Eddie Murphy Reunites With Four Original Cast Members For 'Beverly Hills Cop 4'
By Jeffrey Harris on September 22, 2022 at 5:00 AM EDT
Four of the cast members from the original "Beverly Hills Cop" are set to reprise their roles for the currently untitled fourth installment in the film franchise. Eddie Murphy is back as Axel Foley for the action-comedy sequel, which is currently filming in Los Angeles.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the upcoming sequel will reunite Murphy with original cast members Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood, John Ashton as Sgt. Taggart, Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Freidman, and Bronson Pinchot as Serge. Other than Murphy, Reinhold is the only other actor who has appeared with Murphy in all three previous films.
Original 'Beverly Hills Cop' Cast Members Returning For Sequel
Ashton appeared as Sgt. Taggart opposite Murphy in the original "Beverly Hills Cop" in 1984 and the 1987 sequel, "Beverly Hills Cop II." Meanwhile, comedian Pinchot ("Perfect Strangers") appeared as Serge in the original film and then again later in "Beverly Hills Cop III" released later in 1994.
Reiser ("Mad About You," "The Boys") appeared as Axel's friend in the Detroit Police Department, Jeffrey Freidman. The character appeared in the original two films released in the 1980s.
Filming on the sequel has already begun in California, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Taylour Paige also star in the film along with Murphy, who returns to his iconic role of Axel Foley for the fourth time. Story details on the project are currently being held heavily under wraps.
In "Beverly Hills Cop III," it was mentioned that Ashton's Taggart had retired from the Beverly Hills Police Department. However, Hector Elizondo played a similar role and foil to Axel Foley named Jon Flint. So, it will be interesting to see how Taggart comes back into the fold for the sequel. At the very least, this puts the original trio of Murphy, Reinhold, and Ashton back together.
The Long Road To The Return Of Axel Foley
A follow-up for the "Beverly Hills Cop" film franchise has been in the works for years. The last installment, "Beverly Hills Cop III," was released 28 years ago in 1994. The film was a box office flop at the time, grossing only $41.5 million off of a $50 million budget. It was a significant drop from what "Beverly Hills Cop II" had made in 1987 with $235 million.
The franchise was nearly revived about a decade ago when CBS ordered a pilot for a potential "Beverly Hills Cop" television sequel, starring Brandon T. Jackson as the son of Axel Foley, with Murphy returning in a cameo role. While the pilot was produced, Deadline reports that CBS ultimately passed on taking it to series in May 2013.
Mark Molloy directs the currently untitled sequel from a script by Will Beall. Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the original franchise, is back as a producer for the sequel, along with Chad Oman and Melissa Reid for their Jerry Bruckheimer Films banner. Murphy, Charisse Hewitt-Webster, and Ray Angelic are executive producing the project.
THR notes that the sequel is part of a one-time licensing deal between Paramount Pictures and Netflix. The sequel will debut later on the streaming service. It does not yet have an official release date.
