Eddie Murphy died today on Twitter. The Beverly Hills Cop is just the latest victim in a series of Twitter murders. Cher and Reba McEntire were also rumored to be dead on the social networking site this week.

 Media Fetcher writes:

“Actor Eddie Murphy died in a single vehicle crash between Ipswich and Willowbank in Queensland as confirmed by Royal Queensland Police - February 3, 2012. The accident occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m. (UTC/GMT +10). Eddie Murphy is believed to have been in the area while on vacation. He was identified by photo ID found at the scene. Alcohol and drugs do not appear to have been a factor in this accident.”

Global Associated News, which started the Reba McEntire rumor earlier this week, said that Murphy died in a snowboarding accident. GAN writes:

“Actor Eddie Murphy is reported to have died shortly after a snowboard accident earlier today - February 3, 2012. The actor & novice snowboarder was vacationing at the Zermatt ski resort in Zermatt, Switzerland with family and friends. Witnesses indicate that Eddie Murphy lost control of his snowboard and struck a tree at a high rate of speed.”

Global Associated News released another report today saying that the actor died when a luxury yacht crashed off the coast of St. Tropez. GAN writes:

“The French Maritime Gendarmerie, a division of the French Navy responded to distress calls from 10 persons aboard a 120′ luxury yacht cruising off of the coast of St. Tropez. Actor Eddie Murphy was reportedly vacationing aboard the privately chartered vessel. “

Wow, they really wanted to kill Eddie Murphy today. A car accident, a snowboard accident, and a luxury cruise accident… what’s your favorite death hoax?

But Eddie Murphy shouldn’t feel bad about the virtual assassination attempts. Media Fetcher is also responsible for the Twitter deaths of Jon Bon Jovi, Charlie Sheen, Adam Sandler, Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Bacon, Will Smith, Tiger Woods, George Clooney and several others.

And in case you’re still worried, TMZ, the Hollywood Gossip, and WPN have all confirmed that Norbit is still alive.

RIP Eddie Murphy? Star Denies Being Dead is a post from: The Inquisitr

Billy Crystal confirmed on Thursday that he is replacing Eddie Murphy as the host of the 84th Annual Academy Awards, the ninth such time Crystal will handle MC duties for the Oscars.

In joke form on Twitter Crystal tweeted:

“Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions.”

Crystal then wrote:

“Looking forward to the show.”

While he appeared to be joking around two sources have confirmed with to the Los Angeles Times that Crystal will be working alongside super-producer Brian Grazer to make the show a success.

Eddie Murphy quit the show on Wednesday after his Tower Heist director Brett Ratner resigned over a homophobic slur he made just a few days earlier.

Brian Grazer produced Tower Heist which led to some speculation that Eddie Murphy could come back on-board up until the time that Billy Crystal was announced.

At the age of 63 Crystal will be the oldest solo host for the awards show since Bob Hope handled Oscar hosting duties in 1978.

Crystal expressed interest in the job during an August performance at the Aero theater in Santa Monica, California. During his performance Crystal revealed:

 ”It got to be too much after a while and the sameness in my life,” he said. “That’s why I pulled back. And then when I thought I might want to do it again, they were on to other people. It’s always fun. It’s really hard, but maybe one or two more times? I don’t know. They know where I am.”

Will you be tuning in to watch Billy Crystal once again host the awards show and were you hoping for an Eddie Murphy helmed show?

[Image via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com]

Billy Crystal To Host Oscar’s For Ninth Time is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that a replacement has been found for Brett Ratner’s now-vacant producer position for the Oscars, and it’s Brian Grazer (The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind).

Now that Grazer has been named producer, his first order of business will be to hunt down a replacement for Eddie Murphy, who announced today that he is stepping down as host of the 84th annual Academy Awards.

“It’s very gratifying to be part of a show that honors excellence in the medium to which I have devoted so much of my career,” said Grazer in a statement. “Don [Don Mischer, a co-producer on the Oscars] is a legend, and I am excited to work with him.”

Academy president Tom Sherak chimed in on the announcement, saying:

“Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” said Sherak. “He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars.” Added Mischer, ”I am thrilled to welcome Brian Grazer as my partner and that we will be collaborating to produce an outstanding show.”

Ratner stepped down from his role as a producer in light of backlash over his anti-gay comments following a screening of Tower Heist, as well as his racy interview on The Howard Stern Show.

via Hollywood Reporter

[Image credit: Shutterstock]

Brian Grazer replacing Brett Ratner as Oscar producer is a post from: The Inquisitr

24 hours ago Brett Ratner resigned as the producer of the 84th Annual Academy Awards after a homophobic slur he made dominated trade headlines and now super-producer Brian Grazer has stepped in to fill his shoes.

According to Academy president Tom Sherak:

“Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” and “He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars.”

Grazer will produce the awards show with Don Mischer and in his own release said:

“It’s very gratifying to be part of a show that honors excellence in the medium to which I have devoted so much of my career,” while adding, “Don is a legend, and I am excited to work with him.”

At this time it’s still unclear who the two men will be producing, after Ratner handed in his letter of resignation host Eddie Murphy announced that he was stepping down as the shows MC. Ratner directed Murphy in Towerheist while Grazer produced the film which makes the Oscar choice for a new producer an odd selection given the two men’s professional working relationship.

When Eddie Murphy stepped down it appeared to be in support of his friend and with Grazer taking over there’s still a chance that Murphy could return to support his most recent films producer.

In the meantime there’s a very good chance Grazer could be up for an Oscar for his producing work on the Clint Eastwood film “J.Edgar” which starts Leonardo DiCaprio.

Do you think Grazer is a good choice for producing the Academy Awards.

[Image via lev radin / Shutterstock.com]

Brian Grazer Is New Oscar Producer, Takes Over For Brett Ratner is a post from: The Inquisitr

Eddie Murphy fans looking forward to watching the comedian host the 84th annual Academy Awards are out of luck. Murphy quick the gig less than 24 hours after producer Brett Ratner resigned following an apology for a gay slur he made just days earlier.

Brett Ratner directed Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller in the comedy Tower Heist and the move by Murphy is a definite show of support for his former boss and current friend.

Speaking about his decision Murphy released the following statement:

“First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.”

Murphy went on to add:

“I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”

The entire production falling apart comes after Ratner was asked during a Q&A for Tower Heist if he had actors rehearse before filming for which he said:

“Rehearsing is for Fags.”

Here’s a video report about the fallout from E!:

Here’s the full statement released by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:

Beverly Hills, CA (November 9, 2011) – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak announced that Eddie Murphy has withdrawn as host of the 84th Academy Awards. “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well,” said Sherak.Commented Murphy, “First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony. I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

In the meantime here’s a trailer for Tower Heist:

Will you be watching the 84th Annual Academy Awards sans Eddie Murphy? How about heading to theaters for a viewing of Tower Heist?

[Image via Sam Aronov / Shutterstock.com]

Eddie Murphy Backs Out Of Academy Awards Hosting Gig is a post from: The Inquisitr

On February 26, 2012 Eddie Murphy will step on the stage of the Academy Awards where he’ll host the 84th Oscar Oscars without a bit of nervous energy, or so says the actor.

In a recent interview with Access Hollywood the funnyman said:

“I’m kind of looking forward to it, because I haven’t done it. I’m not nervous.”

“I might get a little excitement in my stomach before I go out,” he continued. “It’s a billion people watching, but I’m not nervous at all.”

Speaking about his leading Tower Heist actor, Brett Ratner, who is also producing the Eddie Murphy helmed Oscars show praised Murphy:

“I feel completely confident now going in to it. At first I was really nervous about it, before I got Eddie, but then when I got Eddie I said, ‘You know what, I got the greatest stand up [comedian to host],’” the director told Access at the junket. “If you look at the Oscars, the best hosts have been comedians… Bob Hope, Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal were the three best hosts, and that’s what works.”

According to Ratner he wants the Oscars to have “heart” and he believes he can deliver on that promise with the help of Murphy.

In the meantime “Tower Heist” reaches theaters on November 4.

Here’s the full Eddie Murphy interview:

Do you plan to tune in for the 84th annual Academy Awards and do you think the partnership of Ratner/Murphy will provide for a good night of humor?

Eddie Murphy Excited To Host Oscars, Says Nerves Don’t Play Into The Equation is a post from: The Inquisitr

Three weeks after the Brett Ratner directed movie Tower Heist reaches theaters the Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy starring film will be offered to customers through video on demand (VOD).

The movie will release on November 4 and then three weeks later customers will be able to rent the movie on their TV for a cost of $59.99.

The move comes after a similar decision to release movies as videos on demand two months after their theatrical debut for $30 causes an uproar among theater owners and filmmakers.

The studio promises that the new price ceiling is only a test and only Comcast customers in Atlana, GA and Portland, OR will be able to take advantage of the $60 test pricing at this time.

The planned maneuver is a simple way for Universal Pictures to do a quick cost/reward analysis to determine if VOD movies can earn more than movies at major theaters when released in short succession from the movies official premiere date.

While purchasing a $60 movie won’t make sense for everyone a large family with 3 or 4 children should be able to save money on admission and snacks given the recently astronomical price increases theaters have provided.

Would you be willing to drop $60 to watch a movie at home? While I appreciate movie studios attempting to find new revenue models the pricing seems a little bit steep, even for the best of movies.

Tower Heist To Be Released For VOD 3 Weeks After Theatrical Debut is a post from: The Inquisitr

Actor/Comedian Eddie Murphy is finally returning to the stage in front of a live audience where he will be telling jokes and entertaining everyone for a few hours. Unfortunately this stage appearance isn’t his triumphant return to stand-up comedy but instead his new gig as Oscar host.

This years Academy Awards show will be produced by Brett Ratner, who also happened to direct Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller in the upcoming comedy Tower Heist.

It turns out Murphy is a huge fan of the Oscar’s and quite the movie nut which apparently made him the perfect choice to host the film industry’s most prestigious awards show.

If nothing else we know for certain that Eddie Murphy knows how to perform in front of a crowd, not only from his stand-up days but from his time spent on the hit NBC series Saturday Night Live.

Many of Murphy’s comedy contemporaries have had their shot at hosting the show, it only seems fair that he now has his time to shine.

If nothing else Murphy can rest easy knowing that he’s following James Franco, who despite his amazing acting talents couldn’t do anything to make the last airing of the awards show interesting along with co-host Anne Hathaway.

What do you think about Eddie Murphy taking to the Oscar’s stage to host the event? If nothing else it should generate quite a bit of buzz for the awards ceremony. On the other hand if his performance is worse than Franco’s he might want to think of retiring from the acting business all together.

[Confirmed] Eddie Murphy Oscar Host is a post from: The Inquisitr

It may seem a bit amusing that the formerly prolific actor- who has since become nearly synonymous with box-office failures- might host the Oscars, but it looks like Eddie Murphy could be next in line for the high-profile hosting gig.

Murphy, who has fallen in prominence somewhat since the peak of his 80′s and early 90′s successes, would follow James Franco and Anne Hathaway, the young Hollywood stars who co-hosted the event earlier this year. And while Murphy may seem an unlikely choice, an “Oscars insider” says that the Norbit star is actually a very likely selection for the role, and for good reason:

“Nobody knows movies better or is a bigger cinephile than Eddie. Not Brett. Not even Quentin Tarantino. Eddie can quote scenes from every single movie word for word… He can bring all that experience to hosting. Plus he has ‘Saturday Night Live’ experience before a live crowd. And worldwide, the biggest crossover comedians are Will Smith and Eddie Murphy.”

Murphy’s profile has certainly dropped in recent years, on the heels of box-office dreck like Pluto Nash, but the actor and comedian was nominated back in 2007 for an Academy Award for his role in the Motown flick Dreamgirls. While he didn’t win, his performance garnered critical acclaim and served to turn around moviegoer perception of Murphy to a degree.

Up next- aside from the tentative Oscar-hosting gig- for the star is a role in the upcoming film Tower Heist with Ben Stiller, out on November 4th. Following that, his film A Thousand Words is due out early in 2012.

Eddie Murphy May Host Next Oscars is a post from: The Inquisitr

Will Eddie Murphy be hosting the 2012 Academy Awards? Sources close to the show say that Murphy is a top candidate to host the Oscars this coming February.

Producers Brett Ratner and Don Mischer are meeting with Tom Sherak, the President of the Academy of Motion Pictures, this Tuesday to discuss the 2012 host, and Eddie Murphy is high up on the list.

The Oscars have been using a two host approach for the last few years, (with James Franco and Anne Hathaway, and Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin) but in 2012 they’ll be going with a more traditional approach.

According to Humor Mill Magazine, Murphy has already been confirmed as the 2012 host, but no official announcement has been made yet.

Murphy is clearly comfortable in front of a large audience and is well equipped with improvisational skills, but Murphy hasn’t been on stage for nearly 20 years. The actor has found his biggest successes recently with voice roles in the “Shrek” series, although he was nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for “Dream Girls.”

So will Eddie still be comfortable on the stage?

A source told Deadline.com:

“Nobody knows movies better or is a bigger cinephile than Eddie. Not Brett. Not even Quentin Tarantino. Eddie can quote scenes from every single movie word for word. He can bring all that experience to hosting. Plus he has “Saturday Night Live” experience before a live crowd. And worldwide, the biggest crossover comedians are Will Smith and Eddie Murphy.”

Murphy also has two movies coming out soon. ”Tower Heist” and “A Thousand Words” are both set to open before the 2012 Oscars.

Would Eddie Murphy be a good Oscar host? I don’t know, but he’ll be better than James Franco and Anne Hathaway.

Eddie Murphy Could Grab Oscar Host Gig is a post from: The Inquisitr

Eddie Murphy will play the Riddler in the next Batman movie according to reports.

Murphy was tapped by British director Christopher Nolan to reprise the role last by Jim Carrey in Batman Forever in 1995.

Transformers star Shia LaBeouf is also said to have signed on to play Robin, with Rachel Weisz in the role of Catwoman.

The Sun, who broke the story noted that Johnny Depp had been rumored for the role. They also get credit for the very nice Eddie Murphy Riddler mashup above.

Eddie Murphy to star as The Riddler in the next Batman Movie is a post from: The Inquisitr