You thought Hollywood was done with rebooting classic eighties and nineties franchises? Think again, because Eddie Murphy is set to reprise his iconic role as detective Axel Foley in a fourth installment of the series; Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
It’s been 30 years since the last time we saw Murphy on our screens in the role that made him a household name for many. But 30 years is nothing, with much older franchises coming back from the dead in the last few years, including Ghostbusters, Top Gun, and the infamous fifth Indiana Jones film, which somehow managed to make Kingdom of the Crystal Skull look good.
As you’d guess, these reboots can vary a great deal in terms of quality, and whilst the new offering will surely make money from being an established name that people who were alive in the eighties will remember, that doesn’t mean fans of the original BHC films will like it. In fact, it might face more of a challenge to appease the fans, as they’ll be expecting the film to recapture those feelings the first film gave them.
That being said, the teaser trailer released last month promises some slick action and comedy, and it was great to hear that instantly recognizable “Axel F Theme.”
Anyway, it’s no good speculating on the maybes and the what if’s. Let’s look at the things we do know about the upcoming Beverly Hills Cop 4.
Release date
The film is due out this year, whilst there’s no actual date yet, the film is expected to release in the Summer. So anytime between June and August this year barring any unforeseen delays; hopefully we’ll get a more specific date win the coming months.
Cast
Obviously we know Eddie Murphy will be returning to star, but there will be a few familiar faces from the previous films also making appearances including Judge Reinhold and Bronson Pinchot as Sgt. Billy Rosewood and Serge, John Ashton is also returning as John Taggart.
Of course, there are going to be a few new stars joining the franchise including Kevin Bacon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Taylour Paige, who plays Axel’s daughter.
What’s the plot?
The story will follow Axel, who is back on the streets of Beverly Hills after his daughter’s life is threatened. Foley, his daughter, and his new partner (played by Gordon-Levitt) team up with his old pals, (Reinhold and Ashton) in order to turn up the heat on the criminals and uncover a conspiracy.
Where to watch Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
The film is being produced by Netflix, so it will be available to stream exclusively there. However, we could see some limited theater runs, which is what competition like Apple TV and Amazon have done in the past — however, there hasn’t been any confirmation of that, so far.