Eddie Murphy, in collaboration with New Line Cinema, is said to be the lead in an upcoming comedy inspired by the 1993 film, “Grumpy Old Men.” Though the name is undecided, the film will remake the original which starred Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.
Tim Story is directing and producing the film. John Davis will also be on board to produce with his David Entertainment banner, as he produced the original. Reports say the remake will have some modernizations.
“Grumpy Old Men” focused on two lifelong feuding neighbors who are in competition for the attention of a new neighbor and professor, played by Ann-Margret. Directed by Donald Petrie, the film was a hit grossing $70 million domestically and led to a 1995 sequel entitled Grumpier Old Men, which did even better at $72 million.
It has not yet been decided who will play opposite Murphy, but rumors say possibly, Samuel L Jackson. Story and Jackson are in post-production after shooting “Shaft,” also starring Regina King.
Story has had an abundance of success being the first African American director to cross the $1 billion mark in global grosses. Seven of Story’s films debuted No. 1 at the box office including “Ride Along 2,” “Think Like A Man Too”, “Ride Along,” “Think Like A Man,” “Fantastic Four: Rise of The Silver Surfer,” “Fantastic Four”, and “Barbershop.”
Murphy will soon appear in the Netflix biopic, Dolemite Is My Name, produced by John Davis and John Fox. Murphy takes on the role of Rudy Ray Moore, an album recording comedian in the early 1970s who used his profits to finance his 1975 film “Dolemite,” in which he played a beloved pimp who acts as a ghetto savior.
Murphy is represented by WWE and Ziffren Brittenham. Story is represented by UTA and the same law firm.
