Eddie Murphy’s award-winning acting career has included starring roles in everything from The Haunted Mansion to Shrek, Dolemite Is My Name, and more, but after four decades in the business, Murphy is about to mark a first. The actor is poised to star in his first-ever Christmas movie when he takes on the role of Chris in Prime Video’s Candy Cane Lane.
Set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video globally on Dec. 1, the upcoming film is based on a screenplay from Kelly Younger inspired by his own childhood holiday experiences on Candy Cane Lane in El Segundo, California. It stars Murphy as Chris, a man on a mission to save Christmas. With a bit of a competitive streak, Chris accidentally wreaks havoc on his town when inadvertently makes a deal with a mischievous elf named Pepper that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life in an effort to win his neighborhood’s annual Christmas home decoration contest. With the holiday at risk of being ruined, Chris, his wife Carol, and their three children must race against the clock to break Pepper’s spell, battle deviously magical characters and save Christmas for everyone.
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“I can’t wait for the world to see Candy Cane Lane,” director Reginald Hudlin said. “I’ve wanted to make a Christmas movie my whole life, but I wanted to do something fresh and surprising. Eddie Murphy and this hilarious cast really bring the funny, it’s super Christmas-y, and it will hit you right in the feels.”
Along with Murphy, Candy Cane Lane also stars Jillian Bell as mischievous elf Pepper and Tracee Ellis Ross as Chris’ wife Carol. The cast is rounded out by Thaddeus J. Mixson, Ken Marino, Nick Offerman, Robin Thede, Chris Redd, Genneya Walton, Madison Thomas, D.C. Young Fly, Riki Lindhome, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Lombardo Boyar, Danielle Pinnock, and Timothy Simons.
Candy Cane Lane reunites Hudlin, Murphy, and producer Brian Grazer for the first time since their 1992 hit, Boomerang, and marks Murphy’s first Chrimas movie. Since making his big-screen debut in the film 48 Hrs. during the Christmas season of 1982, Murphy has gone on to add dozens of acting credits to his name, including voicing Donkey throughout the Shrek franchise, playing the role of Professor Sherman Klump, as well as other characters, in the 1996 comedy movie Nutty Professor, and the title role in Dr. Dolittle. His other credits include Beverly Hills Cop, Mulan, Coming to America, Boomerang, Dreamgirls, Dolemite Is My Name, Trading Places, and more.
Candy Cane Lane is written by Younger and directed by Hudlin, with Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Eddie Murphy, Karen Lunder, and Charisse Hewitt-Webster producing. The film will premiere globally on Prime Video on Friday, Dec. 1.
