The Best Eddie Murphy Movies Ranked
From Axel Foley to Prince Akeem and Beyond
Explore the definitive ranking of Eddie Murphy's most iconic film roles, from classic eighties comedies to award-winning dramatic performances.
About Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy did not just enter show business; he staged a hostile takeover of it before he was old enough to rent a car. In the early 1980s, when Saturday Night Live was listing toward irrelevance, a teenager from Roosevelt, Long Island, arrived with a grin that felt like a lightning strike. He possessed a supernatural confidence that suggested he was already the funniest person in any room he entered, a quality that translated instantly to the big screen. While other performers of his era were content to play characters, he became a cultural phenomenon, a rock star of comedy who could wear a red leather suit and hold an arena audience captive with nothing but a microphone and a laugh that felt like a challenge.
His arrival in Hollywood rewritten the rules of the buddy-cop genre and the leading man archetype. In 48 Hrs., he inverted the power dynamic of the gritty thriller, weaponizing his charisma to outpace seasoned veterans. By the time he donned the Detroit Lions jacket for Beverly Hills Cop, he had perfected the art of the fast-talking outsider who was always three steps ahead of the establishment. Audiences connected with him because he represented a specific kind of victory; he was the smartest guy in the room who refused to follow the script, a figure of pure, unadulterated competence wrapped in a smirk. Even in high-concept swings like Trading Places, he grounded the absurdity with a sharp, satirical edge that spoke to class and race in America with more nuance than most serious dramas.
The 1980s belonged to him in a way few decades have ever belonged to a single entertainer. Whether he was playing a mystical chosen one in The Golden Child or exploring the lush, romantic fish-out-of-water comedy of Coming to America, he displayed a chameleon-like ability to inhabit multiple versions of himself. This reached a fever pitch with The Nutty Professor and its sequels, where he didn't just play a family—he became an entire ensemble, disappearing under layers of latex while retaining the precise comedic timing that made him a titan. His voice work as Donkey in Shrek further proved that his energy was too large to be contained by a physical frame; he could steal an entire franchise using nothing but his vocal chords.
Beyond the box office records and the iconic characters like Axel Foley, his true legacy lies in his fearlessness. He was a pioneer who directed himself in Harlem Nights and satirized the very industry that made him a king in Bowfinger. Even in suave, romantic turns like Boomerang, he maintained that signature edge. Fans stick with him because his talent feels primal and effortless. Whether he is performing the raw, unfiltered stand-up of Delirious or navigating the chaotic energy of The Klumps, he remains a singular force. He is the bridge between the grit of the 70s and the blockbuster gloss of the modern era, a performer who taught the world that being funny wasn't just about the jokes, but about the unshakable belief that you belong center stage.
The Adventures of Pluto Nash
2002The year is 2087, the setting is the moon. Pluto Nash, the high-flying successful owner of the hottest nightclub in the universe, finds himself in trouble when he refuses to sell his club to lunar gangster Mogan, who just happens to be helping the mysterious Rex Crater mastermind a plan to take over the entire moon.
Vampire in Brooklyn
1995Detective Rita Veder is assigned to a baffling serial murder case. After examining the crime scene — a corpse-filled ship found adrift at sea — she meets Maximilian, a smooth-talking Caribbean playboy determined to romance her.
Metro
1997Roper, a hostage negotiator catches a murderous bank robber after a blown heist. The bank robber escapes and immediately goes after the man who put him behind bars.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
2024Forty years after his unforgettable first case in Beverly Hills, Detroit cop Axel Foley returns to do what he does best: solve crimes and cause chaos.
Tower Heist
2011A luxury condo manager leads a staff of workers to seek payback on the Wall Street swindler who defrauded them. With only days until the billionaire gets away with the perfect crime, the unlikely crew of amateur thieves enlists the help of petty crook Slide to steal the $20 million they’re sure is hidden in the penthouse.
Coming 2 America
2021Prince Akeem Joffer is set to become King of Zamunda when he discovers he has a son he never knew about in America – a street savvy Queens native named Lavelle. Honoring his royal father's dying wish to groom this son as the crown prince, Akeem and Semmi set off to America once again.
Dolemite Is My Name
2019The story of Rudy Ray Moore, who created the iconic big screen pimp character Dolemite in the 1970s.
Mr. Church
2016A unique friendship develops when a little girl and her dying mother inherit a cook - Mr. Church. What begins as an arrangement that should only last six months, instead spans fifteen years.
Another 48 Hrs.
1990For the past four years, San Francisco cop Jack Cates has been after an unidentified drug kingpin who calls himself the Ice Man. Jack finds a picture that proves that the Ice Man has put a price on the head of Reggie Hammond, who is scheduled to be released from prison on the next day.
Life
1999Two men in 1930s Mississippi become friends after being sentenced to life in prison together for a crime they did not commit.
Dreamgirls
2006A trio of female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.
Mulan
1998To save her father from certain death in the army, a young woman secretly enlists in his place and becomes one of China's greatest heroines in the process.
Axel Foley returns to the land of sunshine and palm trees to investigate the near-fatal shooting of police Captain Andrew Bogomil. With the help of Sgt. Taggart and Det. Rosewood, they soon uncover that the shooting is associated with a series of "alphabet" robberies masterminded by a heartless weapons kingpin—and the chase is on.
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
2000The hilarity begins when professor Sherman Klump finds romance with fellow DNA specialist, Denise Gaines, and discovers a brilliant formula that reverses aging. But Sherman's thin and obnoxious alter ego, Buddy Love, wants out...and a big piece of the action. And when Buddy gets loose, things get seriously nutty.
The Golden Child
1986After a Tibetan boy, the mystical Golden Child, is kidnapped by the evil Sardo Numspa, humankind's fate hangs in the balance. On the other side of the world in Los Angeles, the priestess Kee Nang seeks the Chosen One, who will save the boy from death. When Nang sees social worker Chandler Jarrell on television discussing his ability to find missing children, she solicits his expertise, despite his skepticism over being "chosen."
Shrek 2
2004Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey set off to Far, Far Away to meet Fiona's mother and father, the Queen and King. But not everyone is happily ever after, as Shrek and the King find it difficult to get along. But when the Fairy Godmother discovers that Fiona has married Shrek instead of her son Prince Charming as King Harold had promised, she plots to destroy their marriage and replace the ogre with her son Charming.
Harlem Nights
1989'Sugar' Ray is the owner of an illegal casino and must contend with the pressure of vicious gangsters and corrupt police who want to see him go out of business. In the world of organised crime and police corruption in the 1920s, any dastardly trick is fair.
Boomerang
1992Marcus is a successful advertising executive who woos and beds women almost at will. After a company merger he finds that his new boss, the ravishing Jacqueline, is treating him in exactly the same way. Completely traumatised by this, his work goes badly downhill.
Murphy sheds his manic energy for a sophisticated, sleek vulnerability, proving he could lead a classy adult romance without leaning on his usual bag of voices and gags. It’s a pivotal pivot that redefined him as a polished romantic leading man, balancing his signature razor-sharp wit with a rare, ego-bruising charm. He navigates Marcus Graham’s cosmic comeuppance with a suave composure that makes his eventual unraveling feel both earned and surprisingly soulful.
Bowfinger
1999On the verge of bankruptcy and desperate for his big break, aspiring filmmaker Bobby Bowfinger concocts a crazy plan to make his ultimate dream movie. Rallying a ragtag team that includes a starry-eyed ingenue, a has-been diva and a film studio gofer, he sets out to shoot a blockbuster featuring the biggest star in Hollywood, Kit Ramsey -- only without letting Ramsey know he's in the picture.
Murphy delivers a masterclass in comic duality, oscillating between the untouchable ego of action star Kit Ramsey and the endearing, braces-clad naiveté of his stunt double, Jiff. By weaponizing his high-octane persona against a suburban everyman, he recaptured the shape-shifting brilliance of his early career while proving he could still steal a movie from himself. It is a rare, frantic exhibition of Murphy’s range that remains the high-water mark for his comedic versatility.
The Nutty Professor
1996When beautiful Carla Purty joins the university faculty, genetic professor Dr. Sherman Klump grows desperate to whittle his 400-pound frame down to size and win her heart. So, with one swig of his experimental fat-reducing serum, Sherman becomes 'Buddy Love', a fast-talking, pumped-up, plumped down Don Juan.
Murphy delivers a masterclass in physical comedy and prosthetics, meticulously crafting seven distinct personalities that each feel like a flesh-and-blood human rather than a caricature. By balancing the heartbreaking vulnerability of Sherman Klump with the razor-tongued chaos of Buddy Love, he reclaimed his status as a box-office titan and redefined the "multi-role" movie for a new generation. It remains the definitive proof that Murphy’s greatest comedic asset is his unparalleled ability to disappear into a crowd of his own making.
Eddie Murphy: Delirious
1983Taped live and in concert at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. in August, 1983, Eddie Murphy: Delirious captures Eddie Murphy's wild and outrageous stand-up comedy act, which he performed in New York and eighteen other cities across the U.S. to standing-room-only audiences. Eddie's comedy was groundbreaking, completely new, razor sharp and definitely funny.Eddie Murphy pontificates in his own vulgarly hilarious fashion on everything from bizarre sexual fantasies to reliving the family barbecue, and is peppered with Eddie's one-of-a-kind wit. Laugh along as Eddie reminiscences of hot childhood days and the ice cream man intermixed with classic vocal parodies of top American entertainers.Experience Eddie Murphy at his best, live and red hot! Delirious! Uncensored and Uncut!
Clad in iconic red leather, Murphy delivers a masterclass in kinetic superstar confidence, weaponizing a relentless, high-octane delivery that bridged the gap between stand-up and rock stardom. This was the moment he evolved from a Saturday Night Live standout into a global phenomenon, fueled by an untouchable swagger and a transformative ability to inhabit multiple characters with lightning-fast comedic timing. It remains the definitive blueprint for the modern comedy special, capturing a generational talent at the absolute peak of his provocative, unfiltered powers.
Shrek
2001It ain't easy bein' green -- especially if you're a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot -- a wisecracking donkey.
Eddie Murphy transforms Donkey into a hyperactive motor-mouth of pure comedic id, proving that his vocal elasticity could outshine even the most advanced CG animation of the era. By stripping away his physical presence, Murphy rediscovered the manic, improvisational energy of his early stand-up, effectively reinventing himself as a modern king of the family blockbuster. His impeccable rhythmic timing turns a sidekick role into the film’s undeniable comedic heartbeat.
Eddie Murphy Raw
1987Eddie Murphy delights, shocks and entertains with dead-on celebrity impersonations, observations on '80s love, sex and marriage, a remembrance of Mom's hamburgers and much more.
Clad in iconic purple leather, Murphy delivers a masterclass in swagger and elastic physicality, inhabiting a dozen different personas with predatory precision. It is the definitive document of his 1980s superstardom, capturing a comic at the absolute peak of his untouchable, rock-star bravado. He doesn't just tell jokes; he commands the stage with an abrasive, foul-mouthed elegance that fundamentally shifted the DNA of stand-up specials.
48 Hrs.
1982A hard-nosed cop reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal temporarily paroled to him, in order to track down a killer.
Murphy delivers a masterclass in cocky, fast-talking charisma, weaponizing his stand-up timing to rewrite the rules of the screen sidekick. It is the definitive big-bang moment for his stardom, proving he could command a frame with a smirk and a sharp tongue while effortlessly outmaneuvering every veteran actor in sight. He doesn't just play Reggie Hammond; he creates the blueprint for the modern action-comedy lead.
Trading Places
1983A snobbish investor and a wily street con-artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
Murphy weaponizes his fast-talking street charm with a razor-sharp improvisational edge, effortlessly shifting from a hustler's frantic desperation to a high-roller's cool arrogance. This was the moment he evolved from a Saturday Night Live breakout into a certified cinematic titan, proving he could anchor a sophisticated social satire through sheer charismatic magnetism. He doesn't just deliver jokes; he commands every frame with a mischievous, الرابع-wall-breaking confidence that redefined the modern comedic leading man.
An African prince decides it’s time for him to find a princess... and his mission leads him and his most loyal friend to Queens, New York. In disguise as an impoverished immigrant, the pampered prince quickly finds himself a new job, new friends, new digs, new enemies and lots of trouble.
Murphy delivers a masterclass in transformative physical comedy, balancing Akeem’s Wide-eyed sincerity with a brilliant gallery of prosthetic-disguised side characters. This remains the definitive showcase of his chameleonic range, marking the moment he evolved from a high-energy stand-up into a one-man ensemble capable of anchoring a cinematic universe. It is a virtuosic display of ego-free character work that redefined what a comedic lead could accomplish through sheer versatility.
Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case like only he can.
Murphy weaponizes a relentless, silver-tongued arrogance to turn Axel Foley into the ultimate Reagan-era disruptor, blending high-velocity improv with a smirk that dared the audience not to laugh. It is the definitive lightning-strike moment that transitioned him from a sketch-comedy phenom into a global superstar, proving he could carry a franchise on the sheer strength of his motor-mouthed charisma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts
- Eddie Murphy's breakthrough role in comedy is widely recognized as his performance in '48 Hrs.' (1982), where he starred alongside Nick Nolte. This film blended action with sharp comedic timing, setting the stage for Murphy's successful film career.
- 'Beverly Hills Cop' and its sequel significantly boosted Eddie Murphy's fame by showcasing his unique blend of comedy and action. His role as Axel Foley became iconic, featuring clever humor and dynamic action sequences that appealed to a broad audience.
- 'Coming to America' highlights Eddie Murphy's versatility as he plays multiple characters with distinct personalities. The film combines romantic elements with sharp humor, solidifying Murphy's status as a comedic genius.
- Eddie Murphy's remarkable ability to portray multiple characters is best seen in 'The Nutty Professor' and 'Coming to America.' Both films demonstrate his skill in character transformation and comedic timing, enhancing their critical and commercial success.
- Eddie Murphy made a successful transition into voice acting with his role as Donkey in the 'Shrek' series. His energetic and humorous voice performance added significant charm and appeal to the animated franchise, attracting audiences of all ages.
- Eddie Murphy's stand-up specials 'Raw' and 'Delirious' offer a more raw and unfiltered look at his comedic style compared to his film roles. These performances highlight his sharp wit, storytelling ability, and his impact on comedy during the 1980s.
- Eddie Murphy expanded his influence in Hollywood by taking on producer and director roles, notably in 'Harlem Nights.' His involvement behind the camera allowed him to shape the creative vision and bring diverse stories to the screen.
- Films such as 'Trading Places' and 'Boomerang' exemplify Eddie Murphy's talent in blending comedy with other genres like romance and crime. His performances in these movies show his range and appeal across different audience demographics.
