“The Naked Gun” Beats the Odds with $25M Debut, Outpaces “The Bad Guys 2” in Fierce Summer Box Office Battle

The Marvel Universe continues to dominate the summer box office as Disney’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” holds strong in its second weekend, projected to earn $45 million and secure the No. 1 spot once again. Directed by Matt Shakman, this reboot of Marvel’s First Family underscores the franchise’s lasting draw.

But this weekend’s real battle is not for first place—it’s the fierce showdown for second between Paramount’s “The Naked Gun” and Universal’s animated sequel “The Bad Guys 2.”

According to the latest projections, “The Naked Gun” is narrowly winning the race, opening with a franchise-best $25 million. That’s a major leap from its predecessors: the original 1988 film debuted with $9 million, the 1991 sequel “Naked Gun 2½” opened with $20 million, and “Naked Gun 33 1/3” earned $13 million in 1994.

Directed by Akiva Schaffer, this reboot stars Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., the hilariously inept son of the original character played by Leslie Nielsen. The supporting cast features Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, and Danny Huston. Backed by a 92% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has impressed critics and audiences alike with its irreverent humor and deadpan delivery.

Meanwhile, “The Bad Guys 2”—the sequel to the 2022 surprise hit—is projected to bring in $22 million, landing it in third place. While respectable, this total falls short of earlier estimates that placed the opening between $26 million and $35 million. The original debuted at $23.95 million and eventually earned $97.5 million domestically. Despite the slower start, positive word-of-mouth and limited family competition may help boost its performance in the coming weeks.

Rounding out the top five are two summer holdovers:

• “Superman” is expected to pull in $15 million, pushing it past the $300 million domestic milestone.

• “Jurassic World Rebirth” adds another $8 million in its fifth weekend, showing solid staying power.

Outside the top five, “Together” — a body-horror thriller starring real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie — debuts in limited release. Distributed by Neon, the film carries Sundance buzz and a strong 91% Rotten Tomatoes rating, and is projected to earn high single digits over the weekend. It offers counter-programming to the weekend’s mainstream blockbusters.

New Releases Overview

The Naked Gun

• Director: Akiva Schaffer

• Distributor: Paramount Pictures

• Runtime: 1h 25min

• Rating: PG-13

• Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Certified Fresh

• Metacritic: 78% generally favorable

The Bad Guys 2

• Directors: Pierre Perifel and JP Sans

• Distributor: Universal Pictures

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• Runtime: 1h 44min

• Rating: PG

• Rotten Tomatoes: 87% Fresh

• Metacritic: 64% generally favorable

Together

• Director: Michael Shanks

• Distributor: Neon

• Runtime: 1h 42min

• Rating: R

• Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Certified Fresh

• Metacritic: 76% generally favorable

Gold Derby’s Predicted Box Office Rankings

1. The Fantastic Four: First Steps

2. The Naked Gun

3. The Bad Guys 2

4. Superman

5. Jurassic World Rebirth

As the summer continues, “The Naked Gun” proves that clever reboots, strong casting, and nostalgic humor can still find massive success at the box office.