The world is ready for a new bumbling detective Inspector Clouseau, and it appears Eddie Murphy is the guy. Variety reports that Murphy is in talks to star in MGM’s upcoming The Pink Panther reboot, taking over the role previously played by fellow comedy legends Peter Sellers and Steve Martin.
Clouseau debuted in Blake Edwards’ 1963 film The Pink Panther, with Sellers reprising the role in a sequel, A Shot in the Dark, followed by The Return of the Pink Panther, 1976′ The Pink Panther Strikes Again, and finally 1978’s Revenge of the Pink Panther. Two more films released after Sellers’ death used old footage of him as Clouseau, and they were terrible. Steve Martin played the character in two mildly successful comedies in 2006 and 2009. Roger Moore also played Clouseau in 1983’s Curse of the Pink Panther. Alan Arkin played him in 1968’s Inspector Clouseau.
So Murphy joins a deep comedy lineage here. The new film will be directed by Sonic the Hedgehog‘s Jeff Fowler, from a script by The Man from Toronto writer Chris Bremner.
Coming up next for Murphy is Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, followed by a return as Donkey in a new Shrek movie.
