Growing up, the Naked Gun series was a staple in my household. I rented the movies so regularly that my parents gave me the trilogy on DVD for Christmas one year. These days, it’s easier to revisit old favorites through streaming services, but that box set still sits proudly in my media drawers. Even today, I find the straight-faced humor gut-bustlingly hilarious. While headliner Leslie Nielsen starred in some serious films like Forbidden Planet, The Poseidon Adventure and Prom Night, showcasing his dramatic acting, he became a deadpan comedy legend thanks to Airplane!, continuing that legacy with flicks like The Naked Gun franchise and Wrongfully Accused (a 1998 spoof of The Fugitive). The late great film critic Roger Ebert went so far as to refer to Nielsen as “the Olivier of spoofs”.
A reboot, or legacy sequel, titled The Naked Gun is slated to hit cinemas on Aug. 1. Liam Neeson takes the reins as Frank Drebin Jr., son of Frank Drebin Sr. (Nielsen). The all-star cast includes former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson, veteran rapper Busta Rhymes (whose acting credits include kicking Michael Myers through a window in Halloween: Resurrection) and the always-on CCH Pounder. With The Naked Gun 2025 hitting the box office soon, I’m getting in the mood by rewatching the whole series. Here’s how to watch The Naked Gun franchise before the new movie hits theaters.
How many movies are in The Naked Gun series?
The Naked Gun series is comprised of three films, with the fourth -- the reboot -- coming out in August:
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)
The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991)
The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult (1994)
The Naked Gun (2025)
The movies are based on the character of Lieutenant Frank Drebin from the TV series Police Squad!, which is disappointingly unavailable for streaming anywhere. So if you want to explore the roots of the franchise, you’ll need to cop the show on DVD or Blu-ray.
Do you need to watch all The Naked Gun trilogy before the 2025 film?
I would recommend watching The Naked Gun trilogy before the 2025 reboot. The forthcoming flick is a legacy sequel, or a continuation of the series, coming out many years after its predecessor. It features Liam Neeson as the son of Lieutenant Frank Drebin, so there’s continuity with the previous film. Likewise, Paul Walter Hauser portrays Captain Ed Hocken Jr., son of Captain Ed Hocken (played by Alan North in Police Squad and George Kennedy in The Naked Gun film series). Plus, there may be some throughlines with the first three movies.
You can stream all of The Naked Gun movies in one convenient place
All three The Naked Gun movies -- the 1988 original, The Smell of Fear and The Final Insult -- are streaming on Paramount Plus, making it easy to binge-watch the series.
James Martin/CNET Paramount Plus Carries The Naked Gun trilogy Because it hosts the entire The Naked Gun film series, a Paramount Plus subscription is the easiest way to stream the franchise. Paramount Plus costs $8 a month or $60 annually on the Essential tier, while the Premium plan goes for $13 a month or $120 annually. The Paramount Plus Essential package is ad-supported, doesn’t let you download movies or shows for offline viewing, lacks CBS live streaming, doesn’t support 4K streaming for the best-possible video quality and only has select Showtime series. Upgrading to Paramount Plus Premium gives you the ability to download titles for offline viewing, CBS live streaming, Showtime and 4K video quality for select movies and shows. In addition to The Naked Gun trilogy, you can stream loads of other movies and shows such as Smile 2, Gladiator II and Mayor of Kingstown on Paramount Plus. Read our Paramount Plus review. See at Paramount+
How to watch The Naked Gun movies with a VPN
If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with your favorite shows or movies while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy when streaming. It encrypts your web traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds, and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of privacy protection for your devices and logins.
VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy. However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN usage to access region-specific content. If you’re considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform’s terms of service to ensure compliance.
If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider’s installation instructions, ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN usage is crucial.