By Katelin McDougald
Updated
After years in development, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley is finally set for release, and here is everything we know so far about it.
The popular Beverly Hills Cop trilogy, which grossed over $700 million at the U.S. box office alone, is getting a long-awaited sequel in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. The fourth film will bring back Eddie Murphy, who recently received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2023 Golden Globes. Following Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), this new installment has been a long time coming; it has been teased and postponed time and time again but has never been brought to fruition. Fortunately, given the franchise's huge and lingering popularity, Paramount Pictures has always been ready to authorize a new title. It has been a long and bumpy road, though.
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Updated on May 20, 2023: This article has been updated by Mona Bassil with new information regarding the upcoming fourth Beverly Hills Cop film.
The main concern and hesitation are mostly on the part of the main lead himself; Murphy has claimed in several interviews that he wouldn't do another one of these movies until the script is complete to his liking, which has been the biggest issue this production has faced...until now. Following the box office and acclaim of Top Gun: Maverick, Paramount Pictures certainly is hoping for lightning to strike twice with the long-awaited return of another 1980s franchise. Here's everything we know about Beverly Hills Cop: Alex Foley so far.
Development: From a TV Series to Netflix
Plans for a fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie had been circulating since the late 90s but was first officially announced back in 2006 with original producer Jerry Bruckheimer signed onboard, but he eventually passed it over to Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Brett Ratner signed on to direct the film in 2008. By 2011 the status of a fourth film was shelved in favor of a television spin-off focusing on Axel's son Arron, but just before it was supposed to air, Paramount decided it was also going to give the movie another try. Brandon T. Jackson (Tropic Thunder) signed on to play Axel Foley's son and The Shield creator Shawn Ryan was the series producer.
However, even after filming the pilot, CBS passed on the series, and it never saw the light. The reason was that Murphy only wanted to appear in a cameo in the pilot, whereas the studio wanted him in every single episode, and so the whole endeavor inevitably fell apart. In 2013 Brukheimer returned as the producer on the project, and it was announced that Murphy would reprise his role as Axel Foley and Ratner would direct. Ratner dropped out, and in 2016, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were signed on to direct the fourth film.
Fast-forward to 2019. After a lot of back-and-forth, Paramount finally announced an official team-up with Netflix for the fourth movie in the series while retaining the rights for the first three installments. During the long development cycle of the movie, Arbi and Fallah directed Bad Boys For Life, which was released in January 2020. While the duo was still signed on in April 2020 to direct the fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie, by April 2022, they departed the project to direct the now-canceled Batgirl. Mark Molloy was hired as director, and filming began on August 29, 2022.
Filming
As expected, difficulties arose with filming development, which began in the late summer of 2022. After spending a long time in limbo, waiting for Murphy to agree to a good script, the creators had another body to impress: the city of Beverly Hills itself. Officials were weary at first, noting that their town did not have the same atmosphere as it did in the 80s. And despite the city's star-studded reputation, there were big concerns about how the Beverly Hills police force would be portrayed in the movie.
Related: 12 Eddie Murphy Movies We Couldn't Live Without
In November, the crew also filmed in Detroit, where the city kept a vigilant watch and had to be convinced to close off several neighborhoods, namely the Capitol Park Historic District. Flyers were distributed, stating, "Stunt driving will be taking place. Plus, be aware of simulated car crashes, smoke effects, and sparks that may occur, but don't be alarmed. The Detroit Fire Department and Detroit Police Department will be on-site if anything goes wrong, as they are filming stunts." That alone probably disturbed the locals' peace but was more than enough to tickle fans of the franchise.
The Plot
The Beverly Hills Cop franchise follows Axel Foley, a brash Detroit cop who finds himself in the posh city of Beverly Hills, California, to investigate various crimes, from money laundering to drug rings to murder. Foley has his own unorthodox and intrepid method to help solve each case, but not without funny comebacks and a dirty mouth.
The plot of the film will see Axel Foley return to Beverly Hills to investigate corruption in the Beverly Hills Police Department. The film takes the general idea of the planned television show, pairing Axel Foley with his kid. Yet where the television series focused on a son, the movie has it with him and his daughter. This is a nice way to distinguish the film from other legacy sequels like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Top Gun: Maverick, and A Good Day to Die Hard, which focuses on the son of an original character.
The Cast
Besides Murphy's return as Foley, Detective Sergeant William 'Billy' Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), Detective Sergeant John Taggart (John Ashton), Detective Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser), and art connoisseur and weapons dealer Serge (Bronson Pinchot) are due to reappear. Kevin Bacon joined the cast, but it is unknown who he will play, but there are chances he is the lead villain.
Related: Beverly Hills Cop 4: What Might Be In Store for the Sequel?
As far as new cast members, Taylour Paige has been cast in an unknown role, but it is likely Foley's daughter. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has also joined the cast, and the plot synopsis has hinted at Foley's daughter having an ex-boyfriend, which Levitt could play.
Release Date
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley was originally slated for release on March 25, 2016, but on May 6, 2015, the film was pulled from Paramount Pictures' release schedules due to script issues. Had it kept that release date, it would have gone head-to-head with Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice at the box office.
Netflix has not announced a release window for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. The movie was not part of Netflix's big 2023 video that confirmed films like Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon would premiere in December. The movie is in the post-production phase. Unlike major studio movies that have months and months of marketing, Netflix typically does not release any publicity for a film until a month or two from its release. The first Beverly Hills Cop was released in December, but both Beverly Hills Cop II and Beverly Hills Cop III were summer releases. It seems unlikely that it will make a summer release date, but it could still be an end-of-the-year release for Netflix, possibly their big Thanksgiving weekend premiere.
FAQs
Beverly Hills Cop 4: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know? ›
The popular Beverly Hills Cop trilogy, which grossed over $700 million at the U.S. box office alone, is getting a long-awaited sequel in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. The fourth film will bring back Eddie Murphy, who recently received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2023 Golden Globes.
Is Eddie Murphy making a Beverly Hills Cop 4? ›The popular Beverly Hills Cop trilogy, which grossed over $700 million at the U.S. box office alone, is getting a long-awaited sequel in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. The fourth film will bring back Eddie Murphy, who recently received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2023 Golden Globes.
What happened to Beverly Hills Cop 4? ›The movie is currently in post-production and not expected to hit Netflix until 2024. Beverly Hills Cop 4 is an upcoming Netflix Original comedy film and the fourth installment of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise.
Who is the cast of the Beverly Hills Cop 2023? ›The original Beverly Hills Cop was written by Daniel Petrie Jr. Aside from Murphy, the returning cast features Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot. New cast members include Kevin Bacon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Taylour Page.
Did George Lucas have a cameo in Beverly Hills Cop 3? ›The film features a number of cameo appearances by well-known film personalities, including Robert B. Sherman, Arthur Hiller, John Singleton, Joe Dante, Barbet Schroeder, Peter Medak, special effects legend Ray Harryhausen, and George Lucas as a ride patron.
Who turned down Beverly Hills Cop? ›Martin Scorsese turned down the chance to direct 'Beverly Hills Cop'. The legendary filmmaker was given the chance to make the 1984 film, which starred Eddie Murphy as Detroit Police Detective Axel Foley, but he decided against helming the action-comedy with Martin Brest eventually sitting in the director's chair.
Did Sylvester Stallone turn down Beverly Hills Cop? ›Sylvester Stallone Was Fired From The Film Beverly Hills Cop When He Tried To Rewrite The Script Himself. Stallone wanting to transform the comedic film into more of a violent thriller did not sit well with those in Beverly Hills Cop. Sylvester Enzio Stallone is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood.
Who was the real cop in Beverly Hills? ›Gil R. Hill started his career with the Detroit Police Department, where... Gil Hill, a real-life police detective who starred in all three Beverly Hills Cop films as Inspector Douglas Todd, Eddie Murphy's character's boss, died at age 84 on Monday.
How much money did Eddie Murphy get for Beverly Hills Cop? ›However, we do know Murphy was able to renegotiate his contract for the film to receive a percentage of the movie's profits. As it was a highly successful film, Murphy was reportedly able to earn $14.5 million from Beverly Hills Cop when all was said and done.
Why wasn t John Ashton in Beverly Hills Cop 3? ›Ashton didn't return for “Beverly Hills Cop 3”, directed by John Landis, because the same producers of the originals – including Bruckheimer – weren't involved and he had a scheduling clash with another production, “Little Big League”.
Is Eddie Murphy making a new movie? ›
That project is You People (2023), which sees Barris not only reuniting with legendary comedian and Saturday Night Live (1975-) icon Eddie Murphy after working together on Coming 2 America, but he'll also be joined by co-writer Jonah Hill for this comedic look into love and the cultural and generational divides it can ...
Is Richard Pryor in Beverly Hills Cop? ›Besides Stallone and Rourke, other actors who were considered for the role of Axel Foley included Richard Pryor, Al Pacino, and James Caan. Harrison Ford was offered the role of Axel Foley but turned it down.
How many Beverly Hills Cops did they make? ›| Film | U.S. release date | Screenwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Beverly Hills Cop | December 5, 1984 | Daniel Petrie, Jr. |
| Beverly Hills Cop II | May 20, 1987 | Larry Ferguson & Warren Skaaren |
| Beverly Hills Cop III | May 25, 1994 | Steven E. de Souza |
| Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley | TBA | Will Beall and Tom Gormican & Kevin Etten |
Once again, the cop shop is Beverly Hills City Hall, North Crescent Drive at Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills. The 'Wonderworld' amusement park is Paramount's 100 acre theme park, the California's Great America, Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, in the South Bay area south of San Francisco.
Who was the truck driver in Beverly Hills Cop? ›Gene Borkan: Truck Driver.
What is the best Beverly Hills Cop? ›1. Beverly Hills Cop (1984) What's really left to say about Beverly Hills Cop? Directed by Martin Brest, it's one of the most beloved movies of the 1980s, and one of the best blends of action and comedy made to date.
Who is the black guy in buying Beverly Hills? ›Brandon Graves
Unlike Ben, however, Brandon is a junior agent acclimating to the industry after years as a professional dancer. Brandon also isn't afraid to call out the systematic obstacles placed in front of him as Black man. You can follow him on Instagram.
Hill died from pneumonia at the age of 84 on February 29, 2016, at DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.
What movie did Eddie Murphy turn down? ›The former SNL star was just coming off his hit movie Beverly Hills Cop, the top-grossing movie of 1984. In a new talk show appearance, Murphy offered some more insight into why he eventually turned down the chance to be in Star Trek, despite being a fan.
Why did Sylvester Stallone leave Rocky? ›The reason behind Stallone's departure is twofold: He wasn't the biggest fan of “Creed III's” creative direction, and his clash against longtime franchise producer Irwin Winkler remains ongoing.
What movie did Sylvester Stallone break his back? ›
Sylvester Stallone starred in and directed The Expendables, and actually broke his neck during filming.
Who was Beverly Hills Cop originally written for? ›In the 1980s, you didn't turn down Sylvester Stallone; he turned you down. However, Stallone found himself at something of an impasse with Paramount Pictures. Instead of Eddie Murphy starring as Axel Foley, the original plan was for Sylvester Stallone to portray the lead in Beverly Hills Cop.
Is Eddie Murphy done making movies? ›With the Cecil B. DeMille award, Murphy has confirmed his new status as a respected actor – a recognition that he has earned after being mocked for years about his declining career. “I had stopped making movies in 2011,” Murphy recalled on Marc Maron's WTF podcast in 2021.
How much was Eddie Murphy paid for Beverly Hills Cop? ›However, we do know Murphy was able to renegotiate his contract for the film to receive a percentage of the movie's profits. As it was a highly successful film, Murphy was reportedly able to earn $14.5 million from Beverly Hills Cop when all was said and done.
Is there going to be a Beverly Hills Chihuahua 4? ›George Lopez returns once again as the voice of Papi. Halloween actor Jamie Lee Curtis returns to play Aunt Viv. This is the fourth film in the Beverly Hills Chihuahua franchise. Raja Gosnell will be directing this film after he directed the first Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie.