Eddie Murphy Joins Stiller’s ‘Tower Heist’
Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy is set to join Ben Stiller in director Brett Ratner’s action comedy, Tower Heist. Murphy will play “a safe-cracking thug who may or may not betray” the team of disgruntled employees led by Stiller, in their quest to overtake a Wall Street crook (Alan Alda.)
Murphy’s involvement dates back to Ratner’s original concept of the film, which was developed as an ‘African-American Ocean’s 11.’ This represents a potential comeback for Murphy, whose post-Dreamgirls live-action film choices have posted disappointing box office results. This would be one of Murphy’s first co-headlining comedies since 2002’s lackluster I-Spy opposite Owen Wilson.
Tower Heist begins filming next month in New York.
I really used to love Eddie Murphy, but I honestly can’t remember the last thing I liked him in. The involvement of Alda and of course Stiller does give me hope. That Stiller isn’t pulling from the usual gang of Frat Pack regulars is, in some ways, a nice change of pace. But, it still doesn’t make me feel great.
If we knew for sure this was R-rated it probably would make me feel a lot better. Murphy in particular needs to get back to his R-rated roots in a big way.
Murphy’s name attached to this project raised my interest in this film, but on reading your response, I gotta say I agree with you. There really hasn’t been anything of his work in years that I’ve liked. When I think of Eddie and his comedies and I go back to 48 Hours, Trading Places, SNL…nothing in recent years. Maybe this new film will bring a change.
Michael Pena and Gabourey Sidibe have also joined the cast.
http://www.collider.com/2010/10/19/steve-buscemi-portlandia-sidibe-pena-tower-heist/