Eddie Murphy confirms his 'Pink Panther' role

Eddie Murphy is stepping into the shoes of the famously clumsy Inspector Clouseau in the upcoming Pink Panther reboot.

On Monday, July 28, the 64-year-old American actor and comedian showed up on the Today show to promote his forthcoming heist action comedy film The Pickup, releasing on Amazon Prime Video on August 6, 2025.

While conversing about his life in the entertainment world, Murphy revealed he will be appearing in the new The Pink Panther movie.

He said, “I’m getting ready to do a George Clinton, Parliament-Funkadelic. I’m getting ready to do George Clinton. [I’ve] already started Shrek 5. And I’m going to be— I’m Inspector Clouseau in the next Pink Panther."

After hearing this surprising news, Al Roker, the cohost of Today, was stunned by the revelation and the Shrek star went on to confirm by repeating, “Yeah, I’m the new Clouseau.”

Roker further inquired Murphy about depicting Clouseau as French, the famous character first played by Peter Sellers in the franchise’s original films in the 1960s and 1970s, he responded with a laugh, "Maybe,” adding, "Well, he has to be French, but he could also be Haitian. I will tell you, he’s Black. He’s Black, for sure.”

For the unversed, The Pink Panther, a comedy movie, was first released in 1963, starring Sellers in the role of Inspector Clouseau, who is given the task of catching a jewel thief planning to steal a diamond called “the pink panther.”

Notably, following Sellers’ death due to a heart attack in 1980 at 54, Steve Martin played the same character in a 2006 reboot and a 2009 sequel.