According to The Hollywood Reporter, Eddie Murphy is set to star in a big-screen adaptation of Fantasy Island: "Murphy will play multiple roles in the film, which is based on the popular TV series that ran from 1978-84 and starred Ricardo Montalban (pictured). Described as a family-oriented comedy, the project will be written by Jay Scherick and David Ronn, who most recently teamed with Murphy on Norbit."
De pain! De pain! Now, granted, I remember only the first season of Fantasy Island (because I reviewed it on DVD), but I don’t recall thinking that what this story could really use is someone in a fatsuit. I like the early Fantasy Island eps — which were dark with storylines like: Let me relive the WWII romance that ended with me strangling my lover, and: I’m a famous hunter, try to kill me — not the later romps that ABC mandated.
PopWatch editor Gary Susman brings up one idea that could redeem this project: hiring Bad Santa’s Tony Cox as Tattoo. What would it take to make Eddie’s vision your ideal Fantasy?
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No way. Why ruin a perfectly good show? Wild, Wild West anyone? Miami Vice?
Hasn’t EM done enough “multiple roles” movies?
I remember those “dark” Fantasy Island eps too, Mandi – wasn’t there one about a house burning down? – and would prefer that if they do this movie at all, they focus on what fantasies cost us. But if Eddie Murphy and the “Norbit” guys are involved, that just ain’t gonna happen. All this to say, bad idea, Eddie – even with Tony Cox.
I’m not against the idea of redoing Fantasy Island– I never really considered it a classic, anyway, but the line “Murphy will play multiple roles in the film” chills me to my core. Haven’t we all suffered enough?
Tim Burton tried his own twist on F.I as a “reborn TV program” back in the late 90’s and it was waay too much. I don’t see the point of making it into a film. It would be like making The Love Boat or Love American Style into films. They just would not work. The worst, and I mean WORST tv show that was made into a film was the Gong Show Movie way back in 1979.
That Oscar is fading away in the rearview mirror of the carwreck known as Eddie Murphy’s career.
That Oscar is fading away in the rearview mirror of the carwreck known as Eddie Murphy’s career.
Some things are better left untouched, this is one of them. Murphy needs to stop trying to reinvent everything. The original television version will not be duplicated. Eddie, forget it.
Daisy – you and me both. Eddie needs to stop with the multiple roles, like Blake on AI, it’s getting way tooooo old.
Wow. I was loving Eddie Murphy’s comeback until Norbit his business with Scary Spice and now this movie. Eddie, aside from Shrek, what have you done for us lately Eddie?
Eddie needs to team up with his brother Charlie and do some real comedy. It’s still possible to go back to Eddie’s funny era, when his fast talking made movies like the first Beverly Hills Cop and Trading Places worth watching. Even the Distinguished Gentleman (which was spot on as far as life in DC and Congress goes) was a much better flick than a lot of the crap he’s done lately (like Pluto Nash, Metro, the haunted house flick, and that piece of garbage he made with steve martin).
Whatever he does, no more family comedies for Eddie, please!
There is nothing that would make an Eddie Murphy, multiple-role version ideal in my eyes. If someone is going to be completely unoriginal and do a Fantasy Island movie, why not just stick with the original story and formula?
People, I submit that no one go see any more of these movies. Perhaps them he will stop making them. Same goes for the Wayans Brothers and their Hot Chick/Little Man movies.
I’m against this just like the next person, but you have to admit: every time Eddie Murphy has played multiple roles, he’s made money off of it (Norbit, Nutty Professor, etc). The movies may not have been good, but they made money, and that’s all that matters these days. So kudos to him for sticking to what he does. And Mandi, Tony Cox would be a great choice, but you know Eddie’s going to play Tattoo, right?
Eddie Murphy in multiple roles doesn’t automatically mean fat suits. Remember Coming to America (soul singer, old Jewish guy).
And as NineDaves said, people enjoy what he does. The one time he tried to get out of his comfort he didn’t get an Oscar (but did get a GG) so he is going back to what he is comfortable with.
Not every actor needs to be Edward Norton (and he is doing Hulk)
“Fantasy Island”!!! Come on Eddie, your better than that. (well not really), how about the one TV show your were born to play on the big screen….
“Tenspeed and Brownshoe”!
Oh, God!! Please Eddie, enough of the movies-with-multiple-roles already. Coming To America and the Nutty Professeor worked. Norbit ruined it for me. And especially don’t do Fantasy Island. If I see him as Tatoo and screaming “Da plane! Da plane!”, I’m done with him.
What would it take to make Eddie’s vision ideal for me? Cursing. Lots and lots of cursing. Aside from “Shrek,” Eddie’s family oriented humor doesn’t do a lot for me. Go back to blue, man. Go back to blue.
The movie lost me at the words “multiple roles.” Eddie Murphy I can like, “Fantasy Island” I can like, but this? No. If they tried to take some chances and made it a little darker or more whimsical maybe, but not junk comedy. Not that I remember “Fantasy Island,” or the last Eddie Murphy comedy I saw.
If they are serious about making Fantasy Island a movie, it has to be dark. It shouldn’t be a flat-out comedy. Whoever said it should be about “what our fantasies cost us” was right on the money. Now, if they think that Eddie could do that, fine. But, I don’t see it. I don’t see multiple roles in a dark dramedy.
As for casting Tattoo, I would go with the actress on Boston Legal who plays Denny Crane’s little girlfriend. She would be PERFECT!
I would guess the ONLY reason Eddie would be playing multiple roles is so that he could be Tattoo. In his eyes it would be “funny.”
I gotta say, even though computer animation is awesome, it’s getting quite disturbing what people feel they should be doing with it (Star Wars 1-3, anyone?).
I’ve never been big Eddie Murphy fan,but Fantasy Island? Please!
First, don’t make it silly, keep some of the dark, light hearted maybe, maybe poke fun of itsself, but not silly. Second, no fat jokes, or bodily function humor.
The best Fantasy Islands were always the ones that were a little bit scary. No way can Eddie pull that off. It should NOT be a comedy.
I’m going to buck the trend, but I have to be honest – something about this fascinates me. This will, no doubt, be more like Eddie’s recent work than his old stuff – which I sorely miss. But I think I want to see this.
Picture Eddie playing the Mr. Roark role, in the white suit, and breaking out with a toned-down version of his Johnny Wishbone accent.
Search the deep recesses of your mind, people. Part of you thinks this can work, too.
I was a EM supporter for DG supporting actor nom, but there’s a reason as Eddie said “I don’t get offered roles like James Early”….and this is an example of why….EDDIE: STOP MAKING STUPID MOVIES. STEP UP AND TAKE THE DNA TEST.
Eddie Murphy has no shame. He has talents, but once again, as in the late ’80s (Harlem Nights, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Golden Child), he squanders it.
Anything with Eddie Murphy, I will see.
NO NO NO NO NO.. Fantasy Island worked because it had a dark edge to it, you can’t slap a fat suit on someone and make it a family comedy. If Fantasy Island needs to be remade why can’t Christopher Nolan do it or David Fincher to give it the truly dark quality it deserves.
Ook – I am now convinced that Eddie Murphy is now purposefully choosing to do horrible films (“Shrek” and “Dreamgirls” being the exception). There does not seem to be any other explanation. Or he truly thinks “Pluto Nash”, “Norbit”, etc are really great and funny. And if he does think those are hilarious scripts he should have his SAG card revoked.
IF this movie goes through, and I hope it doesn’t, then it will deserve all the mockery it has coming to it.
Yes, it could conceivably work as dark, or funny, or both – at a maybe 1 in 100 shot, and Hollywood at large is no longer in possession of the talent it would require.
Yet ANOTHER property that doesn’t need revamping or dug from its grave, or whatever term you choose.
No! No! No! Noooooo!!! A travesty. A mockery of a cherished childhood memory. This is just WRONG.
if u want to waist your fucken time the film this movie..he aint that damn funny..well atleast not anymore