Shubhabrata Dutta
Eddie Murphy’s name is synonymous with comedy. Having started his career as a stand-up comedian and then given us movies like ‘Dr. Dolittle,’ ‘The Nutty Professor,’ ‘Beverly Hills Cop,’ ‘Norbit,’ ‘Coming To America,’ and ‘Trading Places,’ Murphy has established himself as one of Hollywood’s top-tier comedic actors. And yet, ‘Boomerang,’ ‘Dreamgirls,’ ’48 Hours,’ ‘Bowfinger,’ and ‘Life’ are all movies that showcase his ability to incorporate drama in his characters in a way that goes beyond humor.
Murphy’s latest outings include ‘Coming 2 America,’ (sequel to ‘‘Coming To America’) and ‘You People,’ both of which are comedy dramas and are signs of his resurgence. Thus, it won’t be unusual to expect him in more movies in the future. So, if you are thinking the same, here we bring you Eddie Murphy’s upcoming projects.
1. Shrek 5 (2026)
Great news for Shrek fans, as ‘Shrek 5’ is officially in development at DreamWorks Animation! While we do not know anything about the plot, we can assure you that Murphy will be back voicing Donkey, along with Mike Myers as Shrek and Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona. Production has yet to begin but a release date has been set for July 1, 2026. The film will be directed by Walt Dohrn and Brad Ableson and will be based on a script by Michael McCullers and a story by Christopher Meledandri. More details about this fan-favorite franchise’s fifth part are awaited.
2. The Pickup (TBA)
While the plot of this film is under wraps, we know that Tim Story is directing this heist comedy starring Murphy along with Pete Davidson and Keke Palmer. Co-stars include Eva Longoria, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Jack Kesy, and Andrew Dice Clay. It will show Murphy as a guy who falls for a woman ( Keke) only to get involved in a heist. Matt Mider and Kevin Burrows have written the script. Murphy is also producing it along with Story. The project is being bankrolled by Amazon MGM Studios, so we expect the movie to arrive on Amazon Prime Video after a window after the theatrical release. John Davis and John Fox will also produce via Davis Entertainment. This will be Davis’s sixth venture with Murphy, the last being Netflix’s ‘Dolemite Is My Name.’ The film is currently in its post-production phase and waiting for a release date.
3. The Pink Panther (TBA)
After Peter Sellers and Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy is all set to become Inspector Clouseau as a voice in the upcoming animated movie ‘The Pink Panther,’ the 12th installment of the cult classic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer comedy-mystery franchise. Directed by Jeff Fowler and based on a script by Chris Bremner, the movie will be a live-action CG hybrid (like ‘Woody Woodpecker’). It will bring together the Inspector and the Pink Panther for the first time, the latter being the subject of the former’s imagination after a tragic event. The Pink Panther doesn’t talk, but he does help Clouseau solve cases.
Originally, the name ‘Pink Panther’ was given to a diamond in the first ‘Pink Panther’ movie of 1963 but it was the cartoon character, an animated pink-colored panther, that appeared in the opening credits that became a sensation and began being addressed by that name instead. Other than Eddie Murphy, the rest of the voice cast of ‘The Pink Panther’ hasn’t been revealed yet. Further updates about the movie, which is currently in its pre-production stage, including its release date, are awaited.
4. Untitled George Clinton Biopic (TBA)
Murphy will soon play Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton in a yet-untitled biopic from Amazon MGM Studios. To be directed by Bill Condon, the film is currently being written by Virgil Williams, based on an original draft by Max Werner. The film is based on Clinton’s memoir, ‘Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You?’ and will reveal the untold story of the influential pioneer of funk who established the musical collective Parliament-Funkadelic. Details regarding production are eagerly awaited.
