Legendary actor Eddie Murphy is stepping back in front of the camera for another exciting role. The celebrated comedian recently announced he will appear in an upcoming Pink Panther film in a key capacity.
"I'm going to be Inspector Clouseau in the next Pink Panther," Murphy casually shared during a July 28 interview on the Today show. "Yes, I'm the new Clouseau."
Co-anchor Al Roker followed up by asking whether he intends to portray the iconic character with a classic French accent. Murphy replied, "Possibly. He should be French, but he might also be Haitian. Let me clarify—he's Black. Definitely Black."
In May 2023, reports surfaced that Murphy was negotiating to star in a Pink Panther reboot directed by Sonic the Hedgehog’s Jeff Fowler. However, that iteration of the project encountered development challenges. Specific details about the newer version Murphy mentioned remain scarce, and further updates will emerge in time.
The original Pink Panther movie debuted in 1963. Murphy’s character—the bumbling but essential Inspector Clouseau—was originally portrayed by Peter Sellars, who returned for five sequels. After Sellars' death in 1980 at age 54, Steve Martin assumed the role for two follow-ups in the 2000s: 2006's The Pink Panther reboot and its sequel, The Pink Panther 2, released three years later.
Currently, Murphy is developing Shrek 5, scheduled for a Christmas release next year. He also stars in the action comedy The Pickup, which premieres on Prime Video on August 6.
