Eddie Murphy Confirms He’s Taking on the Role of Inspector Clouseau in New ‘Pink Panther’ Movie

Eddie Murphy is ready to slip into the trench coat and mustache of one of the most iconic comedy characters ever, Inspector Clouseau. During an interview with Al Roker on TODAY (aired July 28), Murphy casually dropped the news that he’ll star as the famous bumbling detective in the next Pink Panther movie.

While talking about his upcoming projects, which include a biopic where he plays funk legend George Clinton and returning as Donkey in Shrek 5, Murphy suddenly revealed, “I’m Inspector Clouseau in the next ‘Pink Panther.’” Roker, clearly caught off guard, asked him to repeat it. “Yeah, I’m the new Clouseau,” Murphy confirmed with a grin.

When asked if he’d be doing a French accent, Murphy joked, “Maybe. Well, he has to be French, but he could also be Haitian. I will tell you, he’s Black. He’s Black, for sure.”

The role of Clouseau was made famous by Peter Sellers starting in 1963. After Sellers, Steve Martin took over in a 2006 reboot and its sequel in 2009. Now it’s Murphy’s turn to bring something new to the famously clumsy inspector.

Murphy has been linked to Pink Panther for a while now. Back in 2014, MGM had announced plans for a new live-action/CGI hybrid movie focused on the actual Pink Panther character more than Clouseau.

The project changed hands over the years, with directors and writers like David Silverman and Jeff Fowler coming on board. Chris Bremner is currently writing the script, and the movie is being developed by Amazon MGM Studios after Amazon acquired MGM.

According to reports, the film will feature both the animated Pink Panther and the live-action Clouseau, a mix of classic slapstick and modern tech. Julie Andrews, the widow of longtime Pink Panther director Blake Edwards, is also involved creatively.

Murphy is also thinking about remaking the chaotic 1963 comedy It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, clearly showing love for old-school comedy. But he also admitted things have changed with time. “Usually I’m the young maverick guy. And now I’m the old voice of reason,” he said.

He joked about the toll of action scenes these days, saying, “When you get our age, you have to pay. If you whip somebody’s ass when you’re our age, you kind of whip your own ass, too.”

Eddie Murphy stepping into Clouseau’s shoes might sound unexpected, but with his comedy chops and ability to reinvent roles, it just might work. The new Pink Panther movie is still in development, but one thing’s clear, this version is going to be different, and probably hilarious.

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