Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga isn’t the only ’80s franchise getting a comeback in 2024. Eddie Murphy is set to reprise his role as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop 4, just in time for the 40th anniversary of the original Beverly Hills Cop. And unlike the first three films, the newly retitled Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is skipping theaters entirely.
Going straight-to-streaming for a sequel isn’t a first for Murphy, who did the same thing in 2021 with Prime Video’s Coming 2 America. This time, Netflix is behind Beverly Hill Cop: Axel Foley and the promotional push for the film has already begun. That’s why we’re here to share everything we know about Beverly Hills Cop 4, from the cast and the story to the trailer, the release date for Axel F, and more.
What is Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F about?
Forty years after Axel Foley first came to Beverly Hills to avenge the murder of his friend, he remains a police lieutenant in the Detroit PD. However, Axel’s daughter, Jane Foley (Taylour Paige), lives and works as a criminal defense attorney in Beverly Hills. When Jane’s life is threatened, Axel heads to the West Coast again, regardless of the wishes of the Beverly Hills Police Department. And it won’t be long before Axel feels the heat from both sides of the law as he tries to protect his daughter.
Wasn’t Axel Foley supposed to have a son in the Beverly Hills Cop TV series?
Yes, but since the Beverly Hills Cop TV show never got past the pilot stage, Axel F is ignoring it. Murphy guest starred in the unaired Beverly Hills Cop pilot, which featured Brandon T. Jackson as Axel Foley’s son, Aaron Foley. Barring some surprise cameo from Jackson, it doesn’t appear that Aaron will be a part of the new sequel.
Why does Axel Foley keep coming back to Beverly Hills?
It’s almost always about murder or attempted murder. In the first film, Axel’s friend, Mikey Tandino, was killed in front of him. Because Mikey’s murderers fled to Beverly Hills, Axel defied his superiors and went there to bring them to justice. The only reason that Axel still had a place on Detroit’s police force after the case was closed was because he personally requested a favor from Beverly Hills PD’s Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil.
When Bogomil was shot and nearly killed in Beverly Hills Cop II, Axel came back to the West Coast to handle that situation as well. He even put his career on the line again to help his friends in the Beverly Hills PD solve that case. Beverly Hills Cop III once again featured a murder in Detroit, namely Axel’s superior, Inspector G. Douglas Todd. And when Todd’s killers were traced back to a theme park in Beverly Hills, Axel Foley did what Axel Foley does best: He brought chaos down on everyone around him until the killers were brought to justice.
Who are the cast members in Beverly Hills Cop 4?
Most of the major players from the previous films are back for this sequel, including Axel’s friends and allies, Sergeant John Taggart (John Ashton) and Lieutenant William “Billy” Rosewood (Judge Reinhold). Paul Reiser is also reprising his role as Foley’s Detroit PD partner, Detective Jeffrey Friedman. Even Bronson Pinchot is back as Serge, a role that Pinchot originated in Beverly Hills Cop III.
However, it looks like Axel will have a new partner in the sequel: Detective Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Jane’s ex-boyfriend, and one of the few allies that Axel has left in the Beverly Hills PD. Kevin Bacon also appears as Captain Grant from the Beverly Hills Police Department, and he seems destined to butt heads with Axel throughout the film.
Is there a Beverly Hills Cop 4 trailer?
There is a teaser trailer, which isn’t very long. And it doesn’t include Jane for any extended length of time. That said, it does feature Axel Foley doing what Axel Foley does best: Getting into trouble. There are also a few scenes between Axel and Bobby before Axel’s reunion with Rosewood, and Taggart closes out the preview.
So far, it certainly looks like Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F has a big budget for action sequences, and even the iconic Axel F theme has been remixed for this teaser.
Does Beverly Hills Cop 4 have a release date?
Netflix has not yet set a specific release date for Beverly Hills: Axel F beyond summer 2024. But considering that next year’s theatrical movie lineup has been severely weakened by six months of Hollywood strikes, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F has the potential to keep people at home next summer and let them watch a blockbuster film from the comfort of their own couch.
