Everyone has a favorite Christmas movie, right? Whether it’s ‘A Christmas Story,’ ‘Elf’ or even ‘Die Hard,’ Christmas movies play ad nauseam on television throughout the month of December.
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But where are all the Thanksgiving Day films?
In honor of the annual holiday, Moviefone is counting down the top twenty Thanksgiving Day themed movies of all time!
Now, to qualify for this list the film must either take place at Thanksgiving or involve the holiday in some way, and we are only counting theatrical releases, so sorry ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.’
2009’s ‘The Blind Side’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman (Sandra Bullock) and her family.
In an attempt to remind her family of their privilege and help them bond, Ms. Anna Barker (Courtney Henggeler) invites Pilgrim reenactors to stay with them over Thanksgiving. When the “actors” refuse to break character, the Barker family learns that there is such a thing as too much gratitude.
Join Butterball the turkey and Missy the Dodo as they come to the rescue of Thanksgiving and embark on an unforgettable, clock-racing countdown to a holiday dinner. It’s a Thanksgiving Movie for the ages.
Nelson (Keanu Reeves)is a man devoted to his advertising career in San Francisco. One day, while taking a driving test at the DMV, he meets Sara (Charlize Theron). She is very different from the other women in his life. Nelson causes her to miss out on taking the test and later that day she tracks him down. One thing leads to another and Nelson ends up living with her through a November that will change his life forever.
1992’s ‘Scent of a Woman’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell) is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino), a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.
Country girl Rebecca (Carla Gugino) has spent most of her life on a farm in South Dakota, and, when she goes away to college in Los Angeles, Rebecca immediately feels out of place in the daunting urban setting. She is befriended by a savvy party animal named Crawl (Pauley Shore), who convinces the ambivalent Rebecca to stay in the city. When Thanksgiving break rolls around, Rebecca, no longer an innocent farm girl, invites Crawl back to South Dakota, where he pretends to be her fiancé.
Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) faces a parent’s worst nightmare when his 6-year-old daughter, Anna, and her friend go missing. The only lead is an old motorhome that had been parked on their street. The head of the investigation, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), arrests the driver, but a lack of evidence forces Loki to release his only suspect. Dover, knowing that his daughter’s life is at stake, decides that he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands.
Quirky and rebellious April Burns (Katie Holmes) lives with her boyfriend (Derek Luke) in a low-rent New York City apartment miles away from her emotionally distant family. But when she discovers that her mother (Patricia Clarkson) has a fatal form of breast cancer, she invites the clan to her place for Thanksgiving. While her father (Oliver Platt) struggles to drive her family into the city, April — an inexperienced cook — runs into kitchen trouble and must ask a neighbor for help.
1995’s ‘Home for the Holidays’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
After losing her job, making out with her soon-to-be former boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) faces spending the holiday with her unhinged family.
Siblings Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley Addams (Jimmy Workman) will stop at nothing to get rid of Pubert, the new baby boy adored by parents Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston). Things go from bad to worse when the new “black widow” nanny, Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack), launches her plan to add Fester to her collection of dead husbands.
For decades, next-door neighbors and former friends John (Jack Lemmon) and Max (Walter Matthau) have feuded, trading insults and wicked pranks. When an attractive widow (Ann-Margret) moves in nearby, their bad blood erupts into a high-stakes rivalry full of naughty jokes and adolescent hijinks.
A luxury condo manager leads a staff of workers to seek payback on the Wall Street swindler who defrauded them. With only days until the billionaire gets away with the perfect crime, the unlikely crew of amateur thieves enlists the help of petty crook Slide to steal the $20 million they’re sure is hidden in the penthouse.
‘Thanksgiving’ Parade from TriStar Pictures and Spyglass Media Group, LLC Thanksgiving.
After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the holiday. Picking off residents one by one, what begins as random revenge killings are soon revealed to be part of a larger, sinister holiday plan.
Two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history—and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.
1987’s ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
An irritable marketing executive, Neal Page (Steve Martin), is heading home to Chicago for Thanksgiving when a number of delays force him to travel with a well meaning but overbearing shower curtain ring salesman, Del Griffith (John Candy).
(L to R) Paige Butcher and Eddie Murphy at the premiere of ‘The PIckup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Eddie Murphy is one of the greatest stand-up comics and movie stars of all time!
The Oscar-nominated actor’s films have grossed over $6 billion dollars at the box office, and Murphy received the prestigious Cecil B. Demille Award from the Hollywood Foreign Press at the 2023 Golden Globes.
A scene from 1998’s ‘Mulan’. Photo: Walt Disney Feature Animation.
To save her father (Soon-Tek Oh) from certain death in the army, a young woman named Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) secretly enlists in his place and becomes one of China’s greatest heroines in the process. Murphy plays Mushu, a Chinese dragon that is Mulan’s sidekick.
A bored and domesticated Shrek (Mike Myers) pacts with deal-maker Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn) to get back to feeling like a real ogre again, but when he’s duped and sent to a twisted version of Far Far Away—where Rumpelstiltskin is king, ogres are hunted, and he and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have never met—he sets out to restore his world and reclaim his true love.
For the past four years, San Francisco cop Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) has been after an unidentified drug kingpin who calls himself the Ice Man. Jack finds a picture that proves that the Ice Man has put a price on the head of Reggie Hammond (Murphy), who is scheduled to be released from prison on the next day.
Maximillian (Murphy), the lone survivor of a race of vampires, comes to Brooklyn in search of a way to live past the next full moon. His ticket to survival is Rita (Angela Bassett), a NYPD detective who doesn’t know she’s half vampire — and Maximillian will do whatever’s necessary to put her under his spell.
(L to R) Arsenio Hall and Eddie Murphy in ‘Coming 2 America’. Photo: Prime Video.
Prince Akeem Joffer (Murphy) is set to become King of Zamunda when he discovers he has a son he never knew about in America – a street savvy Queens native named Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler). Honoring his royal father’s (James Earl Jones) dying wish to groom this son as the crown prince, Akeem and Semmi (Arsenio Hall) set off to America once again.
A successful physician and devoted family man, John Dolittle (Murphy) seems to have the world by the tail, until a long suppressed talent he possessed as a child, the ability to communicate with animals is suddenly reawakened with a vengeance! Now every creature within squawking distance wants the good doctor’s advice, unleashing an outrageous chain of events that turns his world upside down!
Shrek (Mike Myers), Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and Donkey (Murphy) set off to Far, Far Away to meet Fiona’s mother (Julie Andrews) and father (John Cleese). But not everyone is happy. Shrek and the King find it hard to get along, and there’s tension in the marriage. The fairy godmother (Jennifer Saunders) discovers that Shrek has married Fiona instead of her Son Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) and sets about destroying their marriage.
Two men (Murphy and Martin Lawrence) in 1930s Mississippi become friends after being sentenced to life in prison together for a crime they did not commit.
The hilarity begins when professor Sherman Klump (Murphy) finds romance with fellow DNA specialist, Denise Gaines (Janet Jackson), and discovers a brilliant formula that reverses aging. But Sherman’s thin and obnoxious alter ego, Buddy Love, wants out…and a big piece of the action. And when Buddy gets loose, things get seriously nutty.
(L to R) Ben Stiller, Matthew Broderick, Michael Peña, Casey Affleck, and Eddie Murphy in ‘Tower Heist’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
A luxury condo manager (Ben Stiller) leads a staff of workers to seek payback on the Wall Street swindler who defrauded them. With only days until the billionaire gets away with the perfect crime, the unlikely crew of amateur thieves enlists the help of petty crook named Slide (Murphy) to steal the $20 million they’re sure is hidden in the penthouse.
Roper (Murphy), a hostage negotiator catches a murderous bank robber after a blown heist. The bank robber (Michael Wincott) escapes and immediately goes after the man who put him behind bars.
A Florida con man (Murphy) uses the passing of the long time Congressman from his district who he just happens to share a name with, to get elected to his version of paradise, Congress, where the money flows from lobbyists. But soon he learns the nature of the game and decides to fight back the only way he knows how, with a con.
A unique friendship develops when a little girl (Britt Robertson) and her dying mother (Natascha McElhone) inherit a cook – Mr. Church (Murphy). What begins as an arrangement that should only last six months, instead spans fifteen years.
Marcus (Murphy) is a successful advertising executive who woos and beds women almost at will. After a company merger he finds that his new boss, the ravishing Jacqueline (Robin Givens), is treating him in exactly the same way. Completely traumatised by this, his work goes badly downhill.
(L to R) Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce and Pete Davidson as Travis Stolly in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
In the action-comedy ‘The Pickup’, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.
Detective Axel Foley (Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, she (Taylour Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.
‘Sugar’ Ray (Richard Pryor) is the owner of an illegal casino where he and his son Quick (Murphy), must contend with the pressure of vicious gangsters and corrupt police who want to see them go out of business. In a world of organized crime and police corruption in the 1920s, any dastardly trick is fair.
After a Tibetan boy, the mystical Golden Child (J. L. Reate), is kidnapped by the evil Sardo Numspa (Charles Dance), humankind’s fate hangs in the balance. On the other side of the world in Los Angeles, the priestess Kee Nang (Charlotte Lewis) seeks the Chosen One, who will save the boy from death. When Nang sees social worker Chandler Jarrell (Murphy) on television discussing his ability to find missing children, she solicits his expertise, despite his skepticism over being “chosen.”
On the run from a lethal assassin, a wily con artist (Frank Grillo) devises a scheme to hide out inside a small-town police station. However, when the hit man (Butler) turns up at the precinct, an unsuspecting rookie cop (Alexis Louder) finds herself caught in the crosshairs.
Eddie Murphy in ‘Eddie Murphy Raw’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Eddie Murphy delights, shocks and entertains with dead-on celebrity impersonations, observations on ’80s love, sex and marriage, a remembrance of Mom’s hamburgers and much more.
It ain’t easy bein’ green — especially if you’re a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek (Mike Myers). On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess (Cameron Diaz) from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot — a wisecracking donkey (Murphy).
A snobbish investor (Dan Aykroyd) and a wily street con-artist (Murphy) find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche).
On the verge of bankruptcy and desperate for his big break, aspiring filmmaker Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) concocts a crazy plan to make his ultimate dream movie. Rallying a ragtag team that includes a starry-eyed ingenue (Heather Graham), a has-been diva (Christine Baranski) and a film studio gofer (Jamie Kennedy), he sets out to shoot a blockbuster featuring the biggest star in Hollywood, Kit Ramsey (Murphy) — only without letting Ramsey know he’s in the picture.
Eddie Murphy stars as shy Dr. Sherman Klump, a kind, brilliant, ‘calorifically challenged’ genetic professor. When beautiful Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett Smith) joins the university faculty, Sherman grows desperate to whittle his 400-pound frame down to size and win her heart. So, with one swig of his experimental fat-reducing serum, Sherman becomes ‘Buddy Love’, a fast-talking, pumped-up, plumped down Don Juan.
(L to R) Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in ’48 hrs.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
A hard-nosed cop (Nick Nolte) reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal (Murphy) temporarily paroled to him, in order to track down a killer (James Remar).
A trio of female soul singers (Beyoncé Knowles, Anika Noni Rose and Jennifer Hudson) cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way. Murphy received an Oscar-nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performances as James (Jimmy) “Thunder” Early.
An African prince (Murphy) decides it’s time for him to find a princess… and his mission leads him and his most loyal friend (Arsenio Hall) to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince quickly finds himself a new job, new friends, new digs, new enemies and lots of trouble.
Eddie Murphy in ‘Beverly Hills Cop’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The heat is on in this fast paced action-comedy starring Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, a street smart Detroit cop tracking down his best friend’s (James Russo) killer in Beverly Hills. Axel quickly learns that his wild style doesn’t fit in with the Beverly Hills Police Department, which assigns two officers (John Ashton and Judge Reinhold) to make sure things don’t get out of hand. Dragging the stuffy detectives along for the ride, Axel smashes through a huge culture clash in his hilarious, high-speed pursuit of justice. Also featuring Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot and Damon Wayans, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ is an exhilarating, sidesplitting adventure.
Moviefone was in attendance at a virtual press conference featuring Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer, and director Tim Story. They shared behind-the-scenes details and lots of laughs while celebrating the upcoming release of their new film.
1) Pete Davidson Calls ‘The Pickup’ An Old School Comedy
Pete Davidson at the premiere of ‘The PIckup’. Photo: Prime Video.
When asked to describe ‘The Pickup’, Pete Davidson relates it to an early 2000s movie, emphasizing that it really leans in on the fun side of things.
Pete Davidson: I think it’s one of those fun, early 2000s old school action comedy, fast-moving. There’s not a dull moment. The story picks up literally from the jump, and it moves, and it’s an hour and 40 minutes of just fun. It’s just fun. You watch it with everybody. There’s someone in it for everyone to like, so I think it’s just a right down the middle fastball.
2) The Cast of ‘The Pickup’ Is A Dream Come True For Director Tim Story
(L to R) Pete Davidson as Travis Stolly, Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce, and Keke Palmer as Zoe in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
With a cast like Eddie Murphy, Keke Palmer, Pete Davidson, and Eva Longoria, you cannot go wrong. Tim Story gushes over them, admitting this is a dream cast.
Tim Story: It was like a dream come true. I want to say my career has a little bit been on trying to chase [Eddie Murphy] down and do a movie with him. And so when you get that, and then you can, you see him with Pete, and as many people have said, it’s the pairing that you didn’t realize you needed so much, and then you see them together, and then you had Keke. It was just a bag of riches that just kept coming out. It’s a movie of the 80s, and I’m an 80s comedy kind of kid, and I just felt like I had a dream come true.
3) Keke Palmer Was Excited To Work With Pete Davidson Again, This Time Face-to-Face
(L to R) Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson at ‘The Pickup’ virtual press conference.
Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson have worked together in the past, but because of the pandemic, ‘The Pickup’ was actually the first time they were able to work together face-to-face.
Keke Palmer: I worked with Pete before, so it was great to work with him again, and this time face-to-face because the last thing we did was a podcast during COVID. So we were really not near each other. It was during COVID, so they wouldn’t even let us say hi. We were just in between sheets of glass and so desperately wanting to do something, and this thing came along. I had a good time. It was really fun.
4) Keke Palmer Says Watching Eddie Murphy Work Was A Masterclass
(L to R) Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce and Pete Davidson as Travis Stolly in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Keke Palmer, who is a comedic genuis herself, was extremely impressed watching Eddie Murphy work. She feels as if she has learned a lot from working alongside him.
Keke Palmer: I was happy because I asked him his favorite movie that he’s ever done, and I was like, it was the same movie of mine that he’s ever done, which is ‘Nutty Professor’, because those characters that he made were so real. For years, when I was little, I was like, is that really Eddie? That’s not a real mama? Every single character was so truthful. It was comedy, but it was truthful, and I really do feel like working on ‘The Pickup’ prepared me for one of them days because I got to watch a masterclass of him continuously playing the truth. Every improvisation, every joke, the situation was the comedy, and he just always knew how to add to it in just the right way. It was an honor. I can’t wait to do it again.
5) ‘The Pickup’ Script Is What Drew Eddie Murphy To The Film
(L to R) Paige Butcher and Eddie Murphy at the premiere of ‘The PIckup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Eddie Murphy is a legend. Because of this he can pick and choose what projects he wants to work on. He claims it was the solid script of ‘The Pickup’ that made him want to be a part of it.
Eddie Murphy: That the script was solid when I read it. Usually, these pieces take years to develop and you see a bunch of different drafts of the script. But this thing was like 90% there when I read it the first time. It was like, hey, this could work. Then we got Tim, and I was like, okay, well, we’re making this movie. It just came together really quick. The script being solid is why I jumped on it, so to speak.
6) Keke Palmer Says Her ‘The Pickup’ Character Is More Of An Anti-Hero Than A Villain
Keke Palmer as Zoe in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
When asked if she was inspired by any other performances when crafting her character, Keke Palmer says that she wasn’t thinking about anyone in particular, and just wanted to be truthful to who she felt her character is.
Keke Palmer: I was just wanting to play who I thought this character was, honestly, truthfully. She’s a villain, but she’s somebody that has a reason. In my mind, I felt like she was a bit of an anti-hero, and she’s honestly trying to get these guys on board with what she’s trying to do. There’s a bit of a romance that’s happening with Pete’s character, even if she’s not fully admitting it. And then there’s this feeling of she’s wanting Eddie’s character to believe in her. She’s looking for somebody to validate what she’s doing.
7) Pete Davidson Explains There Was A Lot Of Improv While Filming – A Lot Of Which Did Not Make The Final Cut Of The Movie
(L to R) Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson at ‘The Pickup’ virtual press conference.
When asked about improvising on set, Pete Davidson admits that he and Eddie Murphy had a lot of moments where they just went off, saying random things. A lot of them did not make the final cut, but they still think about them.
Pete Davidson: Oh, a lot of stuff. I was saying some foul stuff. Some of it’s in there. Tim was very trusting to all of us. We would get one as scripted and then he would just let us have fun and go off. I think some of the best moments in the film are just us all messing around. That Marshawn Lynch one with the whole twin thing. Or Eddie when he was like, jiggle the back, make the back jiggle. That killed me. When you’re changing the tire, and you said like maybe to a passing car, I don’t read as white, that was hilarious. I just had a lot of fun, and I appreciated Tim’s trust. And it made the movie really easy and fun to film.
8) Tim Story Says Editing The Comedy Of ‘The Pickup’ Was Easier Than One Might Think
(L to R) Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, director Tim Story on the set of ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video
With a comedy like ‘The Pickup’ there must be a lot of improv, especially because of the cast. While one might think this would make it harder to edit, Tim Story says that he just respected the comedy rules.
Tim Story: I’m a slave to the comedy rules. You put it together. If it works and an audience laughs, we keep it. If it doesn’t work, we get rid of it. That’s what’s fun. As you trim off all the fat, you end up with something that just makes it great. But that’s what’s also great about what you saw a lot between Eddie and Pete, and obviously Keke, is that they just give you these nuggets. But at the same time, what’s fun about it is they’re also very surgical. Once they lock into what makes the scene work, they just give you more of that.
9) Eddie Murphy Reveals His First Impressions Of His Costars
(L to R) Eddie Murphy and Tim Story at ‘The Pickup’ virtual press conference.
Eddie Murphy describes his first impressions of his ‘The Pickup’ costars, Pete Davidson and Keke Palmer.
Eddie Murphy: My first impression wasn’t on the set with Pete. I knew him from the show, from SNL. And Keke, I didn’t know all the different stuff that Keke did. I’d seen that Pimp series that she did. I was like, that’s the girl from Pimp. She’s good. So when she got on the set, it was like, oh, wow, yeah, this girl is good. Then it was like, oh, she hosts this game show, too. Then I watched the game show, and it was a totally different human being. She has a persona that she does for the game show, and it’s a great game show host, but she’s nothing like that. And then she’s nothing like she is in the movie. Off camera, she’s nothing like any of the stuff that she does. So I’ve been tripping off of her. And she sings and all that. Actually, I was like that when I was her age.
10) Eddie Murphy Praising Keke Palmer Makes Her Emotional
Keke Palmer at the premiere of ‘The PIckup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Hearing Eddie Murphy praise her like this, makes Keke Palmer extremely emotional.
Keke Palmer: I could cry, to be quite honest with you. There’s nothing better. Eddie is literally the blueprint. I remember watching ‘Trading Places’. Like I said, I’ve grown up on all his movies and his impact. He’s done things that they would never be done again. And to be around him and to also see how he’s had the longevities he’s had, and still reserve himself. When Eddie gets on stage, he’s performing. He’s giving you all he’s got. Then when he’s done, he’s got his family. He’s got his kids.
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What is the plot of ‘The Pickup’?
In the action-comedy The Pickup, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.
(L to R) Pete Davidson as Travis Stolly, Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce, and Keke Palmer as Zoe in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
As a lifelong fan of Eddie Murphy, and especially his early action comedies like ’48 Hrs.’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ and ‘The Golden Child’, I was very excited to see ‘The Pickup’, which is the legendary actor’s return to the genre he helped create. And while ‘The Pickup’ is not on the same level as Murphy’s past buddy cop movies or even classics like ‘Lethal Weapon’ or ‘Rush Hour’, the film does offer laughs and great chemistry between Murphy and co-star Pete Davidson.
In a way, Murphy plays the opposite of what he played in previous buddy cop movies, no longer the young upstart (that’s Davidson now), he’s grown well into the older, grumpier role. He’s not exactly the straight man, and certainly has many funny moments himself, but works well reacting to Davidson, who brings his usual brand of humor. While we’ve seen Davidson play the “dumb but likable guy” in the past, his schtick still works and the actor has some very funny moments with Murphy.
However, the direction is mediocre, and the third act crumbles under its own weight. Director Tim Story can handle the characters and the humor, but the action is standard at best. Actress Keke Palmer also has great chemistry with Murphy and Davidson, but her character has so many different twists and reveals, that it’s hard to completely believe her in the role. While enjoyable, the film does nothing to elevate the buddy cop genre and its success hinges on the chemistry between the two lead actors, which thankfully works.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, director Tim Story on the set of ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video
The movie begins by introducing us to Russell Pierce (Eddie Murphy), a veteran armored truck guard who is looking forward to celebrating his anniversary later that evening with his wife Natalie (Eva Longoria). Once at work and hoping to have an easy day, his boss (Andrew Dice Clay) informs him that he will be doing the day’s most difficult deliveries. In addition, he must also break in a new partner, slacker Travis Stolly (Pete Davidson), who the day before accidentally pulled a gun on a woman named Zoe (Keke Palmer) in a bank, and now thinks he’s in love with her.
As Russell and Travis go about their deliveries, they are hijacked by thieves. While the two do their best to fend off the hijackers, they are eventually captured, and their kidnapper’s identity is revealed. Soon, Natalie is also captured, and Pierce and Travis are forced to work with the thieves to rob a casino. Now, Pierce and Travis must put their differences aside and work together to save Natalie, clear their names and stop the heist.
Tim Story is a veteran director with many big films under his belt including the ‘Barbershop’ and ‘Fantastic Four’ franchises, but he is a journeyman filmmaker at best. His work here is adequate, but Story doesn’t offer anything to elevate this from your standard buddy cop movie, other than assembling a terrific cast, which does most of the heavy lifting. Except for one very fun set piece that features an armored car chase, most of the action sequences seem generic and don’t add much to the overall movie.
The script from Matt Mider and Kevin Burrows works best when it is focusing on character and falls apart in the third act with all its twists and turns. If ‘The Pickup’ was just an homage to classic buddy cop movies, I think that would have worked, but the screenplay also pulls inspiration from Tony Scott’s ‘Unstoppable’ and heist movies like ‘Heat’ and ‘The Town’, and I think it was just too much for one movie to handle.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Keke Palmer, Eddie Murphy, and Pete Davidson in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Eddie Murphy may have had one of the best runs in history of any actor’s early career. With hits like ’48 Hrs.’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’, and ‘Coming to America’, Murphy was one of the biggest stars of his time. After a few movies that didn’t work, he was quickly back on top with ‘The Nutty Professor’ and ‘Shrek’ franchises and began making family movies, leaving the action-comedy genre behind. Which is what made his role in ‘The Pickup’ so appealing, because its Eddie Murphy returning to the genre he helped create.
But this is not the Eddie Murphy we once knew. This is an older, wiser, and calmer Eddie Murphy, but when given the right moment is just as funny as ever. After giving a career defining performance in the criminally underrated ‘Dolemite Is My Name’, Murphy has appeared in below average comedies like ‘Coming 2 America’, ‘You People’ and ‘Candy Cane Lane’, and while those movies lowered the bar quite a bit, I can honestly say this is the best work Murphy has done since ‘Dolemite’. Murphy is also quite good adjusting to the older partner role, it’s almost like he’s playing the Nick Nolte character and Davidson is playing the Eddie Murphy character, to use ’48 Hrs.’ as an example.
Murphy is at his best when he is playing the truthfulness of the moment and being funny without trying to be funny. He has great chemistry with all his co-stars including Longoria, but especially Davidson. As an old school Eddie Murphy fan, it was great to see him playing a cop again (sort of), and the actor is very good in his action and fight scenes.
As for his part, Pete Davidson certainly brings charisma and his own brand of charm to the role. The character was clearly tailor made for Davidson and he is completely believable in the role. The actor has a funny chemistry with Murphy, who he clearly looks up to and they make a great comedy team. Davidson’s “likable dumb guy” does begin to wear thin at times, but at least Murphy is there to even in out.
It’s very difficult to talk about Keke Palmer’s role in this movie without giving away spoilers. I’ll just say that she is a terrific and funny actress that was perhaps miscast here. Her role takes on many different forms throughout the film and because of that, her performance is uneven. She has a strong emotional monologue in the third act, but her character’s conclusion left me scratching my head.
Eva Longoria is a lot of fun as Russell’s feisty wife, and she is great opposite Murphy, but doesn’t have a lot to do till the third act. Finally, for 80’s stand-up comedy fans, you will not want to miss seeing Eddie Murphy share a scene on the big screen with fellow comedic legend Andrew Dice Clay!
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce and Eva Longoria as Natalie Pierce in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
‘The Pickup’ is your standard buddy cop movie but the performances and chemistry between Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson elevates it from being too generic. While not a home run, the movie is funny and filled with action, and will be enjoyable for fans of the genre and Eddie Murphy, who isn’t exactly at his all-time best here, but certainly his best in recent years.
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What is the plot of ‘The Pickup’?
In the action-comedy The Pickup, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.
(Left) Zendaya attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Challengers’ at Regency Village Theatre on April 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios. (Right) (L to R) Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Preview:
Zendaya is part of the cast for ‘Shrek 5.’
She’ll play the daughter of Shrek and Fiona.
Walt Dohrn and Conrad Vernon are directing the new movie.
Given that the ‘Dune,’ ‘Challengers’ and ‘Euphoria’ star is set to follow her voice role in 2018’s ‘Smallfoot’ with another DreamWorks Animation title, we might just.
But in this case, she’s aboard the crown jewel of the company’s portfolio, the latest installment of the ‘Shrek’ franchise.
DreamWorks Animation and Universal confirmed the news in a new YouTube video…
The video also serves to lock down that Myers and Diaz are definitely back for this one, and we’ve already heard from Eddie Murphy on his confirmed return.
“We started doing ‘Shrek 5’ months ago. I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year, we’ll finish it up. ‘Shrek’ is coming out, and Donkey’s gonna have his own movie. We’re gonna do Donkey as well. So we’re gonna do a ‘Shrek’ and we’re doing a ‘Donkey’ [movie].”
DreamWorks didn’t mention the Donkey movie, but there’s still a chance we’ll see that.
(L to R) Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
The ‘Shrek’ franchise launched with the Oscar-winning 2001 movie that centered on Myers’ ogre, Shrek, who falls for Fiona, the princess of Far Far Away who has been cursed, trapped in the body of an ogre. Donkey provided comic relief, pathos and friendship to Shrek, with the film praised for its humorous twist on fairy-tale tropes.
In addition to the main Shrek movies, it also spawned two ‘Puss in Boots‘ spinoffs, starring Antonio Banderas, which all propelled the franchise to becoming the second biggest in animation history, with $2.9 billion globally.
While the exact plotline for the new movie has yet to be revealed, there have been hints on how it’ll continue the story of the central ogre family and their various friends.
Michael McCullers, who was a key Myers collaborator on the ‘Austin Powers’ movies, has reportedly been at work on the screenplay for the new ‘Shrek’, working from a story he developed with producer Christopher Meledandri. All the ‘Shrek’ stories, of course, chart new tales based on the character originally featured in William Steig’s book.
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We’ve seen various developments in Shrek’s life –– he and Fiona have a family (and Donkey has kids with his dragon partner), so perhaps we’ll be checking back in with their kids for a new story?
It could also potentially see Puss (Antonio Banderas) reuniting with his friends, as hinted at by the end of ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’.
And as is usual for this franchise, there will no doubt be riffs on pop culture and fantasy tales.
This is what producer Meledandri told Variety last year of developing the next ‘Shrek’:
“It’s not that dissimilar to the process that we went through with ‘Mario,’ where you look at what the core elements are that audiences have loved, and you do your very best to honor those core elements. And then you’re hard at work to build story elements and new characters that take you to brand new places. The original cast is a huge part of that.”
Who is making ‘Shrek 5’?
Shrek (Mike Myers) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Dohrn started his run on the franchise as a writer on ‘Shrek 2’ and ‘Shrek the Third,’ and as head of story on ‘Shrek Forever After,’ a film in which he voiced Rumpelstiltskin.
Vernon directed ‘Shrek 2,’ ‘Madagascar 2’ and voices Gingerbread Man (aka “Gingy”).
What else does Zendaya have on her schedule?
(L to R) Zendaya and Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
She is, as ever, a much in-demand actor.
Last year alone, Zendaya was seen in tennis love-triangle ‘Challengers’ and ‘Dune: Part Two,’ which featured less sports drama, but did also end up with its own love triangle (between Zendaya’s Chani, Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides and Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan… which, admittedly, is more of a power triangle).
She’ll also reportedly (though it has yet to be officially confirmed) be back as MJ in the next ‘Spider-Man’ movie, which will also see Holland reprising his lead role as Peter Parker in the latest outing for the Marvel character, to be directed this time by Destin Daniel Cretton.
Those two giant movies are due in 2026, but she’s also worked on Kristoffer Borgli’s romantic movie ‘The Drama’ alongside Robert Pattinson. That doesn’t have a confirmed release date, but should be on screens this year.
Meanwhile, there is her much-anticipated return to HBO series ‘Euphoria,’ which has finally started shooting its third season and looks likely to be on screens next year.
When will ‘Shrek 5’ be in theaters?
The movie has a December 23rd, 2026, release date from Universal and DreamWorks, and is the first in the main series since 2010’s ‘Shrek Forever After.’
Shrek (Mike Myers) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Eddie Murphy in the documentary ‘Eddie’. Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
Eddie Murphy is attached to a new action comedy called ‘Blue Falcon.’
He’ll play a former superspy unexpectedly reunited with his archrival.
Chad St. John wrote the script.
Eddie Murphy may never have had the chance to play James Bond, and he’s probably a little too old for the role now. Let’s be honest, though: who needs to be the stodgy old spy when you’re Axel Foley?
Regardless, after appearing in one espionage-themed action comedy, 2002’s ‘I Spy,’ Murphy is getting the chance to be one himself. Or at least, a former superspy.
The actor is now attached to star in new comedy project ‘Blue Falcon,’ which Deadline reports Sony Pictures is developing from a script by ‘London Has Fallen’ writer Chad St. John.
St. John’s script will see Murphy play a retired spy who heads for the destination wedding of his estranged son and finds himself in proximity with his archrival.
Awkward situations around relationships and families has become something of a theme in the actor’s recent work –– in ‘You People,’ he had to deal with his daughter becoming engaged to a quirky character played by Jonah Hill, ‘Candy Cane Lane’ saw him as a father trying to protect his kids (and Christmas), while even last year’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ had that character teaming up with his estranged daughter to solve a case.
‘Blue Falcon’ marks a somewhat surprising script from St. John, who is better known as an action writer who has been behind the likes of ‘Peppermint,’ ‘Replicas’ and the fourth ‘Expendables’ movie.
He has been dabbling with comedy of late, though, including ‘My Own Worst Enemy,’ which has Kevin Hart attached.
His next project to hit screens will be ‘Motor City,’ set in 1970s Detroit.
Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s ‘Reacher’ season 2.
‘Reacher’s Alan Ritchson stars in that one as Miller, who falls in love with a local gangster’s girl.
In retaliation, the gangster enacts a frame job to send the innocent man to prison. Life ruined, Miller plots a revenge campaign against the man who took his girl away.
Potsy Ponciroli directed that one, and it’s awaiting a release date.
With his career heating back up again in the last decade or so, Murphy has been busy, with a variety of action and family-friendly projects.
He’s worked on Tim Story’s new action comedy ‘The Pickup’ (which is awaiting a release date) and has a number of projects in development including a reunion with his ‘Dreamgirls’ director Bill Condon on the life of Parliament Funkadelic founder George Clinton.
Also on his list? A new take on the ‘Grumpy Old Men’ movies, a fresh adaptation of ‘The Pink Panther’ (which would see Murphy as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau and a new animated movie ‘Bodacious’ about a fearsome bull who becomes a rodeo champion.
And while he’ll be heard rather than seen, Murphy has already been back at work on a new outing of DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Shrek’ franchise.
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Here’s what he said about that last June to Collider:
“We started doing Shrek four or five months ago. I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year. We’ll finish it up.”
Walt Dohrn, who worked on the second and third films as a writer and artist and as Head of Story on the fourth film, is directing the fifth.
‘Shrek 5’ (assuming it doesn’t take a new title), will be in theaters on December 23rd, 2026.
(L to R) Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Finally, there is a new documentary called ‘Eddie’ about his life and career coming from Netflix this year.
In ‘Eddie,’ Murphy looks back on his extraordinary journey and looks ahead at what’s still to come, for the first time.
The film chronicles his meteoric rise from teen comic phenomenon to ‘Saturday Night Live’ breakout and stand-up supernova to box office titan. It illuminates the evolution of Eddie Murphy –– the trails he blazed and records he broke on his way from Brooklyn upstart to Hollywood icon.
He opens up his home and dives deep into his eclectic, nearly 50-year career. In his own words, he talks about entertaining three generations of fans with a filmography that spans comedy, action, drama, animation, musicals, and family fare.
Will it also address his troubles and failures? We’ll have to wait and see on that front.
(L to R) Donkey (Eddie Murphy), Shrek (Mike Myers), Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Preview:
DreamWorks Animation has set the fifth ‘Shrek’ entry for 2026.
Voice stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz are all returning.
No story details have been released.
While on his ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ press tour, Eddie Murphy mentioned that he’d been recording voice work for a new entry in the ‘Shrek’ franchise, in which he plays Donkey (more on that below).
That might not count as official confirmation for the next ‘Shrek’ movie, but we have some now, via DreamWorks Animation on social media:
Not too Far, Far Away… @Shrek 5 is coming to theaters on July 1, 2026 with Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz. pic.twitter.com/3j6ctXpPGu
The tweet confirms that stars Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz will indeed return as Shrek and Fiona alongside Murphy.
It’s hardly surprising that the company would return to the ‘Shrek’ universe –– after all, it has earned more than $2.9 billion between the main entries and various spin-offs, including the ‘Puss in Boots’ movies. And added to that, a whole truckload of merchandise and various opportunities such as a Broadway musical, a touring show and theme park attractions.
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What’s the story of ‘Shrek 5’?
Shrek (Mike Myers) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Michael McCullers, who was a key Myers collaborator on the ‘Austin Powers’ movies, has reportedly been at work on the screenplay for the new ‘Shrek’, working from a story he developed with producer Christopher Meledandri. All the ‘Shrek’ stories, of course, chart new tales based on the character originally featured in William Steig’s book.
We’ve seen various developments in Shrek’s life –– he and Fiona have a family (and Donkey has kids with his dragon partner), so perhaps we’ll be checking back in with their kids for a new story?
It could also potentially see Puss (Antonio Banderas) reuniting with his friends, as hinted at by the end of ‘The Last Wish’.
And as is usual for this franchise, there will no doubt be riffs on pop culture and fantasy tales.
This is what producer Chris Meledandri told Variety last year of developing the next ‘Shrek’:
“It’s not that dissimilar to the process that we went through with ‘Mario,’ where you look at what the core elements are that audiences have loved, and you do your very best to honor those core elements. And then you’re hard at work to build story elements and new characters that take you to brand new places. The original cast is a huge part of that.”
“We started doing ‘Shrek 5’ months ago. I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year, we’ll finish it up. ‘Shrek’ is coming out, and Donkey’s gonna have his own movie. We’re gonna do Donkey as well. So we’re gonna do a ‘Shrek’ and we’re doing a ‘Donkey’ [movie].”
DreamWorks didn’t mention the Donkey movie, but there’s still a chance we’ll see that.
When will we see a fifth ‘Shrek’ movie on screen?
As DreamWorks’ tweet mentions, the movie is now scheduled to hit theaters on July 1st, 2026. So we have less than two years to wait for Shrek and the gang to return.
Shrek (Mike Myers) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Premiering on Netflix July 3rd, ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ is the realization of the long-in-development new sequel for the ‘Cop’ franchise. After more false starts than a car with a banana in its tailpipe (including a failed TV pilot), Paramount sold off the rights to the movie series starring Eddie Murphy as wisecracking detective Axel Foley.
Feeling in some ways like fellow legacy sequel ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (it even starts with Murphy’s Foley still in action, still breaking rules and managing to stay on the job thanks to leverage from a friend in high places much like Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell), yet never quite rising to the heights of that box office barnstormer, ‘Axel F’ nevertheless manages to walk the nostalgia beat without relying on it so heavily as to be overused.
It’s certainly good to see Murphy back actually enjoying himself in the role (which certainly didn’t seem to be the case for a lot of 1994’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop III’), and the movie around him, though it can’t compete with Martin Brest’s 1984 original or Tony Scott’s 1987 sequel, should easily slip into third place in most fans’ lists, which is more than can be said for some legacy sequels such as the recent ‘Exorcist’ release or ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’.
Written by Will Beall and Tom Gormican, the script manages to bring back many of the stalwarts of the franchise, yet also combines them with a story that acknowledges where they would be now and some modern attitudes to policing from characters including Joseph Gordon–Levitt’s Bobby Abbott. And even more welcome, it lets Murphy be funny again, giving the season performer room to improvise and feel like the Axel that fans remember. It also smartly comments on the franchise’s past, including a slightly snarky (but entirely earned) shot at the third movie, and a moment where Axel considers putting on a voice and playing a character to get what he wants, but ditches it, tired of the same old routine.
Mark Molloy is a commercial director making his feature debut here, and the style he’s chosen certainly fits with the look of the original trilogy (nodding more towards Scott’s perhaps). It doesn’t announce itself too much and he also lets Murphy breathe as the main character, while finding solid work for the whole cast.
Performances:
‘Axel F’ has a solid ensemble supporting Murphy, and both the returning veterans and new franchise faces have a good role to play.
One of Murphy’s most famous characters, and the one that made him a star, Axel Foley is clearly a place that the actor feels comfortable in (even if he hasn’t always shown that). For ‘Axel F’, he’s on good form, wrangling the motor-mouthed Axel from the original two movies with the more laidback, mature version.
Here he’s faced with old friends in a story that services both him, and them, well.
Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood
Though Judge Reinhold’s Billy (the only other person besides Murphy to appear in all the movies) is somewhat sidelined for a chunk of the storyline, he’s also recognizably Billy –– a littler greyer, a little more wizened, but still the enthusiastic friend and handy with a gun.
Now a Chief in the Beverly Hills police force (despite, er, being mentioned as retired when John Ashton couldn’t reprise the role in the third movie, though that is addressed here in dialogue), Ashton’s Taggart is still the old grump, even more so now he can actually count as an old grump.
Neither Ashton nor Reinhold have lots to do, but they’re used as much as they were in the original films –– solid support for the leading man, with entertaining stories of their own.
Axel’s estranged daughter is now a hotshot but empathetic lawyer, and in some ways more a chip off the old block than she’d care to admit. Taylour Paige plays well off of Murphy and leans into the role of the daughter who harbors anger towards the man who hasn’t been in touch with her but warms up to the idea of having Axel back in her life. It’s a well-used plotline but doesn’t feel tired.
There can be a real risk sticking to the playbook with a legacy sequel –– you can be seen as reheating old bits in a desperate attempt to entertain fans of the franchise while trying to attract new ones.
But the formula functions at an entertaining level with ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’, which targets what works about the franchise and finds organic ways to insert new characters and plot angles. Most importantly, it feels like a ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movie made by people who respect the previous outings.
‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the Plot of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’?
Detroit Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his estranged daughter Jane’s (Taylour Paige) life is threatened, she and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.
Who is in the Cast of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’?
(L to R) Judge Reinhold, Eddie Murphy and John Ashton attend the ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ World Premiere at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for Netflix.
(L to R) Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Preview:
Eddie Murphy is talking about the future of the ‘Shrek’ movies.
He says he’s already recorded some of his dialogue for a fifth ‘Shrek’ outing.
Murphy also drops mention of a spin-off focused on his Donkey character.
We’ve known for a while that DreamWorks Animation –– never ones to let a franchise opportunity go to waste –– is developing a new installment of the ‘Shrek’ story, and now we have an update from one of the people who makes the movies what they are: actor Eddie Murphy, who provides the voice for fan-favorite character Donkey.
Murphy, who has been on the press tour for the return of one of his other big franchises –– ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ –– talked about what he knows so far.
“We started doing ‘Shrek 5’ months ago. I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year, we’ll finish it up. ‘Shrek’ is coming out, and Donkey’s gonna have his own movie. We’re gonna do Donkey as well. So we’re gonna do a ‘Shrek’ and we’re doing a ‘Donkey’ [movie].”
Keeping the Shrek-verse expanding makes sense, as DreamWorks has seen big success with TV spin-offs and movies about other characters such as Puss In Boots –– whose most recent outing hit big with 2022’s ‘The Last Wish’, which scored $485.2 million globally.
Donkey, of course, is usually one of the more entertaining characters.
(L to R) Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
While Murphy’s comments clearly confirm that he’s aboard, there hasn’t been clarification on the presence of fellow lead voice actors Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz, though you’ve got to assume that DreamWorks has handed out big paydays so that they return.
Michael McCullers, who was a key Myers collaborator on the ‘Austin Powers’ movies, has reportedly been at work on the screenplay for the new ‘Shrek’, working from a story he developed with producer Christopher Meledandri. All the ‘Shrek’ stories, of course, chart new tales based on the character originally featured in William Steig’s book.
We’ll learn more in due course –– surely a teaser will be on the way before too long, or at least some official announcement.
What’s the story of ‘Shrek 5’?
(L to R) Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in ‘Shrek 2’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
There are no plot details for the new Shrek outing yet, though it could potentially see Puss (Antonio Banderas) reuniting with his friends, as hinted at by the end of ‘The Last Wish’.
When will we see a fifth ‘Shrek’ movie on screen?
DreamWorks Animation has yet to confirm a release date. But if Murphy’s comment holds true, we could be visiting with Shrek and the gang next year.
(L to R) Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Shrek (Mike Myers) in ‘Shrek the Third’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
‘Candy Cane Lane’ is a comedy adventure for the family, filled with holiday cheers, hilarious hijinks, and the importance of communicating and working together as a family. What starts off as a friendly neighborhood Christmas decorating contest quickly turns into chaos as Chris Carver crosses paths with a mischievous elf with a naughty agenda.
Yes, this movie is technically Eddie Murphy’s first Christmas movie. While the actor’s expansive filmography includes titles such as ‘Coming To America’ and ‘Trading Places,’ in which both movies take place during the holiday season, ‘Candy Cane Lane’ fully embraces everything surrounding the holiday and its themes.
When asked what it is about this Christmas movie that he loves so much, Murphy said:
Eddie Murphy: I thought that script was unique, and I thought that it had all the elements that you’re supposed to have in a Christmas movie where you could watch it over and over again. I know the movies that I watched, the Christmas movies, we watched them every year all the time, and I thought this could be one of those kinds of movies that families could revisit.
2. Eddie Murphy and Reginald Hudlin reunite 30 years later for ‘Candy Cane Lane’
(L to R) Reginald Hudlin and Eddie Murphy attend Amazon Studios Candy ‘Cane Lane World’ Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
The pair first worked together on the 1992 rom-com ‘Boomerang.’ Hudlin had been interested in making a Christmas movie and learned during a meeting with Amazon that Murphy was also interested. Everything aligned for the actor and director to reunion 30 years after their first collaboration.
Reginald Hudlin: Yeah, we had been talking, we would connect and we would throw ideas back and forth. And then, I was meeting with Amazon and I was like, “I really want to do a Christmas movie.” “We have a Christmas movie and Eddie Murphy wants to do it.” I’m like, “Let’s start Monday.” It’s not complicated.
Eddie Murphy attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Eddie Murphy: But actually, he put together this great presentation, the best I’d ever seen anybody put together, and how he would do the movie and stuff. It was like, “Hey, this is a no-brainer. He just saw the whole thing from the beginning.”
3. Tracee Ellis Ross on ‘Candy Cane Lane’ capturing all the elements of a Christmas movie
Tracee Ellis Ross attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Playing opposite Eddie Murphy’s Chris Carver is Tracee Ellis Ross as Carol Carver. During the press conference, Ross talks about what defines an iconic Christmas movie for her.
Tracee Ellis Ross: I think love, family, and a message that’s at the center of it, which we have in this movie, that the family comes together to conquer a bad elf, a rogue elf, so to speak. I think the thing that’s special about this movie is it’s an adventure comedy Christmas movie. It’s funny, there’s adventure. As I said, there’s hijinks, action, children, lots of lights and decorations, special effects, Eddie Murphy. These are a lot of the elements, but it’s a good story that has all these elements on it, and we hope that it becomes a holiday classic.
4. The younger cast was horrified on their first day on set, for the best reasons possible
Genneya Walton attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Rounding out the Carver family are Thaddeus J. Mixson as Nick Carver, Genneya Walton as Joy Carver, and Madison Thomas as Holly Carver. ‘Candy Cane Lane’ isn’t their first acting job, but it is their first time working with a legend such as Eddie Murphy.
Genneya Walton: First of all, I was horrified for the best reasons possible. I was like, “Girl, you better have your stuff together.’ I think my first day was on the track scene.
Speaking to Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross, she says:
“I look up to you guys so much, and I’m inspired by all of your work, so getting to work with you guys is wonderful, and I learned so much truly, just from watching you guys do what you do, so it was freaking sick.”
Co-stars Mixson and Thomas express the same sentiment.
Thaddeus J. Mixon: I’ll tell you right now, boy, I was nervous. I was nervous. I ain’t know what, I was just like, man, I was just watching y’all on TV. Now, I’m about to actually share the screen with y’all. It is truly an honor for real. I’m blessed to even have the opportunity to even work with y’all. And also, work with Reggie as well. I worked with him on my first ever movie, so it’s always fun when I work with him, so it’s a blessing.
Thaddeus J. Mixson attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Madison Thomas: Yeah, I was very nervous because I didn’t know what was happening. I didn’t know anything. I’m going to be honest. I didn’t know anybody. But then, we started working more on set and then I kind of felt comfortable, and then that’s how we started building a relationship.
Madison Thomas attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
5. Jillian Bell as the mischievous elf, Pepper
Jillian Bell attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
When Eddie Murphy’s character Chris comes across a mysterious Christmas decor store, he is enthralled by the elaborate and magical items. However, the store was run by Pepper- a mischievous elf who liked to play tricks on unsuspecting customers.
Bell elaborates on what drew her to the character.
Jillian Bell: The first time I read the script, I just kept talking like her out loud, which is a good sign. It’s a bad sign if you’re not an actor. As an actor, it was a good sign to me because I just kept doing her voice. And I was like, “Oh, there’s something here.” And I just fell in love with the world of it. I was so excited for the opportunity to get to work with everybody that was involved and I just think Reggie is one of the kindest, most wonderful directors, and — you guys can attest this too, like, if you have a creative idea and you’re nervous about it. There’s no nerves attached, approaching Reggie with it. So I think I think after our first meeting, I was like, oh, no, I really want to do this film.
Tracee Ellis Ross and Robin Thede chimes in about Bell’s performance in the film:
Robin Thede: The brilliant thing about Jillian Bell is that she does bring that humanity to these characters and exactly what Kelly [Younger] had envisioned, which is that she’s not just a one-note evil person. She truly believes in what she’s doing and like, you get it like. I don’t think that I thought I was rooting against Pepper. I was just like, “Oh, well, obviously you can’t win, but like you’re kind of like misguided. She’s also really fun, and evil and violent, and all of that. But there’s just some really epic acting moments, too.
Robin Thede attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Tracee Ellis Ross: Jillian Bell is… Yes. Seriously, that moment when she appears in this, you’re just like, “What is happening? And why does that twinkle in her eye actually look like evil in her eye?”
And as Pepper says in the movie, “What’s Christmas without a little terror?”
Nick Offerman (‘The Last of Us’) plays Pip, a man who’s been turned into a porcelain miniature figure by Pepper. He stars alongside Robin Thede’s Cordelia and Chris Redd’s Lamplighter Gary, who have also fallen to the same fate.
Offerman was not present at the press conference, but his co-stars praised his performance.
Robin Thede: Nick Offerman talks, everything stops.
According to Hudlin, it was Offerman’s idea to keep his character British.
Reginald Hudlin: First of all, Nick was just like, “You know, there’s always British actors and play American parts. I’m gonna play a British part.” I was like, “Oh, that’s great.” Because again, I just wanted the three village people, as we call you guys as different as possible, right? And it’s just like, I’m like, “Okay, I don’t know, my son’s gonna take this because like, he’s so ‘Parks and Rec.’ He’s so locked in.” I’m like, “But, you know, Nick Offerman’s a genius. We’re gonna let him do this.” And he just found a new hilarious character and the way he played off the two of you was exquisite.
Jillian Bell: His first line was very reminiscent of ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles.’ And my heart broke for him. And I’m like, he literally has been on screen for 10 seconds. I’m in I’m invested. I mean, I was invested in the tiny version of it, but I’m saying just his face too, like, he is an incredible actor, and he should be in so many.
7. The script is inspired by a personal story, minus the evil elf
(L to R) Eddie Murphy and Kelly Younger attend Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Writer Kelly Younger based the story on his personal experience as well as the location.
Kelly Younger: It is a personal true story. My parents live on the street that leads into Candy Cane Lane and El Segundo. They’ve lived there for many years. My dad over-decorates every year, goes over the top, much to my mother’s dismay.
He continues:
Kelly Younger: I wanted to bring in magic and mischief and to have lot of fun, but it was really important to me that it was grounded in a real family. And I think especially what Eddie and Tracee did, how they captured what felt like a very real relationship. And this family felt very, really real. To have these folks bring it to life is just wonderful.
8. The process of blending live-action and CGI together
Inside Pepper’s shop, Chris Carver comes across a miniature Christmas town, along with miniature figures – Pip, Cordelia, and Lamplighter Gary, who come to life. The cast talks about the process of making those scenes come together.
It took the special effects team from ILM and teamwork from the cast and crew to blend the human actors and the porcelain figures together in the final product. Hudlin talks about working with ILM:
Reginald Hudlin: They had face references but not body references, and [the actors] came up with all this fantastic physical comedy on top of the great verbal comedy, and that was amazing. It was a great collaboration working with them on that.
Eddie Murphy: Yeah, when you see the special effects shots and stuff like that, those things are really time-consuming and it’s awkward, and it’s just a lot of work doing a sequence like that. It’s really putting a jigsaw puzzle together when you’re doing those sequences, so it was just long and frustrating.
(L to R) Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross attend Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Tracee Ellis Ross: Yeah, because you’re acting with an imaginary thing, and it requires a different kind of acting.
Although Offerman, Thede, and Redd are playing CGI characters, Murphy wanted everyone on set together for every scene to make it more authentic.
Reginald Hudlin: The very fact that I didn’t intend for us to have to invent some technology, but we did. We had this reindeer system so that the actors, the villagers, and the live-action actors could act in the same scene at the same time and improvise.
Reginald Hudlin attends Amazon Studios Candy ‘Cane Lane World’ Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Chris Redd: We were in these little booths. And like, so the animators could create, like, animate while we talked, and that was some different ways to see each other, so we were just riffing the whole time.
Chris Redd attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Robin Thede: The cool thing about the process, which was so fun, is that Eddie was really like, “No, I want them on stage with us rehearsing in person”, right in our full size, although I’ve not much taller than my ornament. But that was really fun. So I was saying earlier, like, we were really involved in most of the scenes in the movie, even if you don’t see us on screen, because it was really important to Eddie and Tracy and the kids and everybody that we were there and bouncing off of them just in case we were going to jump in. So all those conversations where we’re at the house or they were at their house or whatever, we were there for months because it was important to really get that vibe, and I think you feel it because they were looking at just lights or like little monopoly pieces. So we would rehearse in person, and then we would be banished to our little sound booths, but we could see them on a monitor, and they could hear us in their IEMs. And then they would shoot our faces with like a GoPro.
9. The cast on working with Eddie Murphy
(L to R) Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross attend Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
The cast talks about being fans of his work and about their experience working with him on ‘Candy Cane Lane.’
Tracee Ellis Ross: The thing about Eddie is he’s hilarious. But, what makes everyone hilarious around him is he’s a really generous actor. For Eddie, it’s about the groundedness, which is the reason that I have loved his comedy for so long. It’s not based in being funny. It’s based in being real. And so, there’s a connection that has to be there for it to come across in the right way, and that’s what he does. He’s not sitting there trying to get you to set up his funny and his jokes. He’s actually in a scene playing with you. That’s what makes it fun, and that’s what makes it work. I think, I mean, I don’t know about you guys, but that’s what I experienced, and what a treat and an honor at this point in my career to be able to work with somebody that you’ve admired, whose work you’ve known and grown up with to a certain extent.
Tracee Ellis Ross attends Amazon Studios ‘Candy Cane Lane’ World Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
Reginald Hudlin: This is the thing. The thing is, I’ve always said that Eddie deserved an Oscar for his performance in ‘The Nutty Professor.’ Because it’s like there’s no acting school that says this is how to act against a tennis ball, but he did that. He played two different women that were completely different women, but because people go, “Oh, it’s just laughs. It’s not funny. That’s not hard.” It’s incredibly hard. He was a pioneer in that style of performance, which he doesn’t get credit for.
D.C. Young Fly attends Amazon Studios Candy ‘Cane Lane World’ Premiere in Los Angeles on Nov 28, 2023.
D. C. Young Fly: If you sit back and watch all the different elements and understand like, just Christmas, and specials, and understanding that Eddie is an icon. It’s just being around that it brings that out of us, you know what I’m saying? I feel like everybody was just trying to be on their A-game because this is an Eddie Murphy movie. Why wouldn’t we come here and not be on our A-game?
Chris Redd: I swear to God, the first day, I think I wrote fifteen jokes on the way to set, just like “I might use them.”
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What is the Plot of ‘Candy Cane Lane’?
A local neighborhood hosts an annual contest over who has the best decorated home for Christmas; desperate to win, Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy) makes a deal with a charismatic stranger, Pepper (Jillian Bell), for the use of magic to make his home the most festive. He soon learns that Pepper is an evil elf who has made similar deals in the past, with her victims being transformed into plastic dolls. Chris must rally his family to stop Pepper from unleashing misery upon his friends and neighbors and break the deal before he loses everything.
