Liam Neeson wants you to help save comedy in cinemas: “Every year, more and more go unmade”

Liam Neeson has given a comedy PSA (public service announcement) to promote his reboot of The Naked Gun spoof franchise.

Once a staple of cinema release slates, all-out comedies are a rarity on the big screen. An example of this is Happy Gilmore 2, which goes straight to Netflix this week, bypassing cinemas.

This tongue-in-cheek charity-style advert features clips from classics like Anchorman, Clueless, and Tropic Thunder, with emotional music playing, before Neeson introduces himself.

“Every passing year, more and more comedies go unmade, unseen, and unquoted,” the actor says.“But for the price of one movie ticket, you can help rescue a comedy.”

He ends by saying: “Please, buy a ticket right now, so our children, and hopefully their children too, can one day enjoy watching a comedy in the theatre. The spoof website www.savecomedy.org is also displayed on screen, which leads to the Naked Gun website.

The clip ends with Neeson looking earnestly into a camera, with fart noises playing, before a clip from his new movie is displayed. Watch above.

The Irish actor, known for revenge thrillers such as Taken, moves into comedy by becoming the new star of the Naked Gun franchise. Originally a hit trilogy in the ‘80s and ‘90s starring Leslie Nielsen and OJ Simpson, it featured the former as a bungling cop on the tail of various criminals.

Neeson takes over as the son of Nielsen’s character, detective Frank Drebin, with a cast that includes Pamela Anderson and Paul Walter Hauser. The film is released in UK cinemas on August 1.

While he has been away from the big screen for several years, Neeson has remained a popular fixture on streaming service Netflix. Recently, another of the actor’s back catalogue shot to the top of the daily charts in the UK and Ireland.

The star also revealed late last year that he plans to retire from action movies by the end of 2025.

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