Jamie Foxx is headed back into comedy for Brian Henson’s long-gestating R-rated feature, The Happytime Murders.
That’s according to Deadline, revealing that the Oscar-winner has opened negotiations to headline the noir comedy, which has spent the past few years languishing on the brink of development hell. That all looks set to change with the potential casting of Foxx – the first tangible sign of development in close to four years – who is attached to the role of Detective Edwards, an LAPD officer “who must re-team with his former partner Phil, a drinker and philanderer who is not keen on Edwards’ good-cop persona.”
Situated in a world where puppets and humans co-exist – no, really – The Happytime Murders centers on a host of amicable TV personalities that are celebrated for their famous 80s show. Off-screen, though, the group don’t exactly make for archetypal role models, but nevertheless the popular gang soon find themselves between the crosshairs of a manic murderer.
And so, as the killings continue, “it’s up to Phil and his ex-partner, Detective Edwards (Foxx), to find the culprit, but as bad blood and old resentments resurface the clues start pointing to the only viable suspect, Phil himself. Now hes on the run with only his wits and hard headed determination, as he tries to solve, The Happytime Murders.”
Without question, it’s a bonkers premise. Blending puppet work with real actors can be a difficult feat to accomplish, particularly given the R-rated nature of The Happytime Murders, but the casting of Foxx – no stranger to playing exaggerated characters thanks to Horrible Bosses – is a firm first step in the right direction.