The Naked Gun cleverly mocks numerous films and cinematic tropes, but did you notice how it specifically parodies a villain from a Samuel L. Jackson movie? Overall, the Naked Gun series is not particularly known for its subtlety; many of its jokes land effectively due to their blatant nature and sharp humor, making them memorable and enjoyable.

In 2025, the much-anticipated sequel revives one of the most cherished comedy franchises in cinematic history, featuring Liam Neeson stepping in as Frank Drebin Jr., the offspring of Leslie Nielsen‘s iconic original character. Neeson’s portrayal continues to dive into the same chaotic antics and absurd situations as his father did, but the film aims to satirize a different genre this time.

The initial Naked Gun was designed as a parody of police films from the 1970s and 1980s, originating from the Police Squad! television series, which humorously critiqued police procedural dramas. However, the 2025 installment does not follow this path. Instead, it targets contemporary clichés, including a specific villain reminiscent of a character played by Samuel L. Jackson.

Richard Cane’s Plot in The Naked Gun Mocks the Villain’s Scheme from Kingsman: The Secret Service

While the Naked Gun franchise doesn’t explicitly reference Kingsman, fans of the spy series will likely recognize the striking similarities between the two films. Interestingly, the villain’s scheme in the 2025 Naked Gun is strikingly similar to that of Kingsman: The Secret Service, the acclaimed action-comedy from 2014 directed by Matthew Vaughn.

In Kingsman: The Secret Service, Samuel L. Jackson portrays the villainous tech entrepreneur Richmond Valentine, whose nefarious plot involves distributing SIM cards capable of emitting a unique signal upon activation. This signal incites mass violence among everyone in close proximity, leading to a catastrophic scenario where humanity turns against one another until the majority of the population is decimated.

However, Valentine has no intention of being part of this chaos. Instead, he has meticulously constructed a hidden bunker where select VIPs can take refuge. This group includes celebrities, politicians, and affluent elites, who will repopulate and reconstruct society after the turmoil has subsided.

Does this plot sound familiar? In The Naked Gun, Danny Huston plays the nefarious Richard Cane, a wealthy tech mogul who absconds with the P.L.O.T. Device and intends to utilize it to transmit a signal that will revert humans to a primal state of barbarism. While the population is drastically reduced, Cane and a select group of elite individuals (including “Weird” Al Yankovic) will seek refuge in a bunker to restore society.

The parallels between Valentine’s and Cane’s schemes are too numerous to dismiss as mere coincidence. Every detail, even their first names, shows a striking resemblance, despite the fact that The Naked Gun‘s narrative adopts a more humorous tone. Kingsman: The Secret Service undoubtedly stands as one of the primary targets of The Naked Gun‘s satire, even though it does not fit the traditional mold of a police film.

The Naked Gun Shifts Focus to Parodying Spy Movies Instead of Cop Films, and This Change is Beneficial

The primary reason the Kingsman narrative significantly influences The Naked Gun is that the latest film consciously avoids poking fun at cop films. Police stories flourished in the years leading up to the original trilogy’s release, and given that Police Squad! was a parody of police procedurals, it made logical sense for the films to follow that trajectory.

However, cop films have fallen out of favor with contemporary audiences. The genre has lost its appeal, and while some are still produced, they lack the popularity necessary to inspire a full parody. Modern cop films often lack the iconic elements that would make for effective jokes, which necessitated The Naked Gun to explore a new direction.

Consequently, the film opted to satirize spy movies instead. This decision makes sense, as these genres share common ground; both focus on government agents combating villains. Recent spy franchises like Kingsman, Mission: Impossible, James Bond, and others have enjoyed immense popularity in recent years, yet Austin Powers has not been around to parody them.

The Mission: Impossible series is another spy franchise that receives direct parody throughout The Naked Gun. The scene where Frank Drebin Jr. removes the little girl disguise closely mirrors the mask scenes from the Mission: Impossible films, and the scheme devised by the Police Squad to extract information from Sig Gustafson is reminiscent of the iconic fake-out from Fallout.

This pivot towards parodying spy films is an excellent strategy, allowing the franchise to maintain its essence while still satirizing a modern trend. If the film had continued to mock the same police clichés from the 1970s and 1980s, it would likely feel outdated, and contemporary viewers might not have found the satire nearly as amusing.

Fortunately, emulating the Kingsman plot does not alienate viewers unfamiliar with the franchise. The narrative serves as a tribute to spy films, and thus Jackson’s antagonist is also a homage. By pursuing this path, The Naked Gun effectively functions as both a specific parody of Kingsman and a broader satire of the spy genre.