By Steven Zeitchik
November 19, 2009
NEW YORK- Eddie Murphy is attached to produce and potentially star in “The Misadventures of Fluffy,” a buddy comedy set up at Paramount.
Sam Pitman and Adam Cole-Kelly sold a pitch for the likely R-rated concept and will write the script. The project involves a New York road trip featuring talking animals and a bit of social commentary.
Repped by WME and Management 360, Pittman and Cole-Kelly came to prominence with “The Diversification of Nah Miller,” which centers on a man who tries to bring cultural enlightenment to his son by befriending people of other races. Tyler Perry is attached to produce and potentially star.
Also at Paramount, writers are sought for the studio’s “Beverly Hills Cop IV” with Murphy attached in his usual top lining Axel Foley role.
Murphy’s two most recent live-action pics, “Imagine That” and “Meet Dave,” struggled at the box-office. But he is involved a number of high-profile development projects including a “Fantasy Island” reboot.
Murphy also will reprise his prominent voice role in the upcoming “Shrek Forever After” and stars in DreamWorks’ high-concept comedy “A Thousand Words.”
The nation of talking animals evokes memories of Murphy’s two-pic “Dr. Dolittle” franchise, which grossed $405 million worldwide.