Has Eddie Murphy gone barking mad? According to The Hollywood Reporter, our resident 'Doctor Dolittle' is currently attached to produce and potentially star in 'The Misadventures of Fluffy,' the plot of which purportedly features a road trip through New York featuring talking animals. Sounds fishy to us, especially considering that the decidedly family-friendly pitch is actually aiming for an R rating.
The writers behind the wacky concept are Sam Pitman and Adam Cole-Kelly, who are hoping to combine the social comedy of Murphy's 'Trading Places' with the charm (read: talking vermin) of his 'Dolittle.' Paramount, who greenlit the flick, is obviously hoping for Murphy to return to the bankability of his heyday, which is why the studio is also currently seeking writers for the long-gestating 'Beverly Hills Cop IV,' also starring the A-lister.
The former 'Nutty Professor' could use the hit; while the gargantuan 'Shrek' franchise is keeping Murphy in the metaphorical green, his latest live-action efforts have fizzled at the box office. 'Imagine That' and 'Meet Dave' were both met with critical derision, while 'Norbit' was a modest financial hit.
Murphy is currently working on several development projects that might reinvigorate his career. As well as reprising his role as Donkey in next year's 'Shrek Forever After,' the actor is involved a 'Fantasy Island' reboot and also headlines DreamWorks' high-concept comedy 'A Thousand Words,' playing a man who discovers that he only has 1,000 words left to speak before he dies.
If 'Fluffy' can recapture the magic that earned the 'Doctor Dolittle' franchise $465 million worldwide over two movies, Murphy might consider communing with the animals more often for advice on box office hits.
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