Someone needs to buy the rights to Eddie Murphy's autobiography, because he's been hitting his recent interviews to promote Mr. Church out of the park. The most recent piece of candor that the legendary comedian has put out into the world is an answer to an question often asked of actors doing the rounds these days: could he see himself in a super-hero film? If you were expecting a yes, be prepared to be let down in the most hysterical manner, as Murphy shot down any chance of being a legitimate superhero with his own personal superpowered humor.
During an interview with Mashable, Eddie Murphy delivered a mini-monologue that basically said he feels he's too old to play any sort of superhero. However, there are some roles he thinks he could take in the periphery, and his reasons are pretty damned funny. Murphy's explanation is as follows:
I'm kind of long in the tooth to fly in a cape now. So I'd have to be like the voice of reason or somebody. 'Don't do that, super-fellow! Or we need such-and-such.' I would do a superhero movie if it was funny and we were making fun of superhero movies and I figured out how to do something funny. But even I don't buy me flying in with a cape on and you know, fucking everybody up, having lasers shoot out. See this? Doesn't this look like bullshit? What would you call this? Who would I be?
It's hard to argue with Murphy on the point of his mis-casting in a DC or Marvel superhero film. After all, his shtick has mostly been comedy, with some dips into the dramatic waters and family films to boot. Between the resume Eddie Murphy has built up, as well as the fact that he's just recently coming back into visibility with his role in the very serious Mr. Church, casting him in a film like Captain America: Civil War, or even something like Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice would be rather interesting, if not completely laughed off. Murphy himself knows it, and after watching the trailer for his latest film effort, the room for an argument in favor of the funny man suiting up in tights shrinks.
Of course, the more we think about the possibility of Eddie Murphy starring in a superhero satire, the more we're starting to think about how excellent of an idea that'd be. Hell, if Hancock hadn't already been made with Will Smith in the lead, that's the sort of project that could have been thrown to Murphy in a heartbeat. A project that explores the psyche of a hero long since retired, or even a normal human being in a complicated friendship / relationship with a superhero, could be an interesting fit for Eddie Murphy's talent. So if anyone wants to make a version of Hancock or My Super Ex-Girlfriend, only re-written to become a starring vehicle for Murphy, then it looks like your day has come.
In the meantime, you can welcomeEddie Murphy back to theaters with his latest film, Mr. Church, which is currently at the movies.
