Photo: Paramount Pictures

Chris Luckett

While Beverly Hills Cop 4 has always been more of a likelihood than long-gestating sequels like Beetlejuice 2 or Clerks III, it’s seemed lately like Axel Foley’s last adventure would remain 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III.

The sequel took a huge step forward yesterday when Paramount announced Belgian directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (2014’s Image, 2015’s Black) will be helming the fourquel, with Eddie Murphy returning.

Beverly Hills Cop 4 has been in development for twenty years, originally at the now-defunct Eddie Murphy Productions. In 2008, Brett Ratner signed on to direct the film, but left after script issues. Two years ago, an official release date of March 25, 2016 was announced, but the project was pulled from Paramount’s schedule last year, again due to script concerns.

Many plots that have been attached to Beverly Hills Cop 4 over the years, from Foley solving the murder of Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) to Foley dealing with the worst blizzard in Detroit history. All that’s known about the current script’s story, from writers Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec, is that the Foley will be returning to Detroit.

The first Beverly Hills Cop spent 14 consecutive weeks at #1 at the box office, ultimately becoming the highest-grossing film of 1984 and scoring an Oscar nomination for its screenplay. Two poorly received sequels followed, in 1987 and 1994.

Paramount hopes to begin production of Beverly Hills Cop 4 by the end of the year or early 2017.

(Source: Deadline)