Netflix has picked up the rights to Beverly Hill Cops 4, with Eddie Murphy attached to star.
Netflix, the home of Murphy’s Oscar-worthy comeback Dolemite Is My Name, will continue in its partnership with the beloved actor and produce the fourth installment of Beverly Hills Cop. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is also returning for the new movie, which will ultimately be released on Netflix.
According to Deadline, Paramount has made a one-time licensing deal with Netflix to produce another Beverly Hills Cop movie, with the option for one additional sequel. The news couldn’t come at a better time for Netflix, as the company’s newest and most substantial rival, Disney+, just launched on Tuesday.
In hindsight, this development makes a good deal of sense. Murphy and Netflix’s relationship has been mutually beneficial so far, with Dolemite Is My Name giving the streamer a crowd-pleasing contender in this year’s awards season. The pair have even been talking about having Murphy record his standup specials for Netflix next year, marking his first time on-stage since the 1980s. What’s unusual about the agreement is that Beverly Hills Cop 4 hasn’t actually been filmed yet. In their previous two deals with Paramount (for The Cloverfield Paradox and international rights to Annihilation), Netflix was getting a finished movie. Their decision to fund the Beverly Hills Cop sequel is a testament to not only their faith in Murphy, but their evolution as a company in general.
After twenty-five years away from the screen, Netflix could be the perfect place for Beverly Hills Cop to make its return. With the latest installments in ’80s-born franchises like Terminator and The Shining struggling at the box office over the past few weeks, some analysts believe the ’80s nostalgia craze is beginning to die down – something that doesn’t bode well for Beverly Hills Cop (which launched in 1984). By going the way of Netflix, there’s less pressure on Beverly Hills Cop 4 to break the box office. Not to mention, those who’re wary about the idea of another adventure with Axel Foley are more likely to give the sequel a look from the comfort of their home, rather than trekking out to watch it in a theater.
We will bring you more details on Beverly Hills Cop 4 as the story develops.
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