The Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Trailer Brings Eddie Murphy's Classic Character To Netflix

One cannot understate the impact Martin Brest's crime comedy "Beverly Hills Cop" had on popular culture when it was released in 1984. Between "Cop," the 1983 comedy "Trading Places," and Walter Hill's 1982 buddy film "48 Hrs.," Eddie Murphy was suddenly one of the largest and most striking movie stars in the world. His glib delivery and willingness to be crass rattled cinemas to an astonishing degree, and audiences began flocking to see Murphy in just about anything. Brest's film was made for a mere $13 million and would rack up about $316 million worldwide. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.

In the film, Murphy played Axel Foley, a Detroit-based detective who says he's going on vacation to Beverly Hills, but who is secretly investigating the death of a friend, unbeknownst to his bosses. The film involves a lot of Murphy's bafflement at the posh, unusual, upscale life of Beverly Hills yuppies in the 1980s. His flip attitude and blunt investigation style fluster the L.A.P.D.

The "cop out of water" formula that "Beverly Hills Cop" introduced to the world was adopted and reinterpreted by scads of movies and TV, and "Cop" tropes became ubiquitous and natural within a few years. Indeed, watching the 1984 original in 2023 might make a modern audience member wonder why it's so special, given that there are so many other films like it. Recall that "Beverly Hills Cop" was the first. The film spawned two sequels in 1987 and 1994 — directed by Tony Scott and John Landis respectively — which were also hits. 

In the summer of 2024, a third sequel will see the light of day, thanks to Netflix. The new film is called "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F," and Murphy will return.

Watch the trailer above.

"Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" will mark the second decades-later sequel in Murphy's career after the release of "Coming 2 America" in 2021. Murphy seems to be enjoying a career resurgence after a dip in popularity throughout the 2010s, and he is bringing enthusiasm and energy back to the screen in a big way.

"Axel F" is written by Will Beall, Tom Gormican, and Kevin Etten. Beall is a former L.A.P.D. detective who also penned "Gangster Squad" and received story credit for "Zack Snyder's Justice League." Etten is best known for working on "Scrubs" and "Desperate Housewives," whereas Gormican wrote and directed the Nicolas Cage action-comedy "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent." These disparate writerly sensibilities will be wrangled by director Mark Molloy, who took over the project from Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah when they left to work on "Batgirl."

According to Netflix, the plot of "Axel F" will follow the titular Detroit cop, his daughter (Taylour Paige), and his partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as they investigate a Beverly Hills crime conspiracy after Paige's character is threatened. Their investigation will see Foley re-teaming with Judge Reinhold and John Ashton's characters, who both appeared in the 1984 original. There is no word yet as to whether or not Harold Faltermeyer will return to provide the film's music; Faltermeyer's electronic instrumental "Axel F" was the theme of the 1984 film and peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot will also appear in the film, reprising their roles from the original "Beverly Hills Cop" and its sequels. Kevin Bacon will play a Beverly Hills police captain. 

"Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" arrives on Netflix in summer 2024.