'Pink Panther' reboot: Eddie Murphy is the new Inspector Clouseau
What's the story
Hollywood actor and comedian Eddie Murphy has announced that he will be playing the iconic role of Inspector Clouseau in an upcoming Pink Panther movie. The news was revealed during an interview with Al Roker on NBC's Today show, where Murphy also spoke about other projects he is currently working on. "I'm getting ready to do a [biopic of musician] George Clinton, [his music collective] Parliament-Funkadelic," said Murphy.
Role confirmation
'I'm going to be...': Murphy confirms Clouseau role
Murphy confirmed his role as Inspector Clouseau, saying, "I'm going to be - I'm Inspector Clouseau in the next Pink Panther." When Roker asked if the character would still be French with Murphy in the role, he responded playfully: "Maybe. Well, he has to be French, but he could also be Haitian. I will tell you he's Black."
Character history
Previous actors who played Clouseau
The character of Inspector James Clouseau was first played by Peter Sellers in 1963's The Pink Panther, directed by Blake Edwards. Sellers played the role in multiple films. Since then, it has been portrayed by Alan Arkin (Inspector Clouseau, 1968) and Steve Martin in the 2006 reboot and its 2009 sequel. Murphy's involvement with the franchise has been rumored since May 2023.
Career update
Other projects Murphy is working on
In addition to his role in the new Pink Panther movie, Murphy is also working on a biopic about funk music legend George Clinton. He will reprise his role as Donkey in Shrek 5 and is set to lead a standalone film based on the iconic character. His latest film, The Pickup, is an action-comedy that will be released on Prime Video on August 6, 2025.