Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Oscar producer Brett Ratner is poised on Tuesday to submit Eddie Murphy's name to Academy President Tom Sherak as a possible host.
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." I do know that Murphy's Hollywood agency WME thinks it'd be a real coup for Murphy's dormant career which is about to get a kick-start. That's because the veteran comedian is starring in the Brett Ratner-directed and Imagine/Universal-produced Tower Heist action laugher with Ben Stiller that opens on November 4th and is receiving great buzz.
Sounds interesting, and the Oscars could be funny for a change. We'll stay tuned.
Read more at Deadline Hollywood.
In other news: DSK Heads Back to France.