Eddie Murphy Peacock series sets up a remarkable TV 1st
An Eddie Murphy Peacock series is in the works. Murphy is attached to star in “The Chairman,” a drama in development at the NBCUniversal streamer from “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner, Variety and Deadline reported Thursday, Oct. 1.
Should Peacock give the show a green light, it would be the first live-action scripted series of Murphy’s career, according to Variety.
Weiner writes ‘The Chairman’ as Murphy’s 1st TV drama
Weiner is writing the Eddie Murphy Peacock series and will serve as an executive producer, with Murphy also taking an executive producer credit, Deadline reported. Neither outlet had any plot details, and no other cast members have been named.
The project did not come out of nowhere. In late August, industry reporter Jeff Sneider wrote that Murphy was in talks to headline a Weiner drama for Peacock, as JoBlo noted at the time. Thursday’s reports added the title and the producing partners.
For Weiner, the Eddie Murphy Peacock series is a return to TV. Deadline pointed out that he has not had a show picked up since “The Romanoffs,” his 2018 anthology for Amazon Prime Video. He created “Mad Men,” which ran seven seasons on AMC from 2007 to 2015, and he wrote and executive produced on HBO’s “The Sopranos.” Variety also lists writing and producing work on the CBS sitcom “Becker,” which aired from 1999 to 2002.
Who is behind the Eddie Murphy Peacock series
Universal Television is producing with 101 Studios, the David Glasser-run company behind “Yellowstone,” “Landman” and “MobLand.” According to Variety, 101 Studios has had a first-look film and TV deal with NBCUniversal since January.
Variety also reported that “The Chairman” is the first project tied to former Paramount executive Chris McCarthy’s consulting arrangement at NBCUniversal, which covers the studio’s relationship with Glasser and 101 Studios. McCarthy’s deal was first reported in November 2025.
Deadline noted that the 101 Studios and McCarthy agreements landed at NBCUniversal at the same time “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan moved his own deal there, making “The Chairman” an early test of that partnership outside Sheridan’s shows.
A rare TV move after 40-plus years in film
Murphy broke out as a “Saturday Night Live” cast member from 1980 to 1984 and has made roughly 40 movies since “48 Hrs.” His only previous scripted TV role was a voice part on “The PJs,” the animated Fox comedy he co-created, Variety noted. Deadline added that he also created the CBS sitcom “The Royal Family” in the 1990s.
His recent work includes “Being Eddie,” the Netflix documentary about his life and friendships directed by Angus Wall, along with the Amazon comedy “The Pickup” and “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” His next film is “Shrek 5,” which Deadline said is due next year. Fans got a first look in the “Shrek 5” teaser trailer in June.
Murphy’s busy slate beyond Peacock
The Eddie Murphy Peacock series joins a long list of film work. JoBlo, citing Sneider, reported in August that Murphy has a standalone “Shrek” spinoff built around his character Donkey in development and is attached to play Inspector Clouseau in a live-action and CG “Pink Panther” film from director Jeff Fowler. The same report listed the action comedy “Playas Ball” and “Attachment Parenting,” co-starring Eva Longoria.
Peacock, for its part, has been adding scripted projects. Deadline also reported this week that the streamer greenlit a “Fast & Furious” series, and it is developing “Future Housewives,” a sci-fi drama starring Ariana Madix.
Peacock has not announced a premiere window for the Eddie Murphy Peacock series. For more, see our October 2026 streaming guide and the latest TV and streaming news.