Murphy In for Beverly Hills Cop 4

Oscar winner will replace Brett Ratner

(NEWSER) - The Oscars has quickly filled one of two gaping holes in its telecast: Big-time producer Brian Grazer will produce the show, reports TMZ . He takes over for Brett Ratner, who stepped down after uttering a gay slur . Still no word on who will host following Eddie Murphy's decision to walk away . The LA Times notes the small world of Hollywood: Oscar-winner Grazer, who produced Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, also produced Ratner's new movie, Tower Heist. Murphy is one of the stars. Grazer also will probably have a film in the running for an Oscar—he produced Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar. More»

He steps aside after his pal, Brett Ratner, steps down over slur

(NEWSER) - Eddie Murphy won't be hosting the Oscars after all. One day after buddy Brett Ratner stepped down as producer for using a gay slur , Murphy announced that he would not be part of the show. Murphy is one of the stars of director Ratner's new flick, Tower Heist. The Oscar folks now have about three months to fill the two key posts. More»

Brett Ratner apologizes for saying 'rehearsing is for fags'

(NEWSER) - Using anti-gay language can do serious harm to your Hollywood career, Brett Ratner has discovered. The film director, facing a firestorm of criticism over his use of a gay slur, has resigned as producer of the Oscars telecast, according to the Hollywood Reporter . During a Q&A session at a screening of his new comedy, Tower Heist, last week, Ratner said that "rehearsing is for fags." A Howard Stern interview in which he discussed his sex life added fuel to the fire. More»

He gets the nod for telecast in February

(NEWSER) - The rumor mill proved true this time: Eddie Murphy will host the Oscars in February, reports the Huffington Post . One connection that likely helped, as noted by Deadline : This year's show is being produced by Brett Ratner, who directed the soon-to-open movie Tower Heist, starring Murphy and Ben Stiller. Murphy also reportedly is a huge fan of the Oscars and movies in general, and he's got plenty of experience handling a live audience from his stand-up and SNL days. Click to read one Salon blogger's take on why this is a great pick. (Last year's co-host, James Franco, didn't go over so well with critics .) More»

'The Dark Knight Rises' is lame ... but far from the worst

(NEWSER) - Drum roll, please: The sequel to The Dark Knight will be named ... The Dark Knight Rises. "How thoroughly underwhelming," complains Katie Calautti for Newsweek —while acknowledging it could be much, much worse. She runs down the 10 most pathetic attempts at creativity in the last 20 years of cinema:

1. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010): So it ... takes naps? What does this even mean? "Is greed better when it’s been awake for a solid 72 hours?"