Actor Eddie Murphy has plans on reprising his role as Axel Foley for “Beverly Hills Cop 4,” one of the signature performances of his long and storied career, according to a recent interview.
Beverly Hills Cop originally released in 1984, more than 30 years ago, though it was followed by Beverly Hills Cop 2 in 1987 and Beverly Hills Cop 3 in 1994. Though the original is regarded as an action-comedy classic, the sequels received a mixed-to-poor response.
The 58-year-old star is enjoying a career renaissance after remaining largely inactive since 2012. In addition to the Coming to America sequel, he has also signed a deal with Netflix to perform stand-up specials.
Foley was a Detroit police officer, dropped into posh Beverly Hills for a murder investigation. The movie, released in 1984, grossed over $234 million domestically. The smash-hit underscored Murphy’s comedic appeal, as the movie outperformed classics released that year such as “Ghostbusters” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” as well as “The Karate Kid.”
Murphy announced his plans to reprise the role on the eve of the release of “Dolemite is my Name,” a biopic of comedian, blaxploitation artist and musician Rudy Ray Moore.
Murphy remains a powerful box office draw, even as his production has slowed down in recent years. A new generation knows him as the voice of the “Shrek” character, Donkey, but he has mostly worked on smaller projects over the past decade.
