Movies

Beverly Hills Cop 4 with Eddie Murphy heads to Netflix

The long-gestating sequel to the Axel Foley cop chronicles has some new heat.

By

Published on November 14, 2019 10:53AM EST

Detective Axel Foley is ready to ride again.

Beverly Hills Cop 4, the long-gestating sequel to Eddie Murphy‘s cop-comedy movies, has been given new life, thanks to a deal between Paramount and Netflix that gives the streaming company license to develop the film, EW has learned.

Murphy returns as his classic character, a detective policing the streets of Beverly Hills, alongside producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Netflix will work with the duo and Paramount to finance the movie, hire a director, develop scripts, and release the sequel on the streaming platform.

BEVERLY HILLS COP 3, Eddie Murphy, 1994 — Everett Collection

Bob Bakish, Viacom’s president and CEO, confirmed the news on Thursday morning in a Viacom earnings call with press.

Beverly Hills Cop began in 1984 when the original film, directed then by Martin Brest, hit theaters. Tony Scott helmed the 1987 sequel, and John Landis stepped in for the third installment, released in 1994.

A fourth iteration has been talked about for years. At one point, there was chatter of a television series — that also never came to fruition. During the press tour for Dolemite Is My Name, another film Murphy made through Netflix, the actor confirmed to Collider that he was still planning to make Beverly Hills Cop 4 after the Coming to America sequel, the latter being released by Paramount.

As for Netflix and Paramount, the two companies partnered in the past on Cloverfield: God Particle, which was dropped as a surprise release on the streamer the night of Super Bowl 2018. Netflix also took over the international release of the studio’s sci-fi film with Natalie Portman and director Alex Garland, Annihilation.

“It’s great to be in a movie that works and that’s funny,” Murphy previously told EW of his return to the spotlight. “That’s the only reason why I’m making movies. I want to be in one that people like, and it’s been a long time since I’ve had one. [Dolemite] is a well-made movie and it’s f—ing funny — and that’s a good feeling.”

Murphy is also planning a stand-up comedy tour in 2020 and a return to Saturday Night Live as host in season 45.

Deadline was the first to report the news.

Related content: