The film stars Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., son of Leslie Nielsen’s Detective Sergeant Frank Drebin, as he follows in his bumbling father’s footsteps and must solve a murder case to prevent the police department from shutting down.

“Because we’re all fucked. And we need a few giggles,” he told Variety Monday at the movie’s New York City premiere. He delivered the line in the deadpan style of his on-screen persona, Frank Drebin Jr., the biological (and spiritual) heir to Leslie Nielsen’s iconic police lieutenant. The character last graced the big screen in 1994.

In the 2025 adaptation of the classic 1982 film series, which follows the comedic adventures of detective Frank Drebin (originally played by Leslie Nielsen), Neeson plays Drebin’s son, who finds himself in a new entanglement of detective shenanigans alongside femme fatale love interest Beth, played by Anderson.