It seems that Dreamgirls writer/director Bill Condon just can't leave Eddie Murphy alone - having written a script almost tailor made for the star, following the life of outrageous stand-up Richard Pryor.
The smokin' script, titled **Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? which was initially signed up for development at The Weinstein Company, is said to have piqued the interest of Fox Searchlight, who are still ebullient after cleaning up at this weekend's Oscars with Slumdog Millionaire. The studio also backed Condon for his 2004 biopic Kinsey, starring Liam Neeson and Peter Sarsgaard.
Despite gathering unbelievable returns from his recent list of comedy clangers like Meet Dave and Norbit, Murphy has fallen foul of critics in recent years. But Condon should certainly be in his good books, having delivered him the role of James 'Thunder' Early in Dreamgirls which saw him back on form and nominated for the Best Supporting Oscar in 2007.
Murphy, who admitted that Pryor was a lifelong hero, paid tribute to the comedian through his stand-up with impersonations, including the memorable skit in his 1987 Raw tour. Whether the script extends to hair-singeing freebasing shenanigans is yet to be seen.