Eddie Murphy has some big plans for a possible future project for himself and Martin Lawrence.
The comedy icon walked the red carpet at the premiere of his hotly anticipated and long-awaited sequel, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F — held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills — on Thursday, and spoke with ET’s Nischelle Turner about his friendship with Lawrence.
With Lawrence’s recent success with Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and Murphy’s return to the cop comedy genre with the new installment in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, some fans have been suggesting the stars consider a crossover project.
However, Murphy says he’s got something even bigger and more ambitious in mind.
“I got this other idea for something with Martin,” Murphy told ET. “I’ve been developing it for years. Did you ever see a movie It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World? Ok well I got a script, it will be delivered any minute now written by Jez Butterworth and I’m trying to do a remake of that movie.”
For those who haven’t seen the iconic 1963 slapstick comedy classic, It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World tells the story of a group of motorists who discover the location of a hidden stash of loot, and race against one another in a mad dash to be the first to find the treasure.
The original film featured an astoundingly large ensemble cast of some of the biggest actors and comics of the era, including Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Edie Adams, Dick Shawn, Jonathan Winters, Andy Devine, Norman Fell, Peter Falk, Sterling Holloway, Buster Keaton and Carl Reiner to name just a few.
As for Butterworth, the celebrated screenwriter is best known for his ambitious sci-fi screenplays and large-scale dramas, having penned screenplays for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Ford v. Ferrari, Spectre, Black Mass, and Edge of Tomorrow, among others.
However, Murphy has his sights set on remarking It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, and staying true to the original film’s jaw-dropping ensemble cast.
“It’s one of my favorite movies of all time and if I do it, if the script turns out right, it’s gonna be a cast of all the who’s who of comedians,” Murphy exclaimed. “Anybody that was funny over the last 30 years is going to be in this movie.”
Murphy and Lawrence have starred together in the past, as well — first in 1992’s Boomerang and then in 1999’s Life.
One other reason Murphy might be so keen on working with Lawrence might also be because Murphy’s son, Eric, and Lawrence’s daughter, Jasmin, have been dating for several years — and many fans have wondered about future wedding plans — and who will be on the hook for paying for the event.
Well, Murphy says that part shouldn’t really be an issue.
“Well customarily the father pays for daughter, am I correct? That’s the way it goes down,” Murphy said, throwing the financial responsibility onto Lawrence’s shoulders. “It shouldn’t be an issue, you know? Bad Boys is out of the park and Martin has lots and lots of money, so he should be able to play for a splendid wedding.”
To be fair, Bad Boys: Ride or Die has grossed over $220 million at the box office and is one of the highest grossing films of the year thus far — so he’s got something of a point.
Jasmin first confirmed her romance with Eric in July 2021, when she wished him a happy birthday on Instagram with some sweet PDA-packed pics
Murphy shares two children with his fiancée, Paige Butcher — and is also a father to eight other kids from four previous relationships. Eric is the Coming 2 America star’s first born son with former girlfriend Paulette McNeely.
Meanwhile, Jasmine, 28, is the Bad Boys star’s first born daughter with ex-wife Patricia Southall. He also shares two daughters — Iyanna Lawrence, 23, and Amara Lawrence, 21 — with his ex-wife Shamicka Gibbs.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F premieres July 3 on Netflix.
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