It's safe to say that Eddie Murphy is finally back and bringing in the Christmas spirit, with some help from Amazon Prime Video. After the streaming success of Coming 2 America, the actor and comedian has signed on for a three-picture deal with Amazon Studios. And he’s already announced the first project: an original holiday comedy entitled Candy Cane Lane.
Murphy’s career has spanned over four decades, including four years on Saturday Night Live! and numerous comedy classics. And his voice roles as Mushu in Disney’s Mulan and Donkey in the Shrek franchise made him just as popular with kid audiences. However, he hasn’t done much when it comes to Christmas content. Most notably, however, he starred in the unexpected holiday favorite Trading Places in 1983, alongside fellow Saturday Night Live! alum Dan Akroyd. Although he was out of the spotlight for some time, Murphy’s recent successes, including a hilarious return to a special holiday-edition of SNL, prove that he’s made his long-awaited comeback.
Who Else Is Attached To Candy Cane Lane?
Candy Cane Lane is a collaboration between Eddie Murphy Productions, Amazon Studios, and Imagine Entertainment. With three major studios involved, it’s no surprise that there are already some big names attached. Aside from Murphy, it also brings on Reginald Hudlin to serve as director. The two previously worked together on the 1992 comedy Boomerang. Along with his directing credits, Hudlin also produced Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 film Django Unchained and served as executive producer of the animated series The Boondocks. In a recent interview with Deadline, he said.
“The holiday season is my favorite time of year—just ask my family about my nine-hour Christmas playlist. I‘m excited to be working again with Eddie Murphy, Brian Grazer, and Amazon.” Reginald Hudlin
With Imagine Entertainments comes Academy Award winning producer Brian Grazer, who has a string of film and television classics under his belt. In fact, two of them are among Murphy’s most famous — The Nutty Professor and Bowfinger. And this won’t be Grazer’s first holiday movie, as he also co-produced 2000’s live-action adaptation of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, which is likely why this incredible behind the scenes photo exists.
And finally, screenwriter Kelly Younger will be in charge of writing the script. While best known for his work with The Muppets, he also worked on the recent Disney classics Moana, Coco, and Encanto, which indicates there will likely be some strong family relationships at the heart of the story. Although Amazon hasn’t given out any details about the plot yet, Younger has said that he’s drawing inspiration from his own childhood. And from his previous work alone, we can already tell that it’s going to be a hilariously magical time.
When Can We Expect CANDY CANE LANE?
Unfortunately, Candy Cane Lane’s LA production doesn’t officially start until this coming winter, which means we likely won’t see the film until Christmas 2023. While we hate to wait, we are looking forward to even more updates and cast announcements as the holidays get closer. And when it’s finally released on Prime Video, you know we at the Elf Squad will be ready to stream it!