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Eddie Murphy is one of the more interesting comedians in Hollywood, particularly in that his career started off SO big, and then seemed to deflate in recent years with a rash of throwway toilet humor comedies, and even a few films that almost didn’t get released at all. But he’s still that guy we fell in love with on Saturday Night Live, right? He’s still the controversially hilarious stand-up comedian that ruled the cable movie channels in the 1980’s, right? He’s still a force to be reckoned with, right? In a recent interview with Rolling Stone to promote TOWER HEIST, Murphy revealed a few interesting tidbits about where his career is in his mind right now, and a few interesting declarations that may surprise a few people. Check out some of the highlights below.
On not making family comedies anymore:
“I don’t have any interest in that right now,” he says. “There’s really no blueprint, but I’m trying to do some edgy stuff. And I only want to do what I really want to do, otherwise I’m content to sit here and play my guitar all day. I always tell people now that I’m a semiretired gentleman of leisure, and occasionally I’ll go do some work to break the boredom up.”
On the long-rumored BEVERLY HILLS COP 4:
“They’re not doing it,” he says. “What I’m trying to do now is produce a TV show starring Axel Foley’s son, and Axel is the chief of police now in Detroit. I’d do the pilot, show up here and there. None of the movie scripts were right; it was trying to force the premise. If you have to force something, you shouldn’t be doing it. It was always a rehash of the old thing. It was always wrong.”
On possibly returning to stand-up:
“If I ever get back onstage, I’m going to have a really great show for you all,” he says. “An hour and a half of stand-up and about 40 minutes of my shitty band . . . But I haven’t done it since I was 27, so why fuck with it? But that’s just weighing both sides. It comes up too much for me to not do it again. It’s like, when it hits me, I’ll do it, eventually.”
I actually like seeing Eddie be so candid and open, as he’s never been one to do many interviews. Granted, like many I’ve had my complaints about Murphy’s career choices in the last several years, but he’s still got a solid place in my heart… and hey, Hollywood is all about second chances, right? Tell us your thoughts in the comments. Do you want to see Eddie back on stage telling jokes? Are you upset there won’t be any more big screen Axel Foley? Let us know.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
