Eddie Murphy to Star in 'The Chairman' at Peacock
Eddie Murphy will star in 'The Chairman,' a Peacock drama from 'Mad Men' creator Matthew Weiner — his first live-action scripted TV role if greenlit.
Programme
- Eddie Murphy is attached to star in 'The Chairman,' a drama in development at Peacock created by Matthew Weiner.
- If greenlit, the series would be Murphy's first-ever live-action scripted television role.
- Universal Television and 101 Studios will produce; Murphy and Weiner serve as producers.
- The project is the first to come out of ex-Paramount boss Chris McCarthy's NBCUniversal deal, reported in November 2025.
- Murphy's only prior scripted TV role was voice acting on 'The PJs,' which he co-created.
Eddie Murphy is attached to star in "The Chairman," a drama series in development at Peacock created by "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner. If the project is greenlit, it will mark Murphy's first-ever role in a live-action scripted series.
Plot details for "The Chairman" have not been announced. Universal Television will produce the series alongside 101 Studios, the company run by "Yellowstone" executive producer David Glasser. 101 Studios has operated under a first-look film and television deal at NBCUniversal that began in January.
"The Chairman" will also be the first project to emerge from former Paramount boss Chris McCarthy's deal at NBCUniversal. That arrangement, first reported in November 2025, placed McCarthy in a consulting role on the studio's relationship with Glasser and 101 Studios. Murphy and Weiner will both serve as producers on the series.
Murphy launched his career as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live," where he appeared for four seasons from 1980 to 1984. He has since concentrated on comedy specials and film. His only prior scripted television role was a voice-acting part on "The PJs," an animated series he co-created.
His film credits span four decades: the "Beverly Hills Cop" franchise (1984–2024), "Coming to America" (1988), "Harlem Nights" (1989), "Dr. Dolittle" (1998), "Dreamgirls" (2006) and "Dolemite Is My Name" (2019), among others.
Weiner is best known for creating and running "Mad Men," which aired for seven seasons on AMC from 2007 to 2015 and is widely regarded as one of the best television series ever made. He also worked as a writer and executive producer on "The Sopranos." His additional credits include writing and producing on CBS' "Becker" (1999–2002) and creating the 2018 Amazon Prime Video anthology series "The Romanoffs."
The pairing of one of Hollywood's most bankable comedians with the showrunner behind two of television's most acclaimed dramas positions "The Chairman" as a high-profile test of Peacock's original-drama ambitions — provided NBCUniversal moves it from development to series.
Source: Variety Film
