(L to R) Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher attend the Netflix World Premiere of ‘You People’ on January 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Netflix.
Eddie Murphy has an established film franchise that, while not always enjoying critical success, still has new entries via Netflix. And for animation? He’s the star of one of DreamWorks Animation’s most successful franchises, with constant talk that he and his fellow voice cast members will be back for another adventure.
We are talking, of course, about the films ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ and ‘Shrek’, which have been popular for decades and made big bucks at the global box office.
You can imagine our surprise, then, that Murphy would seek to pursue a role that has been played with varying richness by others, even given his history of taking on established characters (both the ‘Nutty Professor’ and ‘Doctor Dolittle’ film series). have done good for him in the past).
But he is now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, in talks to play Inspector Clouseau in the new ‘Pink Panther’ film.
“A Crazy Madness of Crime and Fun.”
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1 hour 55 minutesMarch 18, 1964
What is the history of the film ‘Pink Panther’?
(Left to Right) Christopher Plummer as Sir Charles Litton, Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, and Catherine Schell as Lady Claudine Litton in ‘The Return of the Pink Panther.’
The film ‘Panther’, a series of action-comedy-mysteries featuring an incompetent French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau, began in 1963 with ‘The Pink Panther’, starring Peter Sellers as Clouseau.
While the Pink Panther of the title is a rare and expensive gem that takes its name from a flaw in its core that is said to resemble a jumping panther, the film also features a cartoon panther in the opening credits. He himself became very popular, turning to various TV series, films and merchandise opportunities.
As for Clouseau’s story, nine films were produced, most starring Sellers, although Alan Arkin portrayed the character in 1968’s ‘Inspector Clouseau’, 1982’s ‘Trail of the Pink Panther’ using outtake footage from Sellers’ ‘Curse of the Pink Panther’ in 1983 featuring the bumbling American detective’ and 1993’s ‘Son of the Pink Panther’ saw Roberto Benigni as Officer Gambrelli, Clouseau’s illegitimate son.
In 2006, Steve Martin played the character for the reboot, which spawned its own sequel in 2009.
Steve Martin as Inspector Jacques Clouseau in 2006’s ‘The Pink Panther.’ Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing.
What’s the new ‘Pink Panther’ movie about?
When it was first reported in 2020, Deadline brought news that it would instead focus on the Panther character, with ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’s Jeff Fowler directing a script by Chris Bremner, which will see Panther interact with humans through a similar life-like action/CG mix. which was featured in two ‘Sonic’ movies.
Things seem to have changed as development progressed, with the concept keeping the human/CG mix but instead including Clouseau in the buddy cop concept where he teams up with Panther to solve crimes.
It was all under the auspices of MGM, currently owned by Amazon, where Murphy had success with ‘Coming 2 America,’ and that may explain why he was tempted to give the chaotic cop a try. We’ll see if he actually ends up starring.
As mentioned, Murphy has ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’ in post-production on Netflix and has been shooting the Christmas comedy ‘Candy Cane Lane’ for Amazon.
(Left to Right) Jonah Hill (Writer-Producer) as Ezra, Nia Long as Fatima and Eddie Murphy as Akbar in ‘You People.’ Photo: Parrish Lewis/Netflix © 2023.
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