Warning: Major spoilers for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F below!
Summary
WhileBeverly Hills Cop 5has yet to be confirmed, the latest sequelBeverly Hills Cop: Axel Fcertainly leaves the door open for it.Eddie Murphy’s dislike of theBeverly Hills Copsequels- made him reluctant to sign on for a fourth Axel Foley adventure. That’s why the fourth outing spent decades in development, with various writers and directors trying to crack a story that would tempt Murphy back.Netflix’sAxel Fgives the character a more emotional arc, as he has to reconnect with his estranged daughter Jane(Taylour Paige) during his latest case.
The cast forBeverly Hills Cop: Axel Fis quite impressive too, featuring a mix of returning characters and newcomers like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon. A lot of nostalgia is ladled on top ofAxel F, though it acknowledges the 30-year gap between installments. Murphy’s title character may still be a renegade, but he knows his time in the force is growing shorter. He also questions if his commitment to the job was worth the price he paid in his personal life.
Axel’s Reunion With Jane Sets Up Further Beverly Hills Cop Adventures
Axel F’s ending gives Foley an open invite to return
Part of the issue with the second and third entries was that they had to contrive reasons for Axel to return to Beverly Hills. This often took the form of a friend being shot or killed, but there are only so many times this plot point can be recycled.Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’sendingfixes that issue for future sequels, given thatAxel reconciles with Jane in the final scene and has an open invitation to return to Beverly Hillsto see her.
Given that the pair haven’t spoken in years, that means they have some lost time to catch up on. It also means Axel doesn’t have to wait around for a friend to die so he has no choice but to go to Beverly Hills. Not only doesBeverly Hills Cop 4’sending give Axel and Jane a nice catharsis, but her job as a criminal defense attorney means she can always call on him if she needs help with a case.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Fco-stars Taylour Paige and Kevin Bacon previously appeared in another revival of a beloved 1980s franchise with 2023’sThe Toxic Avenger.
Beverly Hills Cop 5 Could Deal With Axel’s Retirement
Axel can’t “Shakedown” criminals in Detroit and Beverly Hills forever
Despite appearing ageless, Axel is in his 60s inBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Despite this, he’s still happy to be chasing down criminals and has no desire for a desk job. Regardless,Axel’s boss Jeffrey (Paul Reiser) tells him he can’t patrol the streets forever, and worries that his job is all he has. Jeffrey also retires inAxel F, partly because he wants a quiet life and partly as a sacrifice to spare Axel’s own job.
The logical place for Beverly Hills Cop 5 to go would be exploring Axel’s retirement, and figuring out what his life is without the badge.
Murphy was drawn toAxel Fbecause he felt there was an evolution for his character, who is no longer a 20-something wisecracker. The logical place forBeverly Hills Cop 5to go would be exploring Axel’s retirement, and figuring out what his life is without the badge.Beverly Hills Ex-Cophas a nice ring to itif that’s the direction it goes. This outing could see him having retired/been fired and returning to Beverly Hills to decide on his next chapter; of course, he soon gets mixed up in another case.
A potential fifth film could also resurrect an unused concept forBeverly Hills Cop 3, where Axel travels overseas to London or Japan. This would refresh the saga’s fish-out-of-water premise by dropping him in a place where he’s totally out of his element. It would also just be something new for the series, considering Foley has already taken four trips to Beverly Hills.
Will Beverly Hills Cop 5 Actually Happen?
Eddie Murphy is ready for more Axel adventures
Now thatBeverly Hills Cop: Axel Fhas landed on Netflix, the question now is will another entry happen?Eddie Murphy and producer Jerry Bruckheimer claimBeverly Hills Cop 5is already being developed, though neither offered plot details.Axel Fhas received (broadly) positive reviews, and it’s hard to see it not performing well for the streamer. It’s the return of one of the biggest franchises of the 1980s, with an iconic leading man doing what he does best.
Beverly Hills Cop 5 Gets Exciting Update From Eddie Murphy & Jerry Bruckheimer Ahead Of Axel F Release
Eddie Murphy and Jerry Bruckheimer share an exciting update about the potential Beverly Hills Cop 5 ahead of Axel F’s long-awaited release.
The odds ofBeverly Hills Cop 5happening feel strong, though Murphy himself could be the holdout. It took over two decades for him to approve a story forAxel F, and he’s stated in the past he will no longer make a film in exchange for a big payday. If he doesn’t like any of the concepts pitched, he could just decide to finish on a strong note withBeverly Hills Cop:Axel Fand let the series rest.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Cast
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley is the fourth film in the popular comedy franchise starring Eddie Murphy. Murphy returns as Axel Foley in the Netflix film alongside returning cast members Judge Reinhold and John Ashton and Bronson Pinchot as Serge. Kevin Bacon and Joseph Gordon-Levitt also star in the sequel as new characters.
