The 63-year-old comedy icon walked the red carpet at the premiere of his 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 has 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 ? 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."
Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence at the Los Angeles premiere of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on June 20, 2024.
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
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, includingSpencer 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.
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 .
Murphy has his sights set on remaking 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, first in 1992's Boomerang and then in 1999's Life .
One other reason Murphy might be so keen on working with Lawrence is because his 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.
Murphy told ET 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."
Eddie Murphy and partner Paige Butcher at the Los Angeles premiere of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on June 20, 2024.
VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
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.
Murphy shares two children with his fiancée, Paige Butcher -- and is also a father to eight other kids from four previous relationships.Ericis the Coming 2 America star's first born son with former girlfriendPaulette McNeely.
Meanwhile, Jasmine, 28, is the Bad Boys star's first born daughter with ex-wifePatricia 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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