With Leslie Nielsen’s unfortunate passing on people’s minds, many are starting to wonder why a fourth Naked Gun was never completed. The first three, if not the most technically stunning films ever conceived, certainly had a brilliant, overstated charm about them, as well as a cult staying power that has eclipsed most other films written around the same time. Nielsen was brilliant as Frank Drebin, the right mix of cocksure ignorance and bizarre talent. Unfortunately, it seems the studio wasn’t quite as on board.
According to What’s Playing, Paramount looked into making the fourth installment but ultimately decided it would be more profitable as a straight-to-dvd release. They balked at the elevated costs that would have been associated with bringing Nielsen back, and decided they didn't want him. Naked Gun 33 1/3 only banked a little over fifty million dollars, and taking another expensive go probably seemed risky. When those involved got wind of the Drebin-less plans, the writers bailed. Probably a smart move.
It would be easy to question Paramount’s judgment, especially right now with heavy hearts, but filmmaking is a business and truthfully, I can see why the studio wasn’t interested in making Naked Gun 4. But I have no idea why the hell they would be interested in making it without Leslie Nielsen.
