Comedy legend Eddie Murphy is back on our screens, and fans are paying attention. The star behind classics like Beverly Hills Cop and Trading Places returns in The Pickup, hitting Prime Video August 6th. We were at the official press conference where Murphy joined co-stars Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer, and director Tim Story to talk about the highly anticipated release.
In this action-comedy, a routine cash pickup turns into pure chaos when two mismatched armored truck drivers—Russell, played by Eddie Murphy, and Travis, played by Pete Davidson—are ambushed by ruthless criminals. The crew is led by Zoe, a savvy mastermind played by Keke Palmer, whose plans go far beyond the cash cargo. What follows is a high-stakes, high-speed day of clashing personalities, escalating danger, and more than a few bad decisions.
Pete Davidson described the movie’s tone perfectly: “I think it’s one of those early 2000s old-school action comedy fast-moving, there’s not a dull moment movies. It’s an hour and forty minutes of fun.” Eddie Murphy added, “I feel the exact way Pete feels, except it reminds me of the movies of the ’80s, not the 2000s,” a nod to the kind of ensemble hits that made him a household name. He doubled down on that sentiment, adding, “And casting!”—fitting right into that classic ’80s movie vibe.
Director Tim Story called the experience, “A dream come true. I want to say my career has been trying to chase this man (Murphy) and do a movie with him, and then you get Pete, a pairing you didn’t realize you needed so much, and then you add Keke, and it’s just a bag of riches.”
Keke Palmer shared a story that had the whole room smiling. During filming, she and Eddie bonded over their shared love of The Nutty Professor, ultimately agreeing it was his best film. The moment sparked laughter and nods from everyone in the room, with Murphy clearly enjoying the memory. Toward the end of the interview, Eddie paid her a huge compliment, saying, “She reminds me of me.”
Later in the discussion, Pete also shared one aspect of the production that stood out to him: “Tim was very trusting to all of us, so we would get one as scripted and then he would let us have fun and go off, and I think some of the best moments of the film are just us messing around.”
As for the script, Murphy said, “This thing was ninety percent there when I read it the first time, and then we got Tim and I was like, we are making this movie!” He loved the throwback energy from the start and knew the combination of cast and director would bring it to life.
The Pickup brings together Murphy’s iconic comedic timing, Pete Davidson’s off-the-cuff humor, and Keke Palmer’s charisma in a film that promises to be both nostalgic and fresh. Catch it when it premieres August 6th on Prime Video.