and his colleagues solve puzzling murder cases and major crimes using methods that are surprisingly effective despite being completely ridiculous. From investigating bank robberies where the autopsy reveals unexpected twists, to Frank going undercover with boxing criminals, every case becomes an adventure in absurd detective work where the clues are obvious but somehow missed by everyone except our bumbling hero.
This brilliant spoof of police show aired for just six episodes from March 4 to July 8, 1982, before being canceled, but don't let that fool you - it later gained a massive cult following and served as the perfect foundation for what would become one of the greatest comedy franchises ever. If you've never seen where Frank Drebin's legendary deadpan humor began, these six episodes are pure comedy gold that will leave you wondering how ABC (who cancelled this show) could be so blind to genius.
Watch on Amazon Prime
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
Frank Drebin stumbles into his biggest case yet when he discovers a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II during her official visit to the United States, with the main suspect being a wealthy businessman who has a very unusual method of creating killers. What starts as a partner getting shot quickly escalates into international intrigue, royal protection, and Frank somehow becoming the only person who can save the day - despite being the least qualified person for the job.
This movie took everything that made the TV show brilliant and cranked it up to eleven. Grossing $78 million at the box office worldwide and earning an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, it proved that Frank Drebin belonged on the big screen. Even critic Roger Ebert gave it 3½ stars, noting "You laugh, and then you laugh at yourself for laughing." The movie features Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalbán, and yes, O.J. Simpson in roles that will make you forget everything else and just focus on the pure comedic chaos unfolding before your eyes.
Watch on Netflix or Amazon Prime or Apple TV
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991)
Frank Drebin is back, and this time he's taking on environmental villains and energy conspiracies in a plot that involves everything from nuclear power to romantic complications. Without giving anything away, let's just say that Frank's investigation methods haven't improved, but his ability to accidentally stumble into the right conclusions while destroying everything around him has reached new heights of hilarity.
This sequel proves that lightning can strike twice - the ZAZ team managed to capture all the magic of the original even exceeding the original to become the best movie of this franchise, while finding fresh ways to torture poor Frank with increasingly impossible situations. The romantic subplot adds heart to the chaos, and the environmental themes give it a surprisingly timely edge. Plus, you'll never look at a condom factory the same way again (trust me on this one).
Watch on Netflix or Amazon Prime or Apple TV
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994)
In what was meant to be Frank's final bow, our favorite detective faces his most personal case when it involves the woman he loves and a prison break that puts him undercover in the most dangerous place possible. The stakes have never been higher, the laughs have never been bigger, and Frank has never been more out of his depth - which, for Frank Drebin, is really saying something.
This "final" installment goes all-out with set pieces that are absolutely insane and gags that push the boundaries of what's possible in a PG-13 comedy. Leslie Nielsen was 67 when he filmed this, but his comedic timing was sharper than ever. The movie serves as both a perfect conclusion to the trilogy and a celebration of everything that made Frank Drebin a comedy legend. Even if you think you know what to expect from a Naked Gun movie, this one will surprise you.
Watch on Apple TV or Amazon Prime
The Naked Gun (2025)
The franchise returns with Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Leslie Nielsen's legendary Frank Drebin, who must step up to carry on his father's legacy. When the police department faces being shut down forever, Frank Jr. has one last chance to prove himself by solving a crucial case that could save everything his father worked for. It's a race against time with all the classic Drebin chaos you'd expect, but with a new generation trying to fill some very big (and very clumsy) shoes.
Neeson was 72 during filming, making him five years older than Nielsen was during his final Naked Gun appearance, bringing both his serious acting skills and great comedy skills to a character that defined movie comedy for generations. The question isn't whether it will be funny - it's whether you're ready to laugh until it hurts all over again.