It’s quite surprising that Eddie Murphy, who is currently experiencing a career upswing, would choose to venture into familiar territory already explored by others to varying degrees of success. Nevertheless, Murphy is currently in negotiations to take on the role of the iconic Inspector Clouseau in MGM’s fresh adaptation of The Pink Panther.

Should the deal go through, Murphy would step into the shoes of Peter Sellers, who brought Clouseau to life in the 1960s films, and Steve Martin, who portrayed the character to mixed critical reception in the 2000s.

Under the direction of Jeff Fowler, known for his work on Sonic The Hedgehog, and with a screenplay by Chris Bremner, co-writer of Bad Boys For Life and the upcoming fourth installment in the franchise, this new iteration of The Pink Panther would incorporate a combination of live-action and CG elements, presenting the first-ever collaboration between Clouseau and the Panther. This represents a departure from the initial rumors surrounding the film back in 2020.

To be candid, the concept does evoke memories of Murphy’s film Norbit, and it’s often advised not to go “full Norbit.”