The Nutty Professor Returns to Theaters for 30th Anniversary
Universal Pictures has announced the nationwide theatrical re-release of the 1996 comedy classic The Nutty Professor in celebration of the film’s 30th anniversary. The movie was directed by Tom Shadyac (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Patch Adams).
The Nutty Professor features comedy legend Eddie Murphy in seven roles, brought to life through the groundbreaking special makeup effects of Rick Baker and David LeRoy Anderson, who received the Academy Award for Best Makeup for their work on the film.
Now, as the film celebrates its landmark 30th anniversary, The Nutty Professor returns to theaters across the country beginning September 4, 2026, for a special limited engagement. Advance tickets are on sale now.
Murphy (upcoming Shrek 5 and the Donkey spin-off) stars as the kindly Professor Sherman Klump, a brilliant chemist who is self-conscious about his obesity and is routinely bullied by his college dean (Larry Miller).
After a comedian (Dave Chappelle) humiliates him at a comedy club while he is on a date with graduate student Carla (Jada Pinkett Smith), Sherman tests an experimental weight-loss formula he has developed and loses 250 pounds instantly. Dubbing his new svelte self ‘Buddy Love,’ he returns to the club and humiliates the comedian in turn.
But Buddy has none of Sherman’s warmth or humility. As the formula triggers increasingly unpredictable transformations, Buddy begins to take over Sherman’s life, setting off a series of uproarious mishaps and forcing Sherman to find a way to eliminate his alter ego for good.
Based on the motion picture written by Jerry Lewis and Bill Richmond, The Nutty Professor was directed by Tom Shadyac from a screenplay by David Sheffield & Barry W. Blaustein and Shadyac & Steve Oedekerk. The film was produced by Brian Grazer and Russell Simmons.
The supporting cast includes Jada Pinkett Smith, James Coburn, Larry Miller, Dave Chappelle, and John Ales.
The PG-13-rated comedy opened on June 28, 1996, earning more than $25 million at the box office on its opening weekend and drawing praise for Murphy’s performance and Baker’s transformative makeup effects.
Murphy received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Comedy or Musical, was named Best Actor by the National Society of Film Critics and was runner-up for Best Actor with the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. He was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award.
The Nutty Professor went on to gross nearly $274 million worldwide, leading to the 2000 sequel Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. Directed by Peter Segal (Tommy Boy, 50 First Dates), the sequel was produced by Brian Grazer.
The story was by Steve Oedekerk and Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield, with a screenplay by Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield and Paul Weitz & Chris Weitz. Murphy returned as Sherman, whose plans to marry Denise Gaines (Janet Jackson) are threatened by the re-emergence of Buddy Love.
Tickets for the theatrical re-release of The Nutty Professor can be purchased here.
