- Primary Subject: Eddie Murphy
- Key Update: Eddie Murphy is starring in and executive producing The Chairman, a Peacock drama series.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: October 2, 2026
- Quick Answer: Eddie Murphy is making his dramatic TV debut starring in Peacock's upcoming series The Chairman, created by Mad Men showrunner Matthew Weiner.
Comedy legend Eddie Murphy is set to star in his first dramatic TV series that will be created by the same showrunner behind Mad Men.
Following a career hiatus, the A-list comedy movie star has been back in the spotlight in the last several years, as he has starred in hit streaming movies and is set to work on more projects, such as reprising the role of Donkey in Shrek 5.
Now, he is taking a new step in his legendary career as he is attached to his first-ever scripted TV series.
What to Expect in Eddie Murphy's First Drama TV Series
Variety confirmed that Eddie Murphy is set to star in a drama series titled The Chairman, which is currently in development at Peacock.
The plot details regarding the series are still under wraps, but it is created by Matthew Weiner, the Emmy-winning showrunner behind Mad Men. Murphy will also serve as a producer.
If the series ends up happening, it will be the first time Murphy stars in a scripted live-action TV series in his legendary career as one of the biggest comedy stars in Hollywood.
Since his comeback, Murphy has starred in several movies that were released on streaming, such as the legacy sequels Coming 2 America and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Netflix also released a documentary about his life and career titled Being Eddie.
For now, stay tuned for more details regarding the project in the coming months, but this is exciting news for Murphy's fans who have been looking forward to seeing him in new projects.
What Is Eddie Murphy's Next Movie?
You can watch Murphy in next year's Shrek 5, where he will be reprising his iconic voice role of Donkey. It is currently slated for release in theaters on June 30, 2027.
Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz are also back in their signature roles as Shrek and Fiona. Zendaya joins the cast as Shrek and Fiona’s daughter Felicia, along with Marcello Hernandez and Skyler Gisondo as Felicia’s brothers, Fergus and Farkle.
Murphy will also reprise the role in the spinoff movie Donkey, slated for release in theaters on June 30, 2028. It is currently in production at the same time as Shrek 5.
The plot details are currently under wraps, but it's been described as an origin story about "how a donkey became Donkey."
Murphy teased that the Donkey spinoff movie is expected to take a similar path to the Puss in Boots films.
He added, "Donkey‘s going to be like how Puss in Boots had his own movie, Donkey’s going to have his own movie — [his] own little story with his dragon wife and his kids that are half-dragon and half-donkeys. They’ve written this funny story."
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