Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Netflix
Netflix is expanding its library with another star-studded special. The streaming network has announced that it will be the exclusive global streaming home for the 51st AFI Life Achievement Awards: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy, premiering on May 31, 2026.
This marks a major change for the American Film Institute. For the first time in the history of the Emmy-winning special, the ceremony will bypass traditional cable networks (it’s been on TNT and TCM for more than a decade after moving from TV Land and USA Network) and head straight to streaming, bringing Murphy’s five-decade career to Netflix’s massive global audience.
The actual event will take place a few weeks before its Netflix release, which means we won’t get a livestream like the SAG-AFTRA Awards. Instead, it will have a lavish gala tribute held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on April 18, 2026, before being edited and packaged for its Netflix debut in late May. It is similar to the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which has been on Netflix for the past few years, with Kevin Hart awarded in 2024 and Conan O’Brien in 2025.
For film lovers, the AFI Life Achievement Award is considered the highest honor for a career in film. Established in 1973, it is awarded each year to a single honoree whose “talent has fundamentally advanced the film art” and whose work “has stood the test of time.”
Murphy is joining an incredibly prestigious club. By accepting the 51st award, he follows in the footsteps of Hollywood royalty. Recent recipients include Francis Ford Coppola (2025), Nicole Kidman (2024), Julie Andrews (2022), and Denzel Washington (2019). The legacy of the award extends to such notables as John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Bette Davis and Sidney Poitier.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 26: Francis Ford Coppola attends the AFI Life Achievement Awards Ceremony Honoring Francis Ford Coppola at the Dolby Theater on April 26, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Excel/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
“AFI is grateful to Ted Sarandos and the talented team at Netflix for the opportunity to share this proud tradition with the world,” AFI President and CEO Bob Gazelle said in a press release. “And doing so in honor of Eddie Murphy will help us shine a proper light on the impact of the arts at a time when the world needs it most.”
Netflix and Eddie Murphy have forged a very fruitful relationship over the years, making the streamer the perfect home for this tribute.
Members will be well familiar with Murphy’s recent work on stage. He gave a universally acclaimed, Golden Globe-nominated performance as Rudy Ray Moore in the 2019 Netflix Original biopic. dolemite is my name. Most recently, he starred opposite Jonah Hill in the hit comedy you guysand can currently be seen on the service in the documentary to be eddy. And of course, he’s returned to his iconic role of Axel Foley for Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop revival.
The 51st AFI Life Achievement Awards: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy will arrive on Netflix globally on May 31, 2026. will you watch?