Eddie Murphy is readying his magnifying glass, as the actor is in talks to star as Inspector Clouseau in MGMs upcoming Pink Panther film, Variety has confirmed.
The reboot of the classic property will be directed by Sonic the Hedgehog filmmaker Jeff Fowler. Chris Bremner (Bad Boys for Life, The Man From Toronto) is writing the script, while Ridebacks Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich serve as producers alongside Larry Mirisch and Julie Andrews.
The Pink Panther franchise began with the 1963 comedy film starring Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau. Sellers would go on to reprise the role in 1964s A Shot in the Dark, 1975s The Return of the Pink Panther, 1976s The Pink Panther Strikes Again and 1978s Revenge of the Pink Panther. The role has also been inhabited by Alan Arkin, Roger Moore and Steve Martin.
The IP extends to books, video games and animated series based on the bumbling French police detective and the titular character, which started out as only an animated character in an opening sequence. The Pink Panther refers to the name of a valuable pink diamond at the center of a heist in the original film.
Murphy most recently starred in Netflixs You People alongside Jonah Hill, Lauren London and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The film centered on an interracial relationship and the ensuing culture clash between the couples respective Black and Jewish families. Hes best known for leading comedy classics The Nutty Professor and Coming to America, as well as voicing Donkey in the Shrek franchise. After Murphy publicly expressed interest in a Donkey spinoff movie, Variety reported in April that Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri is open to the idea while also currently assembling the original voice cast for a fifth Shrek movie.
Murphy is represented by WME and Ziffren Brittenham.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news.