Just in case you were afraid there would be a movie franchise that they would somehow leave alone…let me reassure you that there isn’t. Paramount has given the green light to a fourth installment of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise starring Eddie Murphy in the role that helped make him famous.
According to reports, Murphy is the one who approached the studio about bringing back the character of Axel Foley, no doubt emboldened by the return of characters such as Rambo, Rocky, John McClane, and Indiana Jones.
The current goal is to get the film in production by 2009 with sights set on a summer 2010 release. Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand) is in negotiations to direct.
The first Beverly Hills Cop was released in 1984 and grossed $316 million worldwide (close to $650M in today’s dollars). That film spawned two sequels, the last of which was released in 1994. All together, the three films grossed $712.9 million worldwide.
If this film is released in 2010, it will have been 16 years since the previous film in the franchise. That would be comparable to the 16 years between Rocky movies, 19 years for Indy, 12 years for John McClane, and 20 years for Rambo.
Still, one must ask the question, is there really an audience for this type of movie in this day and age? The last film in the franchise didn’t do nearly as well as the first two did and Eddie Murphy isn’t exactly known for his cutting edge action films these days.
Would you go see a fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie?
You mean there, there were more Beverly Hills cop than the first one?
“Murphy is the one who approached the studio about bringing back the character of Axel Foley, no doubt emboldened by the return of characters such as Rambo, Rocky, John McClane, and Indiana Jones.”
Yeah, that and the fact that he’s probably tired of wearing fat suits in all his recent “films”…
If the fourth BHC is a *good* movie I’d go see it. So not like the Rocky or Rambo sequels, for sure. But if it found that sweet spot where it understood what made the first and second movies click, I’d go hang out with Axel for a couple of hours again.
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I’d consider seeing the 4th, but probably wait for it on DVD. Murphy is one of the great comedic actors of the last 15 years, some movies better than others, but with the write script and Ratner directing, it could be worth seeing.
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How many characters is he going to play in this one?
@Robert, I believe you win the thread.
Richards last blog post..FSW: Rachael Ray, Terrorist!
Hilarious Robert
Would I go see a fourth Beverly Hills Cop? …No.
@ Robert - Good one.
This has been talked about for years…well before the recent slate of high digit sequels. I’d see it - I really like the character Axel Foley.
Per Scotty, I’ll probably wait for the DVD / Blu-ray rather than watch on the ‘big screen’.
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