How old was Eddie Murphy when he first starred as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop?’

After being introduced to the Beverly Hills Cop franchise 20 years after it kickstarted, I always remembered the 1984 film for its epic comedy and referred to Eddie Murphy’s choice of adjectives — “mediocre” and “atrocious” — to pinpoint the disappointments that were the sequels.

Blame for the franchise’s half-baked attempts at succeeding also rests on Murphy as he knowingly chose to star in Beverly Hills Cop II (which managed to almost replicate the success of the first part, while repeating its plot) that came out in 1987, and its under-performing third followup in 1994, deliberately shunning his awareness that at the time, the storyline had run its course.

But the first film? That was a boon for the actor back in 1984, and the best creative choice he made despite his young age — it was playing Axel Foley that gave the young comic and SNL alum’s career the kickstart it desperately needed.

Both Eddie Murphy and Axel Foley were 23 when they got their first big break

Yep, the teaser for Beverly Cops Hill: Axel F is finally out. And its rugged, experienced, and yet still-prone-to-kickstart-chaos Axel reminds us of the fact that back in 1984, the fictional fresh-faced Detroit cop and the actor, who was still struggling to make his mark in Hollywood, striving to prove that yes, he was a bankable artist who could carry a project on his able shoulders, were both coincidently 23.

Thanks to Mickey Rourke, Sylvester Stallone, and a long list of other names who said no to the role, the chance to play the bold and brash detective fell in Murphy’s lap, and he wrapped it in his brand of uniqueness and improvised the film’s script with its writers. It was enough to make the character so memorable that even though the next two films were better off being never made, and the TV series of the same name got promptly shelved in 2013, the fan-following for the franchise remained strong. 

In fact, so strong that Beverly Hills Cop 4, which remained in development hell for years for the lack of a better script, is finally going to see the light of day with Murphy back as Axel after 29 long years.

And as far as Murphy’s vote of confidence is concerned, he has ensured Axel F. fans in a chat with People that they have correctly nailed the concept of the sequel this time, even it meant still doing difficult scenes at 62 that his 23-year-old could ace with ease.

“It’s a really physical movie and I had to do some physical stuff…. I like to be on the couch, I don’t like to be jumping over and shooting and running,” he quipped. “And I had to do some jumping and shooting and running. And as a result… at the end of the movie, I had a knee brace and my back is messed up. But the movie is gonna be special.”

With Netflix, instead of Paramount Pictures, running the show this time, will Axel manage to recreate the magic of the first film? Though Murphy’s attempt to revive another franchise — Coming 2 America — doesn’t raise much hope, let’s wait for the film’s streaming debut in mid-2024 before forming any concrete opinions or getting swept up in the four words that have dogged Beverly Hills Cops 4‘s every step.