Eddie Murphy makes a comeback as one of his most beloved characters, Axel Foley, in the eagerly awaited sequel “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” This film is the fourth installment in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise and follows “Beverly Hills Cop III” (1994). The movie was released on the streaming platform Netflix on Wednesday.

The Journey of the Sequel’s Development

The film began its development journey in the mid-1990s, under the guidance of Murphy’s production company. It’s been a 30-year undertaking for the next entry to be greenlit.

Various filmmakers and screenwriters were associated with the sequel over the years, but the project encountered numerous obstacles and fell into development hell. In 2008, Brett Ratner of “Rush Hour” fame was committed to the project, but it didn’t work out. There was an axed TV pilot from 2013 that introduced Axel’s son who becomes a cop, but the show was never picked up.

On May 6, 2015, Paramount Pictures pulled “Beverly Hills Cop IV” from its release schedule due to script concerns. In 2016, Deadline Hollywood reported that Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who would go on to direct the last two entries of the “Bad Boys” franchise, were attached. The pandemic pushed things back. They left to make “Batgirl” prior to its cancellation.

In April 2022, Mark Molloy was brought on board to direct, marking his feature debut.

Returning and New Cast Members

Supporting actors Judge Reinhold (Billy Rosewood), John Ashton (Chief John Taggart), Paul Reiser (Jeffrey), and Bronson Pinchot (Serge) return to their roles from the previous installments in the franchise. Joining the cast are Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Detective Bobby Abbott0), Taylour Paige (Jane Saunders), and Kevin Bacon (Captain Cade Grant) in fresh roles.

Synopsis of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’

The synopsis reads: “Detective Axel Foley (Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter Jane’s (Taylour Paige) life is threatened, she and Foley team up with a new partner (Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.” (Netflix)

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The Beverly Hills Cop Series

The series includes “Beverly Hills Cop” (1984), “Beverly Hills Cop II” (1987), and “Beverly Hills Cop III” (1994). It’s the film that catapulted Murphy to international fame and remains one of the most popular titles in his filmography.

The film was produced by Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Eddie Murphy Productions.

Check Out the Trailer