There was a time when Eddie Murphy wasn’t just a movie star—he was the movie star. You look at his early run—”48 Hrs,” “Trading Places,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Coming to America”—and it’s not just the box office dominance that stands out, it’s how electric he was.
Murphy had that rare gift of being both an undeniable comedic force and a magnetic screen presence. But somewhere along the way, the industry, and maybe even Murphy himself, leaned too far into the high-concept family fare (“Dr. Dolittle,” “Norbit”) and dulled the edge that once made him revolutionary. Yes, he’s had moments—”Dreamgirls” gave us a glimpse, “Dolemite Is My Name” reminded us of his brilliance—but we're still waiting for the full artistic comeback.
Eddie Murphy's return to the big screen in “The Pickup,” which just released its trailer, doesn’t look like the comeback I had envisioned; it looks outright bad. Eddie Murphy looks bored. Pete Davidson isn’t funny.
Directed by Tim Story, the film looks to be a blend of action and humor, reminiscent of Murphy's earlier works, but more flat. The film features Murphy as Russell, an armored truck driver ensnared in a heist orchestrated by Zoe, portrayed by Keke Palmer. Alongside Pete Davidson, who plays Travis, Russell is thrust into a chaotic situation.
The ensemble cast also includes Eva Longoria, Marshawn Lynch, and Roman Reigns. With a release slated for August 6, 2025, on Amazon Prime Video, “The Pickup” will likely not re-establish Murphy's presence in the cinematic landscape. It certainly does not help that it’s going straight to streaming.
Murphy is 63 now, and the window for a late-career renaissance isn’t wide open forever. But if there’s any justice in this industry—and occasionally there is—someone like Murphy should be getting the kind of projects that showcase what he can still do when he’s given sharp material. Imagine him in a Paul Thomas Anderson film, or teaming up with someone like Spike Lee for a character-driven drama with some bite.
The charm is still there, the timing is still there, the want might not be. Now all that’s left is the right script, the right director, and the industry finally waking up to the fact that one of the most important voices in American comedy still has something to say. Up next for Murphy is his reprisal of Donkey in next year’s “Shrek 5,” and he’s supposed to play Inspector Clouseau in an upcoming “Pink Panther” reboot.
Edward Berger seems to have settled on what comes next. His Lance Armstrong biopic, starring Austin Butler, is now holding casting calls, with production eyed for January.