Awkward OJ Simpson joke features in new Naked Gun reboot trailer

Film fans have been left shocked after an OJ Simpson joke was included in the first teaser trailer for The Naked Gun remake starring Liam Neeson.

The revived spoof-comedy franchise will see Neeson play Frank Drebin Jr, the son of the lead character of the first three films and Police Squad TV show from the 1980s and 1990s, famously played by Leslie Nielsen.

Simpson became a major Hollywood star following a successful NFL career and played Detective Nordberg in all three of the original Naked Gun films. However, his acting talents have been tainted since 1994 when he was controversially acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman.

The third Naked Gun film, which was released just months before his infamous trial, was the final movie that Simpson made before he died from cancer in 2024.

Despite this, his history in the Naked Gun series is acknowledged in the new trailer with a brief visual joke. In the final scene, a row of police officers kneel in front of pictures of their late fathers.

While most of the pictures elicit emotional responses from their offspring, a picture of Nordberg does the complete opposite as his son knowingly glances at the camera and shakes his head.

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Fans were quick to share their reactions to the Simpson gag, with many admitting that it did raise a smile.

‘That OJ Simpson joke got me,” wrote one fan.

A second added: “Trailer sold me right here. Classic Naked Gun humour.”

“Was on the fence about this, but OJ's kid looking at the camera and shaking his head was pretty funny,” said a third.

Others were more divided on whether the joke worked or not. “The reveal that the station has a dedicated dad memorial room is much funnier than the OJ bit,” said one person.

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“I know it gets said a lot but sincerely: no one asked for this,” added a second critic.

According to TMZ, Simpson’s lawyer Malcolm LaVergne thought that the joke was “funny” and “it's good OJ is acknowledged since he was a star of the franchise”.

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It comes after a Bible that was gifted to Simpson by his former defence attorney, the late Robert Kardashian, was sold for a hefty price at auction.

As the executor of Simpson’s estate, LaVergne put the Bible up for auction in March, with Robert’s daughter, Kim Kardashian, offering $15,000 for it. However, the offer was turned down, since the item had been under contract with the court to be auctioned off.

The Bible - which featured Roberts’ full name on the front - was been sold for $65,800, according to Goldin Auctions’ website.