Comedy icon Eddie Murphy is preparing to make a major career move by stepping into his very first live-action scripted television series. The 65-year-old actor and comedian is attached to star in and executive produce a new drama titled The Chairman, which is currently in development at Peacock.
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Verify & Continue ReadingThe project brings together two heavyweights of the entertainment industry. The Chairman is being created and written by Matthew Weiner, best known as the creative force behind AMC’s critically acclaimed masterpiece Mad Men and his work on The Sopranos. While details regarding the plot, additional casting, and premiere timelines remain tightly under wraps by the streamer, the series represents a historic milestone in Murphy’s expansive five-decade career.
A Historic First in Television for Eddie Murphy
Despite rising to international superstardom as a standout cast member on NBC’s Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984, Murphy has spent the vast majority of his legendary career dominating the silver screen in blockbuster feature films. Aside from his early sketch comedy days and voicing characters in holiday specials, his only prior scripted television series credit was co-creating and voice acting in the stop-motion animated comedy The PJs, which ran from 1999 to 2001.
If Peacock formally greenlights The Chairman, it will mark Murphy’s official debut as a series regular in a live-action scripted TV drama. Both Murphy and Weiner are slated to serve as producers on the venture.
Behind the Scenes and Production Partnerships
The high-profile drama is being produced by Universal Television-a division of Universal Studio Group-alongside 101 Studios. The collaboration marks a significant early milestone for 101 Studios, run by CEO David Glasser, under its first-look film and television deal at NBCUniversal that commenced in January. It also serves as the first major project emerging from former Paramount Global co-chief Chris McCarthy’s consulting and producing role at NBCUniversal.
Murphy’s Busy Cinematic and Television Slate
The announcement of The Chairman adds another high-profile project to Murphy’s already packed schedule. The comedy titan was recently celebrated with the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award and starred in the 2025 heist comedy The Pickup alongside the Netflix documentary Being Eddie.
Fans of his voice work can also look forward to his return as the beloved character Donkey in Shrek 5, scheduled for release next year, as well as an upcoming standalone Donkey spinoff movie slated for 2028. Additionally, Murphy has been linked to a potential franchise reboot of The Pink Panther, where he is reportedly planning to put a fresh comedic spin on the iconic Inspector Clouseau.
As The Chairman remains in development without an official series order or premiere date from Peacock, television audiences and critics alike will be watching closely to see how Murphy translates his magnetic movie star presence into the serialized television landscape.
