Eddie Murphy to voice ‘Hong Kong Phooey’ in live-action film
Eddie Murphy will voice to the animated lead character in Alcon Entertainment’s live action/animated big screen adaptation of the of the 1970s Hanna-Barbera animated TV series Hong Kong Phooey.
Deadline reports the news, announced by Alcon co-founders and co-CEO’s Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove.
“We could not be happier that Eddie Murphy will star as Phooey. There is no overstating his contributions to cinema, and to such enduring stars of family entertainments such as ‘Shrek’ and ‘Dr. Doolittle.’ We look forward to watching him re-imagine yet another classic character.”
Murphy’s resume of voice work includes character of Donkey in the box-office hit “Shrek” franchise, the voice of Mushu, the Dragon, in the successful animated epic “Mulan.”
Murphy will next be seen in the comedies “Tower Heist,” co-starring Ben Stiller from Universal Studios and “A Thousand Words,” from DreamWorks.
Alex Zamm (“Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts,” “Tooth Fairy 2”) will direct. Kosove and Johnson will produce with Jay Stern and Brett Ratner. Steven P. Wegner will executive produce.
Based on the 70’s cult classic Hanna Barbera animated TV series, a mild-mannered dog named PENRY (Murphy) stumbles into a mystic ceremony and is accidentally granted mystic powers, including the ability to walk, talk, and do kung fu. Under the tutelage of his kung fu master, Penry dons a costume and becomes Hong Kong Phooey, and with the help of his trusting sidekick Spot the cat cleans up a rogues gallery of wacky criminals.
