Netflix has dropped the first trailer for Dolemite Is My Name!. Eddie Murphy stars in the movie as the outrageous and original Rudy Ray Moore who was many things over the years, including a comedian, musician, singer, actor, and producer. After a string of dead end jobs and entertainment oppurtunities, Moore decided to go into the world of comedy, which is where he crafted the Dolemite persona. Dolemite Is My Name will tell that story and it looks like Eddie Murphy was the perfect choice to take on the larger then life persona.
The Dolemite Is My Name trailer is just as outlandish and unconventional as blaxploitation legend Rudy Ray Moore was in real life. The biopic was written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, the writers behind Man On The Moon, The People Vs. Larry Flynt, and Ed Wood. By looking at the first footage, it's clear this isn't going to be a paint-by-numbers affair, which is refreshing. Eddie Murphy nails some of the foul-mouthed character's mannerisms almost too perfectly.
Related: Wesley Snipes, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson Join Dolemite Is My Name Biopic
Dolemite Is My Name will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and then it will have a limited theatrical release in the fall before streaming on Netflix. The biopic was directed by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) and follows Rudy Ray Moore's mission to make the Dolemite character become a worldwide sensation. Starring alongside Eddie Murphy are Tituss Burgess, Craig Robinson, Mike Epps, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Keegan-Michael Key, Snoop Dogg, and Wesley Snipes. Brewer is working with Snipes and Murphy again on the upcoming Coming 2 America, which will reportedly begin shooting this fall after the press tour for Dolemite Is My Name winds down.
The original Dolemite movies were far from big budget Hollywood productions. They were the complete opposite and they feature some of the most legendary mistakes and wooden acting anyone has ever seen, which adds to their unique charm. Craig Brewer likened it to when he and his friends were first starting to get into the world of making movies. He had this to say about taking on Dolemite Is My Name.
"We would all get together and watch various independent films, and specifically classic blaxploitation movies, and Dolemite was that movie we'd always watch because of its glorious flaws. (Laughs) But as much as Rudy Ray Moore comes off as this wonderfully strong character, his story is really an underdog story, and I've always been drawn to movies of people who don't have much but do a hell of a lot with it, and that's what got me really interested once I read the script that Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander sent to me.At first I thought it was a Dolemite remake, and I was like, 'I know that there's probably a way you can make fun of it, but I don't know if I feel comfortable doing it.' But finally when I got past the first page, I was like, 'Oh, this is about Rudy,' and then it felt like it made sense to me."
Rudy Ray Moore passed away in 2008, but his legend still lives on. He has been called the Godfather of Rap and it would be nearly impossible to find all the times he is mentioned or sampled in the world of hip hop. Fans of the blaxploitation legend will finally be able to get a look at Dolemite Is My Name this fall, though Netflix has yet to announce any official dates at this time, except for the TIFF in September. You can watch the trailer for Dolemite Is My Name below, thanks to the Netflix YouTube channel.
Eddie Murphy Is Comedy Legend Rudy Ray Moore
