Beverly Hills Cop 4: Axel F Cast, Release, Sequel News

John Ashton’s return as Detective John Taggart in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F marks a career-defining reunion after 37 years — and the film delivers the chemistry that made the original franchise a cultural touchstone. Eddie Murphy once again plays Axel Foley, summoned back to Beverly Hills when his estranged daughter Jane finds herself caught in danger.

Release Year: 2024 · Director: Mark Molloy · Lead Actor: Eddie Murphy · Streaming Platform: Netflix · Key Returning Characters: Axel Foley, John Taggart, Billy Rosewood

The table below consolidates key production and release details for quick reference.

Is there Beverly Hills Cop 5?

Eddie Murphy has publicly stated that there are no immediate plans for a Beverly Hills Cop 5. During interviews surrounding the Axel F release, Murphy indicated that he considers the fourth installment a satisfying chapter rather than a launchpad for another sequel in the near term. While streaming viewership data shows the franchise still commands massive audiences — Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F topped Netflix Top 10 with over 22 million views in its second week alone — the actor himself has pumped the brakes on rushing another film into production.

That said, the numbers tell a different story of demand. The film accumulated over 60 million views within its first two weeks on Netflix, more than doubling the view count of the second-place English-language film during the same period. For a franchise that sat dormant for three decades, those metrics are hard to ignore. Industry observers note that Netflix rarely abandons a property performing at those levels, which means a fifth film remains plausible — just not imminent.

Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, reprising their roles as Billy Rosewood and John Taggart respectively, described the on-set experience to Radio Times as “a family reunion” after so many years apart. The emotional weight of those return performances — particularly Taggart’s final appearance — adds a layer of closure that makes studio executives hesitant to jeopardize with a rushed sequel that doesn’t honor the legacy.

Eddie Murphy’s comments on future films

• Murphy has stated in multiple interviews that the immediate future does not include a fifth Beverly Hills Cop installment
• Netflix has not officially confirmed Beverly Hills Cop 5 as an active development project
• Fan response and streaming metrics have renewed industry speculation, but no greenlight exists

Is Beverly Hills Cop 4 the last one?

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F carries the unmistakable weight of finality. John Ashton appears in what became his last film role, and the narrative itself wraps several long-running character arcs with a sense of completeness. Billy Rosewood is retired. Taggart is back but aging. Axel Foley, never one for clean exits, finds himself in circumstances that could plausibly conclude his Beverly Hills adventures for good.

However, no studio or streaming announcement has officially designated Axel F as the franchise’s final chapter. Netflix has remained silent on whether the door remains open for another sequel. The production history — a 37-year gap between Taggart’s last appearance and this film — suggests the franchise is comfortable with long dormant periods when the right creative opportunity arises.

Signs of potential sequels

• Netflix’s streaming metrics show Axel F outperformed all competing English-language films post-release
• The franchise name carries strong brand recognition across multiple decades of audiences
• New characters introduced — Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Detective Bobby Abbott and Kevin Bacon’s Captain Cade Grant — create narrative scaffolding for future stories
• No contractual confirmation exists that this film closes the series permanently

The implication: Finality is emotional, not contractual. Netflix will likely monitor performance metrics through the end of 2024 before making any franchise decisions — and John Ashton’s passing removes one key casting obstacle that may have complicated future plans.

Do you need to watch Beverly Hills Cop 3 before 4?

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is designed as a standalone entry. The film operates as a direct sequel to Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), largely ignoring the poorly-received third installment from 1994. This creative choice means the filmmakers assume most viewers haven’t seen the previous films in decades — if ever. The story introduces new characters and fresh stakes while providing just enough context for returning fans to feel the nostalgia.

The plot centers on Axel’s estranged daughter Jane Saunders, a criminal defense lawyer whose life becomes threatened, drawing Axel back to Beverly Hills after a phone call from an old friend. This setup works independently of any prior film’s events. New viewers won’t need to know why Taggart was absent in the third film or how the original dynamics were established — the film fills in what matters.

Viewing order recommendations

• Watch Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) for maximum emotional payoff — both establish the Taggart-Rosewood-Foley triangle that anchors Axel F
• Skipping Beverly Hills Cop III is actually the recommended approach; the third film is rarely referenced and was not a critical success
• For context on Taggart’s return specifically, II is the essential viewing — it’s where the John Ashton character was most fully developed

The pattern: The franchise treats itself as a trilogy that paused, not a four-film series. Axel F respects the legacy without requiring a homework assignment.

Why did Taggart not do Beverly Hills Cop 3?

John Ashton did not appear in Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), and for decades, the reasons remained largely private. What is known is that the third film pivoted to a different setting — a theme park called Wonderland — and altered the ensemble cast significantly. Taggart’s absence was one of several creative choices that alienated long-time franchise fans.

Ashton himself was pragmatic about the gap. In later interviews, he acknowledged that Hollywood’s casting decisions often operate independently of an actor’s preferences or availability. The third film’s direction simply didn’t require Taggart’s character — and by the time production wrapped, Ashton had moved on to other projects without lingering resentment toward the franchise.

When the opportunity arose for Axel F, Ashton returned without hesitation. Working alongside Judge Reinhold after 37 years, the two actors described the experience to Radio Times as emotionally significant — a genuine reunion rather than a contractual obligation. Ashton passed away before the film’s release, making his return the closing chapter of a career-defining association.

John Ashton’s absence explained

• Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) shifted settings to a theme park environment, reducing the need for the Detroit-to-Beverly-Hills dynamic that Taggart anchored
• Creative restructuring under new director John Landis left several original cast members off the call sheet
• Ashton continued working throughout the 1990s and 2000s in television and independent film without hard feelings toward the franchise
• His return for Axel F came after direct outreach from producers who recognized the emotional importance of the original ensemble

The catch: The third film’s missteps inadvertently made Taggart’s return more meaningful. Had III been a success, Ashton might never have been invited back for a fourth film that honored the original formula.

Who turned down the role of Axel Foley?

Before Eddie Murphy became synonymous with Axel Foley, other names were considered for the role. The most documented near-miss involves Sylvester Stallone, who reportedly passed on the part that would have altered the trajectory of both the actor’s career and the action-comedy genre itself. Stallone was coming off Rocky success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, placing him in a different action-comedy lane than the comedic timing Murphy would later define.

The story of who almost played Axel Foley speaks to how differently the franchise could have developed. Had Stallone accepted, the character would likely have been a harder-edged action lead, not the street-smart wiseacre who talks his way through obstacles. The comedic tone that defined the series was inseparable from Murphy’s specific talents.

Beyond Stallone, industry lore suggests other names circulated during early development — none of which achieved public documentation comparable to the Stallone near-miss. The casting process ultimately arrived at an actor whose instincts made the character iconic rather than interchangeable.

Sylvester Stallone’s decision

• Sylvester Stallone reportedly declined the Axel Foley role before Eddie Murphy was cast
• The decision placed Murphy on a career trajectory that defined the buddy-cop comedy subgenre
• Stallone’s action credentials at the time pointed toward a harder-edged interpretation of the material
• Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Martin Brest ultimately found the right fit in Murphy

The trade-off: Hollywood’s near-miss with Stallone proves the franchise worked because of Murphy, not in spite of him. Every action-comedy since has borrowed from the template that worked precisely because of that specific casting decision.

Franchise Timeline

Below is a condensed chronology of the franchise’s major milestones, from original release through the Axel F revival.

• 1984: Beverly Hills Cop original release
• Beverly Hills Cop III era: Taggart absent from third installment
• November 2019: Netflix acquires distribution rights
• August 29, 2022: Filming begins
• August 2022: Filming wraps
• March–July 2024: Post-production completed
• July 3, 2024: Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Netflix release

The pattern: Thirty-five years of silence, then a rapid two-year production cycle from acquisition to release. Netflix moved faster than the theatrical model ever could have.

What the Reviews Say

“Film received mixed reviews but deemed a return to form for the series.” — Wikipedia (editorial synthesis from multiple critics)

“Axel Foley returns to Beverly Hills once more after receiving a phone call from an old friend warning that his estranged daughter Jane might be in danger.” — What’s on Netflix (official synopsis)

“It felt like ‘a family reunion’ to be back for the new film after so many years.” — Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, Radio Times

The verdict: Critics found the film uneven but acknowledged its franchise-restoring qualities. For audiences, the emotional weight of Taggart’s final performance and the nostalgia factor outweighed whatever structural flaws the narrative carried.

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