What the heck, people? Eddie Murphy was subject to another of the long standing internet traditions: The faux-death rumor. Though his career may be in trouble (on that note: will anyone see his latest movie A Thousand Words?) the Tower Heist star is not dead. There is nothing wrong with him (other than bad career-making decisions), and it’s a non-story.
There was a joke around the time Dreamgirls came out that Eddie Murphy took the role because – after years of bad movies - he needed to hit bottom to be forced to work hard. But even with an Oscar nomination, he followed Dreamgirls with Norbit and a string of forgettable comedies. Perhaps he’s being forced to do good work again as he’s attached now to an HBO bio-pic of DC mayor Marion Berry with Spike Lee set to direct, according to Deadline.
Because his bestest buddy Brett Ratner decided to back out of producing the Oscars next year (for lobbing a an offense comment towards homosexuals, and then bragging about sex with Lindsay Lohan, and for making a ton of offensively bland films), now Eddie Murphy has also followed suit, joining his Tower Heist director in bowing out of next year’s ceremonies.
Remember earlier in the week when we reported that Brett Ratner slipped his foot into his mouth and stated that only “fag” directors rehearse their films before shooting? Well, on top of that, he’s been spending his Tower Heist promotional tour talking less about the film (which might be for the best) and is spending more of his time graphically describing sex with Lindsay Lohan and Olivia Munn, as well as his sperm count and sexual prowess. All of which has led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to say, “hey, maybe this isn’t the guy to produce the Oscars next year.”
Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy join forces in Brett Ratner‘s new action comedy, Tower Heist. It’s about a heist that takes place at a Tower – Donald Trump’s tower in Manhattan, to be exact. Stiller is the head of a talented ensemble which includes the likes of Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Stephen Henderson, Michael Peña and Gabourey Sidibe. In Tower Heist, Stiller and company are a group of working class heroes who attempt to bring down one of Wall Street’s greats. This is a comedy about getting even, and with the events currently making news (Occupy Wall Street), it couldn’t have come at a better time. But the big deal in this movie isn’t its topic, it’s Mr. Murphy, who come February will be hosting one of the most anticipated televised events. You might be asking yourself if good old Eddie can still tell a joke. Well, let me ask you this, can Shaq still dunk?
Let’s get this started the right way: Ugghhhhhhhh. There we go.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Eddie Murphy discussed his career trajectory, and how he began as an edgy, brilliant comic who starred in edgy, brilliant films, to an unfunny guy who kept showing up in unfunny, family-friendly schlock. He went on to claim that he wants to return to edgier fare… and his first step towards doing that will be a family friendly sitcom based on Beverly Hills Cop, which will be about the son of Axel Foley. I am not kidding.
The L.A. Times has a story about how Tower Heist, the Brett Ratner-directed, Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy comedy will be hitting VOD in two markets for $60 a pop three weeks after it hits theaters. We recently wrote about how 8 Ways Television has changed, and this may be a part of that evolution. But what does this mean for theatrical distribution?
Brett Ratner is producing the next Oscar telecast. Brett Ratner just directed Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy in Tower Heist, and has been the rumored choice for a Beverly Hills Cop 4 movie. So perhaps it’s no surprise that Ratner asked Murphy to host the Academy Awards. The surprise is that Murphy has said yes (according to Deadline Hollywood).
Update: Looks like Brett Ratner has selected Eddie Murphy as the host for the next Academy Awards broadcast!
As we reported in July, the trailer for the Brett Ratner directed, Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller-starring heist film Tower Heist has been released, and it features many things—Eddie Murphy seems to be at least kind of trying to be funny again, it also stars Casey Affleck (which is odd, since the film appears to be a total rip off of the Ocean’s trilogy, also starring… Casey Affleck), and that Brett Ratner is once again helming a picture with the totally faceless, directed-by-studio-committee direction that he brought to such not-good films as Red Dragon, the Rush Hour series, and X-Men 3: Seriously Can You Believe How Bad We Screwed This Franchise Up With This One?. And it appears that the trailer features one other thing—an offensive remark about epileptics.
