The world needs more Eddie Murphy. That's just science. Once the film industry's most successful on-screen comedian, the legend has been testing dramatic waters in movies like Mr. Church and A Thousand Words, but hasn't made a pure comedy since 2011's Tower Heist. That's about to change, though, as Murphy's now attached to a remake of a classic comedy, Grumpy Old Men.
Previously a vehicle for Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon (which spawned a sequel), Grumpy Old Men casts two iconic screen stars as neighbors who hate each other, but then find themselves fighting for the affection of a beautiful new lady who moves into the neighborhood. Deadline says that Eddie Murphy has attached his name to a remake, with Tim Story (Ride Along, Barbershop, Taxi) signed on to direct and produce. While no name is being reported as the Matthau to Murphy's Lemmon, Deadline says they are hearing that Story wants Samuel L. Jackson to play the other part, and notes that Jackson and Story just worked on the new Shaft together.
On paper, this sounds good. Getting Eddie Murphy back into a comedy is exciting. Pairing him up with Samuel L. Jackson would be very exciting. Having them do a Grumpy Old Men remake likely wouldn't be my first choice for them -- I'd much rather see these two Coming To America veterans in something wildly original. So long as it recaptures this magic:
That being said, more than enough time has passed wince the original Grumpy Old Men came out in 1993, so contemporary audiences might not even be aware of the fact that this new Eddie Murphy vehicle is a remake. It's not Murphy's only film coming to theaters. The comedian just wrapped on Dolemite Is My Name, where he's playing Rudy Ray Moore. And Murphy's name perpetually is attached to Beverly Hills Cop 4, if that ever happens.
Samuel L. Jackson, meanwhile, is incredibly busy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He's playing a younger Nick Fury in Captain Marvel, and will team up with Peter Parker in next year's Spider-Man: Far From Home. He has the next chapter in the Shaft franchise coming to theaters. And he will reprise the role of Mr. Glass in M. Night Shyalmalan's Unbreakable sequel, Glass.
Would you be interested in seeing Eddie Murphy and Samuel L. Jackson as Grumpy Old Men? Weigh in below. And keep track of all the movies coming to theaters in 2019 with our 2019 Movie Release Calendar, which is hot off of the presses.
