The Golden Child (1986) is an American mystical comedy film starring Eddie Murphy. Murphy plays Chandler Jarrell, a social worker who is confronted by a young Asian woman (Charlotte Lewis) who tells him that he is the Chosen One destined to save The Golden Child, the saviour of all mankind, from the clutches of the demon Sardo Numspa, played by Charles Dance. The film was directed by Michael Ritchie.
Released in December 1986, The Golden Child was a box office success. It took in $79,817,937 in the U.S. alone, making it the 8th biggest film of the year. However, the film was considered a disappointment by the studio when compared to Murphy's previous film, Beverly Hills Cop, which garnered $234,760,478 at the U.S. box office.
Actor Mel Gibson was originally slated to play the role of Chandler Jarrell in The Golden Child. When Gibson was unavailable, the producers selected Murphy, and changed the movie from a drama to a comedy.
Eddie Murphy plays a detective with a speciality of finding lost children. He is told he is the 'Chosen one' who will find and protect the Golden Child, a Bhuddist mystic who was kidnapped by an evil sorcerer. Murphy disbelieves the mysticism but finds more and more evidence of demon worship as he investigates. Written by John Vogel
