WWE Champion Joins Liam Neeson Naked Gun Reboot
Wrestling fans now have a reason to get excited for the upcoming reboot of Naked Gun. The slapstick crime parody series is scheduled to return next year after a 30-year hiatus, and current WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will appear in the film. Not much is known about the movie yet, but Rhodes will be joining what will likely be a star-studded cast in the revival of a beloved comedy franchise.
Cody Rhodes Is Heading To Hollywood
Cody Rhodes is the son of wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, and he has become an accomplished wrestler in his own right. Debuting in 2006, Rhodes is the two-time Intercontinental Champion and current WWE Champion with a career spanning several wrestling federations. He now looks to add movie star to his list of accomplishments with his role in The Naked Gun.
A Few Small Appearances
While the upcoming comedy will be Rhode’s first live-action appearance in a film, he already has a few voice-acting and TV credits under his belt. He loaned his vocal talents to two animated WWE tie-in films, Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon and The Jetsons and WWE: Robo-WrestleMania! He also appeared in an episode of Warehouse 13 and had a seven-episode arc on Arrow.
On The Rock’s Turf
The announcement comes as the in-ring feud between Rhodes and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been heating up. As Rhodes steps into the world of film with The Naked Gun, he’ll be competing with Johnson on a new stage. Rhodes could be the next professional wrestler to ascend to movie stardom, a path taken by Johnson, as well as Dave Bautista and John Cena.
Joining A 90s Icon
Cody Rhodes is one of the first names attached to The Naked Gun reboot, but he’ll be staring alongside at least two other big names. Liam Neeson has been cast as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Leslie Nielson’s character in the 80s films. Pamela Anderson has also been cast in an unknown role.
The Naked Gun
Beginning in 1982 with the TV show Police Squad! The Naked Gun franchise was a prolific spoof series starring Leslie Nielsen. The short-lived show spawned three sequel movies, which became immediate sensations. The first movie earned over $152 million at the box office and garnered critical praise, and both sequels also broke the $100 million mark. Combining broad sight gags, clever wordplay, and parodies of popular crime movies, the franchise is beloved by comedy fans.
History OF High-Profile Cameos
It’s not surprising to see big names like Cody Rhodes appearing in The Naked Gun, as celebrity cameos have always played an important role in the franchise. Weird Al Yankovic and OJ Simpson appeared in all three of the original movies. They were joined by one-off appearances from Vana White, James Earl Jones, Olympia Dukakis, Raquel Welch, Mary Lou Retton, Anna Nicole Smith, and Reggie Jackson throughout the trilogy.
A Highly Anticipated Reboot
Rebooting a classic series like The Naked Gun is always risky, but if the reboot is anywhere near as successful as the originals, it could be a career-defining role for Rhodes. Either way, it will prove whether or not he has what it takes to make it on the big screen. The Naked Gun is scheduled to come out on July 25th, 2025.
Source: DailyMail
