Why Does Hollywood Keep Giving Eddie Murphy Work?

[Mick Donalds]

Forbes magazine has released its annual list of Hollywood's most overpaid actors. While Will Ferrell usually tops the list, this year he was able to stay out of the top ten. Meanwhile, Eddie Murphy, who has appeared on the list the last three years, usually in second place, has now taken the top spot.

Murphy's recent films, like "Meet Dave," "A Thousand Words" and "Imagine That," have all been complete failures. "Tower Heist" was supposed to be the actor's comeback, but it didn't perform as well as expected. As a result, Murphy's movies have only been able to earn only $2.30 for every dollar the actor was paid.

Katherine Heigl landed in second place due to such disasters as "One For the Money," which grossed only $37 million. For every dollar she earned, her movies earned back $3.40. Reese Witherspoon ended up in third place due to "How Do You Know," which grossed $50 million on a $120 million budget. Her films earned $3.90 for every dollar she was paid.

Check out the full list below.

1. Eddie Murphy - $2.30 for every $1

2. Katherine Heigl - $3.40 for every $1

3. Reese Witherspoon - $3.90 for every $1

4. Sandra Bullock - $5 for every $1

5. Jack Black - $5.20 for every $1

6. Nicolas Cage - $6 for every $1

7. Adam Sandler - $6.30 for every $1

8. Denzel Washington - $6.30 for every $1

9. Ben Stiller - $6.50 for every $1

10. Sarah Jessica Parker - $7 for every $1

Source: Forbes

Why do they keep giving Eddie Murphy work? It's like slamming your head into a brick wall over and over again, and hoping you're not going to get a headache.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

The success of a movie means dick all really. Just look at Avatar and John Carter. Both movies had a similar premise but Avatar had absolutely NO substance it was just the GFX guys showing off what they could do while John Carter actually had a storyline. Yet Carter flopped and Avatar almost (it may have, not sure), won awards. Substance, talent, great scripts dont mean a thing compared to good marketing. Just look at Michael Bays career, he wouldn't know a storyline if it raped him and bought him breakfast, he just assembles as many explosions as he can yet practically every one of his movies are hits.

Like Denzel being on this list for instance, the guys one of the best actors of this era. I've never seen a bad movie from him yet his movies are considered 'flops' as of late. Then on the other side of the fence Kirsten 'I only have one facial expression and cant act worth a donkeys nutsack' Stewart is the highest paid woman in Hollywood. Ridiculous.

And Adam Sandler's constant inclusion on these kind of lists just makes me laugh. The guy has always and I mean ALWAYS been about juvenile humour. Even his hits, Happy Gilmor, Little Nicky, etc were juvenile humour, yet all of a sudden thesedays everybody acts too cool and mature for juvenile humour.

Sure Eddie Murhys current movies arent his greatest work, but they're not terrible, they just dont have a commercial for them every 10 seconds. If Twilight, Avatar Transformers can be hits then anything thats shoved down our throats with constant advertising can be a hit.

 

[Keith]

Because enough people know his name at least for his famous 80s work, besides acting is a life time gig if there is work out there they will find something.

I am a big Witherspoon fan it is just a shame she has done very little of note since the oscar.

 

[Keith]

The success of a movie means dick all really. Just look at Avatar and John Carter. Both movies had a similar premise but Avatar had absolutely NO substance it was just the GFX guys showing off what they could do while John Carter actually had a storyline. Yet Carter flopped and Avatar almost (it may have, not sure), won awards. Substance, talent, great scripts dont mean a thing compared to good marketing. Just look at Michael Bays career, he wouldn't know a storyline if it raped him and bought him breakfast, he just assembles as many explosions as he can yet practically every one of his movies are hits.

Like Denzel being on this list for instance, the guys one of the best actors of this era. I've never seen a bad movie from him yet his movies are considered 'flops' as of late. Then on the other side of the fence Kirsten 'I only have one facial expression and cant act worth a donkeys nutsack' Stewart is the highest paid woman in Hollywood. Ridiculous.

And Adam Sandler's constant inclusion on these kind of lists just makes me laugh. The guy has always and I mean ALWAYS been about juvenile humour. Even his hits, Happy Gilmor, Little Nicky, etc were juvenile humour, yet all of a sudden thesedays everybody acts too cool and mature for juvenile humour.

Sure Eddie Murhys current movies arent his greatest work, but they're not terrible, they just dont have a commercial for them every 10 seconds. If Twilight, Avatar Transformers can be hits then anything thats shoved down our throats with constant advertising can be a hit.

Apart from the Stewart remark (I actually think she is pretty decent) I agree with most of that, althrough the idea that John Carter has substence I find troubling...

 

[EffectsofRaven]

Just look at Michael Bays career, he wouldn't know a storyline if it raped him and bought him breakfast, he just assembles as many explosions as he can yet practically every one of his movies are hits.

If Twilight, Avatar Transformers can be hits then anything thats shoved down our throats with constant advertising can be a hit.

Leave Bayformers alone!!!! God damnit, they're entertaining films.

Graphically pleasing and has a ton of action, which what Transformers should be, he can get away with terrible human actors and horrible plot, the rest of it's fine ass film and the toys look good on my shelving!

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Leave Bayformers alone!!!! God damnit, they're entertaining films.

Graphically pleasing and has a ton of action, which what Transformers should be, he can get away with terrible human actors and horrible plot, the rest of it's fine ass film and the toys look good on my shelving!

I dont mind the Transformers movies, they're simple, dumb, entertaining action flicks.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

I usually like the "flops" so this doesn't bother me at all.

Eddie Murphy is funny, just because he's been in a couple of "bad films" doesn't mean he's terrible. Learn your shit son. He's fucking hilarious.

 

[EffectsofRaven]

I dont mind the Transformers movies, they're simple, dumb, entertaining action flicks.

True... Possibly the worst written Transformer's stuff since G1 plots... Enough of that.

But wasn't Inception supposedly good film over all?

 

[Keith]

I usually like the "flops" so this doesn't bother me at all.

Eddie Murphy is funny, just because he's been in a couple of "bad films" doesn't mean he's terrible. Learn your shit son. He's fucking hilarious.

Sorry to say but he hasn't been hilarious since about 1989 and has been in far more than a couple terrible films.

As for Transformers I think they really are dire, but to bring it round to the claim that they big, dumb and fun, they might have a better chance of being that if they were 90 minutes long not the best part of three hours which is way too long for such films. Also to be pure blockbuster entertainment they would have to have funny characters (such as the Indy and Back to the Future films) which they don't, spectle for three hours isn't enough by itself.

 

[Deezy]

Eddie Murphy has maaad respect for his 80s work and it still continues, just when you are about to write his career off, he does something that makes you remember him.

Early 90s were suppposed to be the end for him, then he makes Nutty Professor, 00s were supposed to be the death of his career then he does Shrek. This guy just doesn't look over the material of his work anymore, he is older, he does stuff that his children would enjoy.

If he was still doing Beverly Hills Cop type of films stiill he would be in Cuba Gooding jr straight to DVD mode.

 

[Keith]

Eddie Murphy has maaad respect for his 80s work and it still continues, just when you are about to write his career off, he does something that makes you remember him.

Early 90s were suppposed to be the end for him, then he makes Nutty Professor, 00s were supposed to be the death of his career then he does Shrek. This guy just doesn't look over the material of his work anymore, he is older, he does stuff that his children would enjoy.

If he was still doing Beverly Hills Cop type of films stiill he would be in Cuba Gooding jr straight to DVD mode.

The differece being Shrek was good and NP really naff. That is a poor excuse the real reason is because he has lost passion and has just more often than not gone for the easy option.

 

[John McHenry]

He was the most bankable star at one point. People are under the delusion that may comeback around. Tend not to realize the times were different but that the actor hasn't changed with them or if he has its not in a good way.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

The differece being Shrek was good and NP really naff. That is a poor excuse the real reason is because he has lost passion and has just more often than not gone for the easy option.

I fail to see where he's lost his passion. He's even stated in several interviews that he picks stuff his children can enjoy. That film about Imagination was inspired by his daughter. He's not taking the easy way out. He's doing what he wants. He's a legend, he can do that.

 

[John McHenry]

He's like Hogan an legend far past his PRIME and ruining his legacy with crap. Even his children's movies suck and flop.

 

[Mick Donalds]

I usually like the "flops" so this doesn't bother me at all.

Eddie Murphy is funny, just because he's been in a couple of "bad films" doesn't mean he's terrible. Learn your shit son. He's fucking hilarious.

The man hasn't made a funny movie since Beverly Hills Cop 2. His "comedy" is almost a "Cedric the Entertainer" level of unfunny.