(L to R) Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher attend the Netflix World Premiere of ‘You People’ on January 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Netflix.
Eddie Murphy has an established film franchise that, while it hasn’t always enjoyed critical success, still has a new entry on the way via Netflix. And as for animation? He’s a star of one of DreamWorks Animation’s most successful franchises, with constant chatter that he and his fellow voice actors will be back for another adventure.
We’re talking, of course, about the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ and ‘Shrek’ movie, which have been popular for decades and earned huge amounts of money at the global box office.
You can imagine our surprise, then, that Murphy would seek to pursue a role that has been played to very varying fortunes by others, even given his history of taking on established characters (both the ‘Nutty Professor’ and ‘Doctor Dolittle’ movie series have done well for him in the past).
(L to R) Christopher Plummer as Sir Charles Litton, Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, and Catherine Schell as Lady Claudine Litton in ‘The Return of the Pink Panther.’
The ‘Panther’ movies, a series of comedy-mystery capers featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau, kicked off in 1963 with ‘The Pink Panther’, starring Peter Sellers as Clouseau.
While the Pink Panther of the title is a rare, expensive gem that takes its name from a flaw at its core said to resemble a leaping panther, the movies also featured a cartoon panther in the opening credits. He became hugely popular himself, spinning off into a variety of TV series, movies and merchandise opportunities.
17950
Steve Martin as Inspector Jacques Clouseau in 2006’s ‘The Pink Panther.’ Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing.
What is the new ‘Pink Panther’ movie about?
When it was first reported upon back in 2020, Deadline brought word that it would instead focus on the Panther character, with ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’s Jeff Fowler directing a script by Chris Bremner, that would see the Panther interacting with humans through a similar live-action/CG blend as featured in the two ‘Sonic’ movies.
Things would appear to have changed as development has moved along, with the concept retaining the human/CG mix but instead incorporating Clouseau in a buddy cop concept where he teams up with the Panther to solve a crime.
It’s all under the aegis of MGM, which is these days owned by Amazon, where Murphy had success with ‘Coming 2 America’, and that might explain why he’s been tempted to give the chaotic cop a try. We’ll see if he ends up actually starring.
Directed by The Kirby Brothers (George and Harry Kirby), the new sequel sees the return of Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon, who must beat the top assassins in the world to protect the ungrateful son of a mafia boss (George Fouracres), save the life of his only friend (Perry Benson) and rekindle his relationship with his maniacal father figure (Ray Stevenson).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Scott Adkins about ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ making the sequel, its new story, new characters, returning to the role, the fight scenes, reuniting with Ray Stevenson, why the Kirby Brothers were the right filmmakers to direct this movie, and working with Keanu Reeves on the upcoming ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’
Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Scott Adkins about ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday.’
Moviefone: To begin with, when making the first film, at what point did you realize that these characters and this story would make a great sequel and franchise?
Scott Adkins: Well, when I was a kid, it was a comic book. I grew up reading it, and I always thought it would make a great film. So, I must admit that making the first one, I was hoping that it would do well, because I knew it could be a franchise if the public responded to it well. So, that was always there in the back of my head, but you don’t want to tempt fate, do you?
It took us a few years since the first one to get the second one across the finish line, to be honest. The pandemic didn’t help and other reasons. But for sure, ‘Accident Man’ works as a franchise. There’re many more stories to be told.
MF: As an actor, what do you like about playing Mike Fallon?
SA: First of all, he’s an expert martial artist, and that’s kind of my bag, so I knew I could do that. What I loved about the comic was how British it was, and how violent and funny it was at the same time. Comics were like that back in the day, but you never used to make movies like that. Everyone was scared to make those sorts of movies, and it was hard for me to get producers to sign on to it for a while.
But I think when ‘Deadpool’ came out, that really showed that it’s okay to have a lot of fun and be a little bit rude, and have violence, and swear words, and that people are going to have a good time watching it. Because growing up in England, reading things like ‘2000 AD,’ that’s the way comic books were. They were quite adult in many ways, and that was the vision for the thing. We wrote ‘Accident Man’ before ‘Deadpool’ came out, by the way.
(L to R) Beau Fowler as Paco The Killer Clown and Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
MF: Can you talk about filming the action scenes in ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ and working out the fight choreography with the stunt coordinators and the other actors?
SA: I was a lot more involved this time around. I’m always very involved with the fights, of course, but I was even more involved this time because my go-to guy, Tim Mann, who did the fights in the first one, we couldn’t get him. He had already choreographed some fights, and then he took another project. So, we were kind of scrambling. Andy Long choreographed the fights that I have with him, and he also choreographed and shot another fight that happens with Sarah Chang‘s character.
But then it was a mix and match. The directors, there’s Harry and there’s George, and George is a stuntman himself. In fact, the first time I met him was on ‘Doctor Strange’ because he was stunt doubling Benedict Cumberbatch. So, they are really clued up with the action as well. It was a lot of people just mucking into choreographing it and shooting these action sequences.
They’re all daunting because I know that they’re all going to hurt. It’s like you wake up in the morning, you have a fight scene day, and you’re like, “Oh my God, this is going to suck.” You’ve just got to grit your teeth and get through it. They’re all daunting, man. People get hurt. It is painful. If it’s not painful, you’re not doing it right. I do loads of them, of course. It’s all part of it. I’m a lifelong martial artist.
You condition your body to get hit, and that’s part of the gig. Sometimes you get hit hard in the face by accident, or accidents happen. On this one, the action was sort of front loaded the first week. It was all the end stuff we did first. So, finishing the first week, going into the second week of a four-week shoot, I was already injured. I hurt my knee, and that really sucks when you’re injured. But, if you do enough action films, you’re going to be injured for a few of them.
(L to R) Perry Benson as Finicky Fred and Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
MF: Can you talk about Mike’s friendship with Finicky Fred and how that forwards the plot?
SA: In the first one, he kills all of his friends. He thinks they’re his friends, but he ends up killing most of them. So, we wanted this film to be about finding the importance of having friends and family in your life, even though you may be a stone-cold killer. We all need friends, we all need mates, we all need people to rely on, and that’s essentially his arc through this story. Of course, Fred, Perry’s character, is integral to the telling of that arc.
MF: Was the relationship between Mike and Siu-ling, played by Sarah Chang, inspired by Inspector Clouseau and Cato’s relationship in the original ‘Pink Panther’ movies?
SA: Absolutely. I’m a big fan of ‘The Pink Panther’ movies. I’m a big fan of Peter Sellers. Some of those fights in those movies, they’re so funny. Ours is a bit more highlighting the action rather than the comedy, but that was essentially what I wanted to do.
I wanted to make Sarah’s character kind of be like my Cato but in an updated sort of way, but have the fun of that, and that you never know when she’s going to strike. We’re probably around the same age. Our generation are going to know, but I think the kids coming up today, they probably haven’t seen those movies, and they absolutely should.
(L to R) Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon and Sarah Chang as Wong Siu-ling in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
MF: Can you also talk about working with the Kirby Brothers, and when you are making a movie like this, is it helpful to work with filmmakers who have a background in stunts and fight coordinating?
SA: Yeah, absolutely. When I first conceived the idea of making ‘Accident Man’ as a film, I wanted it to have a Matthew Vaughn or Edgar Wright feel to it. As directors, they definitely have that sensibility. They’re very visually stylistic, and they’re English. They come from the world of stunts, so they ticked all the boxes in what I wanted ‘Accident Man’ to be.
MF: What was it like reuniting with Ray Stevenson on this movie?
SA: Ray’s great. He’s a consummate professional, an amazing actor, and a real team player. We were just lucky to have him in the film. He brings that gravitas to that character, and he’s got a scene where he has to explain the whole plot, and you need a great actor for something like that. Ray’s the man. He’s great.
Ray Stevenson as Big Ray in the action/thriller film, ‘Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday,’ a Samuel Goldwyn Films release. Photo courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films.
MF: Finally, what was it like for you to join the ‘John Wick’ franchise and work with Keanu Reeves on ‘John Wick: Chapter 4?’
SA: I’m a big fan of the ‘John Wick’ films. I think they are the best action films going at the moment when it comes to what Hollywood is doing. It’s a massive thrill to be involved.
Keanu is just, as everyone says, the nicest guy. Chad Stahelski‘s an incredible director, and it was amazing to watch him work. I can’t wait for it to come out. I’m as disappointed as everyone that it’s been delayed till March. I can’t wait to see it!
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’
7ogSLqOBZsRtdD8vG3zAO2
