John Grazer Replaces Brett Ratner as Academy awards Producer [UPDATE]

UPDATE: It's official. John Grazer has changed Brett Ratner as Academy awards producer, and -- unlike earlier rumblings -- will not hold a candlelight vigil for Eddie Murphy to come back as host. "Associates let me know that Imagine Entertainment co-founder John Grazer has managed to move on this mid-day," authored Nikki Finke at Deadline concerning the Murphy-return gossips she initially revealed. "'We aren't returning to him. Not a way,A they are saying.Inch Noted! "It is extremely satisfying to participate a reveal that honors excellence within the medium to which i've devoted a lot of my career," stated Grazer within the Academy of movement Picture Arts & Sciences pr release about his hire. "John Grazer is really a famous filmmaker who in the last two-and-a-half decades has created an assorted and remarkable body of labor,Inch stated AMPAS leader Tom Sherak. "He'll certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativeness and associations towards the Oscar." Now all that's left is getting a host. EARLIER: That which was rumor mere hrs ago has become apparently almost fact. Deadline's Nikki Finke reviews that John Grazer has recognized the Academy of movement Picture Arts & Sciences offer to create the Academy awards telecast, following a resignation of Brett Ratner. So why do you care that Grazer, the super producer behind 'J. Edgar' and 'Tower Heist,' has had the gig? Because he will try to convince Eddie Murphy to not-quit as Academy awards host. You heard right: per Finke, the Academy wants Murphy to host and Grazer's first duty as producer is to buy him back! Hey, why don't you? Only at that rate, maybe Ratner can return to cater the Academy awards or something like that. (Shrimp cocktail, natch.) Just hire Neil Patrick Harris already, AMPAS. RELATED 10 Possible Oscar-Host Substitutes Ough GervaisRobert Downey Junior.The MuppetsMeryl StreepTina FeySteve Martin and Alec BaldwinNo OneNeil Patrick HarrisHugh JackmanBilly Very See All Moviefone Art galleries » [via Deadline] [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED