Less than a day after Brett Ratner and Eddie Murphy pulled out of producing and hosting the 84th annual Academy Awards, Brian Grazer has stepped in to produce the ceremony.

Brian Grazer’s A Beautiful Mind won Best Picture in 2001, and he has produced The Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon and Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar. Funnily, he also produced Ratner’s Tower Heist.

The search will now be on to find a host.

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Following Brett Ratner’s resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards, Eddie Murphy has withdrawn as host.

Murphy was confirmed as host in September and was said to be Ratner’s only choice. But with Ratner gone, Murphy obviously feels no reason to stick around.

Here’s the press release:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak announced that Eddie Murphy has withdrawn as host of the 84th Academy Awards.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.

The Academy now has just over three months until the main event, so finding a new producer and host will likely happen sooner rather than later. I imagine Murphy’s approach would have been heavy on comedy, so The Academy may opt for another comedian. Any suggestions for the new host?

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The Academy has released a statement stating that Brett Ratner “has submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak”.

Ratner was hired to produce the upcoming ceremony in August and assigned Eddie Murphy as host, but at a Q&A session and screening for their latest movie Tower Heist Ratner said “rehearsal is for fags” when asked how actors prepared for the film.

Here’s the full statement from the Academy:

This morning, Brett Ratner submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak. Ratner then issued an open letter to the entertainment industry in which he explained his decision.

“He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself,” Sherak said. “Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent.”

…and here’s Ratner’s statement in full:

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last few days, I’ve gotten a well-deserved earful from many of the people I admire most in this industry expressing their outrage and disappointment over the hurtful and stupid things I said in a number of recent media appearances. To them, and to everyone I’ve hurt and offended, I’d like to apologize publicly and unreservedly.

As difficult as the last few days have been for me, they cannot compare to the experience of any young man or woman who has been the target of offensive slurs or derogatory comments. And they pale in comparison to what any gay, lesbian, or transgender individual must deal with as they confront the many inequalities that continue to plague our world.

So many artists and craftspeople in our business are members of the LGBT community, and it pains me deeply that I may have hurt them. I should have known this all along, but at least I know it now: words do matter. Having love in your heart doesn’t count for much if what comes out of your mouth is ugly and bigoted. With this in mind, and to all those who understandably feel that apologies are not enough, please know that I will be taking real action over the coming weeks and months in an effort to do everything I can both professionally and personally to help stamp out the kind of thoughtless bigotry I’ve so foolishly perpetuated.

As a first step, I called Tom Sherak this morning and resigned as a producer of the 84th Academy Awards telecast. Being asked to help put on the Oscar show was the proudest moment of my career. But as painful as this may be for me, it would be worse if my association with the show were to be a distraction from the Academy and the high ideals it represents.

I am grateful to GLAAD for engaging me in a dialogue about what we can do together to increase awareness of the important and troubling issues this episode has raised and I look forward to working with them. I am incredibly lucky to have a career in this business that I love with all of my heart and to be able to work alongside so many of my heroes. I deeply regret my actions and I am determined to learn from this experience.

Sincerely, Brett Ratner

Eddie Murphy is said to be unhappy with Ratner’s departure, and at present it’s still uncertain whether he’ll remain as host. The Academy is currently looking for another producer to take over.

The 84th annual Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 26, 2012

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Did Hollywood somehow know, or orchestrate, this occupy Wall Street movement? That question is posed because the latest batch of theatrical releases, many of which touch upon these protests, already have a built-in marketing campaign. And Tower Heist could benefit from it.

And the 104 minute playful revenge tale of “storming the castle” and sticking it to his lordship (scumbag Wall Street mogul) will probably need these motivated ticket buyers…for this is one-step below mediocre.

Director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour flicks) has created a poor-man’s version of Ocean’s Eleven. And that includes the movie mechanics (directing, storytelling, etc.). Instead of breaking into a hi-tech casino, this batch of characters are trying to breach a penthouse at an elegant complex in the heart of New York City. The interesting aspect is the script isn’t spoofing an Ocean’s type product; for it seems to be trying to project a symbolic message fit for the current times. Problem that arises is the tone of whether it’s trying to be funny, serious or somewhere between is hopelessly lost in a cliff-notes type screenplay that doesn’t have any flow until the final, and surprisingly quasi-suspenseful, climax.

When personable Wall Street kingpin Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda) gets busted for a Ponzi scheme, his loyal pawns, who work at his residential tower, all get the financial shaft. Thanks in part to a caring worker’s initiative to put all the staff’s pension funds into Shaw’s invest firm. Now that Shaw is under Federal investigation, his trusted building manager, a.k.a the caring worker, Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) isn’t feeling too good about himself as he deals with the extreme guilt for trusting Shaw.

Yet the guy refuses to let this go without a fight, even though sympathetic Special Agent Claire Denham (Tea Leoni) says the chances of recovering any of the monetary loses are slim. Josh decides to go outside the law and puts together a team from the pool of the slighted workers which include elevator operator Dev’Reaux (Michael Pena), concierge Charlie (Casey Affleck) and the buildings only evicted tenant in former Wall Street guru – now pansy – Mr. Fitzhugh (Matthew Broderick). This group begins planning but realizes they are missing one pertinent element…a true thief to help prepare them. Enter in Slide (Eddie Murphy); a street hustler, who Josh walks by every day all while taking his insults directed at his suit-wearing ass.

Those wanting to see Eddie Murphy getting some of that edge back, well, let’s just say this is a start. Maybe even a gateway to the long-awaited return of R-rated Murphy! While he’s making the most of his time in a supporting capacity – same can be said for Alan Alda -, Stiller, Broderick, Affleck, and Pena are asked to carry this sucker. But this group has seldom chemistry happening, leading to seldom laughs.

In true campy crime-caper fashion, a few more role players show up with Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) playing a housekeeper; Stephen Henderson playing the loyal doorman; and criminally underutilized Judd Hirsch as the tower’s second-in-command. Why are they here? Because they simply fill out the formula for this type of flick. Essentially, none of them are needed or will be remembered. It’s not their fault; it’s the scripts and the shanty editing that bogs the atmosphere down. This just jumps around and highlights what they’re going to do without giving the audience the joy of seeing it unfold. Just about every sequence is missing a middle portion or an explanation how they got from point A to point B. And the middle portions are always what entertain in these flicks. Even the dialogue between the unorthodox crooks fails to even provide cheap laughs.

Although the climax brings in some tension and suspense, the pitch of the characters and dialogue just doesn’t mesh to fully get you going. It’s also at this point where Eddie Murphy is shut down, and aside from a thrilling set-piece involving a car and a high-rise using the backdrop of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, boredom sets in.

Overall, Tower Heist won’t rip you off but you’re definitely not getting your money’s worth based on the cast and projected story. Much like the Occupy Wall Street movement, the people have found one entity to blame for the number of messes we’re in. With regards to this flick, the blame for all the faults fall squarely on a chopped-up screenplay with very little humor outside of Eddie Murphy letting loose here and there. Brett Ratner may be in his element here, but he seems to be having an off-game with this one.

RATING: 2 out of 5

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Earlier this week we heard that Brett Ratner, who has been given the duty of producing next year’s Oscar ceremony, wanted Eddie Murphy to host the event. Well it looks like Ratner got his wish, as the Academy today confirmed Eddie Murphy will host.

Here’s the press release:

Oscar® nominee Eddie Murphy, whose performing career spans movies, television and the stage, will host this year’s Academy Awards show on Sunday, February 26, 2012, telecast producers Brett Ratner and Don Mischer announced today. This will be Murphy’s first hosting stint on the Oscars®.

“Eddie is a comedic genius, one of the greatest and most influential live performers ever,” said Ratner. “With his love of movies, history of crafting unforgettable characters and his iconic performances – especially on stage – I know he will bring excitement, spontaneity and tremendous heart to the show Don and I want to produce in February.”

Commented Mischer, “Eddie is a truly ground-breaking performer, whose amazingly diverse array of roles has won him a devoted audience of all ages. His quick wit and charisma will serve him very well as Oscar host.”

“I am enormously honored to join the great list of past Academy Award hosts from Hope and Carson to Crystal, Martin and Goldberg, among others,” said Murphy. “I’m looking forward to working with Brett and Don on creating a show that is enjoyable for both the fans at home and for the audience at the Kodak Theatre as we all come together to celebrate and recognize the great film contributions and collaborations from the past year.”

Murphy began his career at the age of 15 as a stand-up comedian. In 1980, at the age of 19, he joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live,” becoming the show’s youngest cast member to that point, and bringing to life many of the show’s most memorable characters. His 1983 album “Eddie Murphy: Comedian” won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording. It included portions of his groundbreaking HBO special “Eddie Murphy Delirious.” In 1987, “Eddie Murphy Raw” was theatrically released and went on to gross over $50 million. Murphy made his feature film debut in 1982 with the classic “48 Hrs.” and would go on to star in such box-office hits as “Beverly Hills Cop” and the “The Nutty Professor” and “Shrek” franchises. All told, movies in which he has performed have earned in excess of $7 billion worldwide during their theatrical releases.

Murphy earned an Oscar nomination in 2006 for his supporting role in “Dreamgirls.”

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 on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Murphy will certainly liven up the event. What do you think about Eddie Murphy hosting? Good decision?

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Following a string of critical and box office failures over recent years such as Meet Dave and Norbit, Eddie Murphy may return to form this November in Tower Heist, an action/comedy with Ben Stiller. Brett Ratner (Rush Hour series) is directing, and he’s also been given the duty of producing next year’s Oscar ceremony. Any guesses as to who Ratner wants as host?

According to Deadline:

Ratner will offer one name to Academy President Tom Sherak: Eddie Murphy. This is by no means a done deal yet, but this is a first step – though a lot more steps have to happen before this becomes a reality. I’m told that a lot of big names have approached the other 84th Academy Awards producer Don Mischer saying they are interested in hosting, and Don is fielding those calls. But insiders tell me that Ratner since getting the Academy Awards producing gig has only been talking to one person: Eddie. It’s been along the lines of, “If the Academy asked you to host, would you accept?” I learned that Eddie is “showing interest”.

Murphy is no stranger to the Oscars having been nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2006 for Dreamgirls. Since that nomination his career has been stale (other than collecting Shrek money), so returning to host may be what the actor/comedian needs. While I don’t think Anne Hathaway and James Franco did a bad job this year, the ceremony benefits from comedic hosts (Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were great the previous year), so Murphy hosting may not be a bad idea.

What do you think?

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Something very strange happened today. A trailer for an upcoming Eddie Murphy movie appeared online and it actually looked watchable. To add to the strangeness it’s a movie directed by Brett Ratner, the man partly responsible for the disappointment that was X-Men 3.

You can watch the trailer for Tower Heist, which also stars Ben Stiller, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Téa Leoni, Michael Peña, and Gabourey Sidibe, below:

After the workers at a luxury Central Park condominium discover the penthouse billionaire has stolen their retirement, they plot the ultimate revenge: a heist to reclaim what he took from them.

It looks like a pretty average comedy, but even that’s a big step up for Murphy after Meet Dave and Norbit. The inclusion of Ben Stiller and Casey Affleck will probably help sell this film, which hits November 4th.

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The first trailer for the fourth outing of Shrek, Shrek Forever After, has been released online. We heard last month that this would be the last Shrek film, and DreamWorks are using that as a marketing ploy. “It’s the last film everyone, come and see it!”

Watch below:

After challenging an evil dragon, rescuing a beautiful princess and saving your in-laws’ kingdom, what’s an ogre to do? Well, if you’re Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man. Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitch forks. What’s happened to this ogre’s roar? Longing for the days when he felt like a “real ogre,” Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumplestiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumplestiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it’s up to Shrek to undo all he’s done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love.

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USA Today got the first official image from Shrek Forever After, which they say will be the last outing for Shrek and the gang. It had to end at some point, and I got the feeling they were running low on creative steam during Shrek the Third. However, they plan to finish on a high:

“All that was loved about Shrek in the first film is brought to the final film,” promises Bill Damaschke, head of creative production at DreamWorks. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz are back as the voices of Shrek, sidekick Donkey and ogress wife Fiona.

After rescuing a princess, getting hitched and fathering triplets, Shrek is feeling over-domesticated. “He has lost his roar,” says director Mike Mitchell. “It used to send villagers running away in terror. Now they run to him and ask him to sign their pitchforks and torches.”

To regain his ogre mojo, he strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, the wee troublemaker who popped up briefly in Shrek 2 and 3. Of course, the pact goes awry and Shrek must confront what life would be like in Far Far Away if he had never existed. That translates into Donkey being forced into cart-pulling duty, fat and lazy Puss in Boots trading his sword for a pink bow and the underhanded Rumpelstiltskin ruling the kingdom.

Shrek Forever After will be released next May in the US (July in the UK) and we will be getting the first trailer with James Cameron’s Avatar next month.

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A ridiculously huge Eddie Murphy head has been travelling around, forcing people have pictures taken next to it, and demanding little girls climbing into it’s ears.

To see if it will be anywhere near you click one of the images below!

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