Eddie Murphy is a hugely popular and hilarious comedian and actor. He became a major movie star with the 1983 comedy Trading Places, where he appeared alongside Dan Aykroyd.
The classic comedy Trading Places tells the story of a wealthy snob, Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd), and a street hustler, Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy), who unexpectedly switch lives. Over forty years after its release, the film is currently a huge hit on streaming services, ranking among the top 10 most-watched movies worldwide, according to data from FlixPatrol.
The comedy continues to be popular, ranking among the top 10 most-streamed movies this week in Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom. It also briefly appeared on Peacock’s Top 10 list around Christmas, reaching number 10 on December 25th and climbing to number 9 the next day.
The movie Trading Places features a fantastic cast of popular actors from the 1980s, including Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. It also stars Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who was making her comedic debut after becoming known for her roles in horror films.
I remember when Trading Places was first being planned – it was always meant to be a funny movie! But the original actors they had in mind couldn’t commit, which is how Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd ended up starring. It really paid off, though! The film was a huge hit for Paramount in 1983, becoming one of the year’s biggest successes. It even got some awards recognition – an Academy Award nomination for the music, and two Golden Globe nods, which was fantastic.
Eddie Murphy was nominated for a Golden Globe for his comedic role in a musical, but Michael Caine won for Educating Rita. Trading Places was a hit, and its success helped establish Eddie Murphy as a major movie star beyond his work on Saturday Night Live.
It’s no surprise that Trading Places is so popular on streaming services during the holidays – many people now consider the Eddie Murphy comedy a Christmas and New Year’s tradition. Rotten Tomatoes recently ranked it as the 24th best holiday movie, even higher than beloved films like Elf, While You Were Sleeping, and The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Trading Places Will Find a New Streaming Home in 2026
You can currently watch Trading Places in the U.S. But, it will be leaving Peacock in five days and moving to Starz on January 1st, 2026. If you’re in Ireland or the UK, you can stream the classic Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy comedy on Paramount+.
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Both critics and audiences love Trading Places. It currently has an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (from critics) and an 85% audience score. It also scores a 7.5 out of 10 on IMDb. Many consider it one of Eddie Murphy’s best films, which explains why it’s currently so popular worldwide.
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2025-12-27 16:06