Eddie Murphy just landed his first dramatic film role since 2007’s Dreamgirls. Slash Film reports that Murphy has signed on to star in an upcoming film directed by Driving Miss Daisy’s Bruce Beresford and written by Two and a Half Men writer/producer Susan McMartin. Titled Cook, the film follows Murphy’s character as a man “hired by a dying man to cook meals for his girlfriend and daughter after he’s gone.†Murphy is reportedly replacing Samuel L. Jackson, who dropped out of the film due to scheduling conflicts. “Everyone now wants to do what Matt McConaughey did, so we’re financing these movies when we think they’re put together the right way,†producer Mark Canton said. “This will be Eddie Murphy like you’ve never seen him. Of that I can assure you.â€
Murphy currently has several comedic roles in the works including Beverly Hills Cop 4 and a Twins sequel Triplets, but most of his roles since his Oscar-nominated Dreamgirls performance has been panned by critics and fans alike (Meet Dave, A Thousand Words, Shrek sequels). Production on Cook begins sometime next month.