Eddie Murphy Aiming to Sink Career Lower – Voicing Hong Kong Phooey
Wed, August 10, 2011 
The Shrek films were a great-paying, in-and-out job for Eddie Murphy over the last decade. But now they're over and I guess Murphy likes the thought of phoning it in for shitty cartoons instead of shitty live-action features. Hence the announcement he'll voice Hong Kong Phooey for a forthcoming film on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon blending live-action with animation.
Here's the press release:
"Eddie Murphy will give 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, it was announced by Alcon co-founders and co-CEO's Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove.
In addition to voicing the character of Donkey in the box-office hit "Shrek" franchise, Murphy was also 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.
Stated Johnson and 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. Dolittle.' We look forward to watching him re-imagine yet another classic character.'
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."
To think I was just starting to get a little confidence in him from that Tower Heist trailer.
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