Eddie Murphy in talks to star in Pink Panther reboot

Eddie Murphy is reportedly in talks to headline a new Pink Panther movie.

On Wednesday, editors at The Hollywood Reporter claimed the comedy star is currently in negotiations to appear as Inspector Clouseau in an upcoming reboot of the classic franchise.

Representatives for Murphy declined to comment on the report.

However, Sonic the Hedgehog filmmaker Jeff Fowler has apparently already signed up to direct the film, with Chris Bremner penning the script.

Sources also told the outlet that the reboot will feature both live-action and computer-generated imagery (CGI) and is set to have a "buddy cop movie tone" due to the plot seeing Clouseau and the Panther "teaming up for the first time ever on the big-screen".

The Pink Panther, starring Peter Sellers as the inept French police detective Inspector Jacques Clouseau, was directed by Blake Edwards and released in 1963.

Numerous instalments followed, with Steve Martin also headlining the 2006 reboot and its 2009 sequel.

Murphy, who counts Sellers among his comedy idols, most recently appeared in the films Coming 2 America and You People. He is also currently working on Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, in which he reprises the title role, and the Christmas comedy movie Candy Cane Lane.