Why Eddie Murphy Started (& Stopped) Making So Many Family-Friendly Movies

Eddie Murphy was once an icon of filthy stand-up and R-rated action, so why did he switch to making family comedies, and then switch back to more grown-up fare years later? Coming 2 America’s impressive streaming performance proved Eddie Murphy still holds sway over audiences worldwide, despite the mixed reviews the long-awaited sequel received. Murphy is one of many stars attempting to reboot a fondly remembered ‘80s franchise, and the success of Coming 2 America is good news for the creators of Top Gun: Maverick and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

However, fans of Murphy’s will have noted the actor has spent the last few decades bouncing between family-friendly comedies and more R-rated fare. Although this formula has netted him both flops and hits, Eddie Murphy’s career trajectory does fit with what prominent comedians have done before him. During the early ‘80s, a string of phenomenally successful stand-up albums saw Murphy become the first name in unapologetically offensive, R-rated humor. Murphy successfully turned his stand-up success into a movie career with Walter Hill’s 48 Hours and the Beverly Hills Cop franchise.

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After the success of action cinema legend Tony Scott’s Beverly Hills Cop 2, though, Murphy’s fortunes as an action star went into gradual decline. By the late ‘90s after several R-rated projects like Vampire In Brooklyn underperformed., Murphy began moving into family-friendly movies. Commercial success followed with parts in the likes of Shrek as well as lead roles in The Nutty Professor and Dr. Dolittle – so why has Murphy shifted back into more adult-orientated fare in the last decade? The first switch is due to the actor aging out of edgier roles, while the second might owe its inspiration to Steve Martin.

Following commercial disappointments like 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III or director Wes Craven’s Vampire In Brooklyn, Murphy’s subsequent career trajectory appears inspired by ‘80s stand-up legend Martin. The latter also moved from anarchic comedy in the 1980s to more anodyne family fare as he reached middle age, only to then transition back into more grown-up comedy with the likes of It’s Complicated. In both cases, critically-acclaimed, mature outings coincided with a string of family-film duds for both performers, prompting them to return to their R-rated origins.

Outside of the Martin comparison, Eddie Murphy has admitted to accepting a lot of roles during his family movie era for the cheques involved. When this proved largely unsatisfying – expect financially, of course – he stepped away from acting for nearly a decade. It was only when he got a long-cherished dream project in Rudy Ray Moore biopic Dolemite Is My Name greenlit that he got excited about acting again. The movie was greeted with great reviews, and what’s more, it got audiences excited about seeing Murphy return to his roots. This is what prompted Coming 2 America while Beverly Hills Cop 4 and a long-awaited return to stand-up comedy are also in the works. It’s doubtful audiences will see Dr. Dolittle 3 in the near future, but it’s nice to see Eddie Murphy has got his mojo back.

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