WWE Star Cody Rhodes Just Slammed Into the New ‘Naked Gun’ Reboot

Adrenaline in my soul, The Naked Gun is his next role. That’s right, the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes is joining the star-studded cast of Paramount’s reboot of the beloved comedy franchise. Rhodes, fresh off finishing his story against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40, and taking down Dwayne Johnson in the process, will use his increased profile to grab a role in the movie. Rhodes joins Liza Koshy (Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts), CCH Pounder (Rustin), and Busta Rhymes as new additions to the cast.

While the specifics of their roles remain undisclosed, it is known that Rhodes will appear in a cameo. They join a cast that includes Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, and Danny Huston. Neeson will take on the role of Detective Frank Drebin, originally played by Leslie Nielsen, with Hauser as his partner Ed. Durand is expected to portray the film’s villain, though roles for Anderson and Huston have not been revealed. Directed and executive produced by Akiva Schaffer, the reboot is set to be released on July 18, 2025. The screenplay was written by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, and Schaffer. Producers Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins are involved through Fuzzy Door, with Daniel M. Stillman also serving as an executive producer.

The Naked Gun series, known for its slapstick humour, follows the bumbling police detective Frank Drebin. The franchise began with 1988’s The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! and continued with two sequels, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear and Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, together grossing over $216 million worldwide.

Who Is Cody Rhodes?

Cody Rhodes, also known as “The American Nightmare” in professional wrestling, will make a cameo appearance in the reboot. Rhodes, who rejoined WWE in 2022 after several years with All Elite Wrestling, has also acted in TV, including a role on The CW’s Arrow. His participation in the Naked Gun reboot is an interesting crossover for fans of both wrestling and film. Rhodes was a co-founder of AEW having left WWE around a decade ago finding himself creatively dissatisfied. He made a triumphant return to the company and proved his worth, headlining both nights of the biggest WrestleMania in history alongside Reigns, Johnson (as his WWE character, The Rock) and Seth Rollins, the WWE World Champion at the time. Rhodes and Johnson are set to face off at next year’s WrestleMania in Las Vegas.

The Naked Gun reboot hits theaters on July 18, 2025. The original movie is streaming now on Max.

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad

Release Date

December 2, 1988

Director

David Zucker

Cast

Leslie Nielsen , Priscilla Presley , Ricardo Montalban , George Kennedy , O.J. Simpson , Susan Beaubian

Runtime

85 minutes

Writers

Jerry Zucker , Jim Abrahams , David Zucker , Pat Proft

Tagline

The Villain. Even Mother Teresa wanted him dead.

Watch on Max