“You’ll see it! You’ll see it under this big W. You can’t miss it! A big, big, W!” And that’s just what Eddie Murphy is hoping to get with his planned remake of 1963 ensemble comedy classic It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. He has even started lining up the cast, dropping Martin Lawrence into the fold in the early stages.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Murphy said, “I got this other idea for something with Martin. I’ve been developing it for years. Did you ever see a movie It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World? Well, I got a script, it will be delivered any minute now written by Jez Butterworth [Dial of Destiny, Ford v Ferrari] and I’m trying to do a remake of that movie.” He added, “It’s one of my favorite movies of all time and if I do it, if the script turns out right, it’s gonna be a cast of all the who’s who of comedians. Anybody that was funny over the last 30 years is going to be in this movie.”
Really, to ensure that a remake of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World works, the cast does have to be just right. Consider the original lineup: Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hacket, Ethel Merman, Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters, and on and on and on without even mentioning the barrage of cameos. That Murphy is a fan of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and himself is a comedy legend, he should have no problem getting others on board.
There have been a number of spins on the story – a group of strangers trot the country to land hidden loot – but none have captured the sheer hilarity of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, which stands as one of my own personal favorites. The most notable attempt was 2001’s Rat Race, which pretty much lacked anybody funny outside of Jon Lovitz, Rowan Atkinson and John Cleese (who wasn’t part of the race itself). With Murphy in a bit of a resurgence, here’s hoping he can gather just the right cast and do something special with the story. If this remake actually gets made, it will be the first time Murphy and Lawrence worked together since 1999’s Life.
What do you think of the idea of another remake of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World? Who would be essential to the cast this time around? For more Eddie, keep an eye out for our interview with him later this week!