By Gavin Boyle
Eddie Murphy revealed that he will take on the role of Inspector Clouseau in a new PINK PANTHER movie which would see him teaming up with the mischievous titular character.
“I’m getting ready to do a George Clinton, Parliament-Funkadelic. I’m getting ready to do George Clinton. [I’ve] already started SHREK 5. And I’m going to be — I’m inspector Clouseau in the next PINK PANTHER,” Murphy told Al Roker while on TODAY. “Yeah, I’m the new Clouseau.”
“Well, [Clouseau] has to be French, but he could also be Haitian,” Murphy added, discussing more about his character. “I will tell you, he’s Black. He’s Black, for sure.”
The movie was first announced in 2023 and is set to take the franchise in a new direction as Clouseau and the Pink Panther will team up in a buddy cop story, rather than being adversaries. The movie will be part CGI, part live-action, combining the style of the previous PINK PANTHER movies with the beloved cartoon.
A series of PINK PANTHER movies were released in the ’60s, ’70s and early ’80s, and the franchise was rebooted in the 2000s with Steve Martin as Clouseau. The most recent movie, THE PINK PANTHER 2, released in 2009 and received a +2 rating from Movieguide® with a strong emphasis on family values. A portion of Movieguide®’s review reads:
PINK PANTHER 2 is made for comedy and slapstick fans. The plot is thin but serves as an opportunity to see Clouseau bumble from one situation to another. The production values are strong. The ensemble cast, highlighted by Steve Martin and Andy Garcia, brings great levity to the crime scenes. PINK PANTHER 2 has a few light profanities and slapstick violence, but otherwise is surprisingly clean. The romance between Clouseau and Nicole ends in marriage and not a one-night stand. For movie lovers who like slapstick comedy, PINK PANTHER 2 is a lovable movie filled with many laughs.
While Murphy has starred in numerous abhorrent movies, he has also featured in many morally sound stories as well, such as the SHREK franchise which teaches strong family values. As for Murphy, not only does his family comes first, but he sees how God’s hand has protected him throughout his career.
Related: ‘God was Looking Over Me’: Why Eddie Murphy Turned Down Drugs
“When you get famous really young, especially a black artist, it’s like living in a minefield,” Murphy previously said. “Any moment, you can step on a mine. Any moment something can happen that can undo everything. But I was oblivious to the fact I was in a minefield.”
“And now, at this age, I can look back and be like, ‘Wow, I came through a minefield [over] 35 years.’ How do you make it through a minefield for 35, 40 years? Something has to be looking over you,” he added.
While there is no public timeline for when Murphy’s edition of THE PINK PANTHER will be released, fans of the series can rest assured that the story is in good hands with the comedian.
Read Next: Eddie Murphy: ‘I Love Fatherhood’
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