"I did Beverly Hills Cop instead of...": The $943M Franchise Eddie Murphy Happily Rejected as it "Sounds like a crock"

Eddie Murphy has become a household name in the entertainment world with his acclaimed work as an actor, comedian, writer, and singer. From gaining attention with his Saturday Night Live features in the early 1980s, he ventured into acting, building a great legacy that continues to benefit him. Around the time, he was recognized for his works in 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop. [caption id="attachment_363451" align="aligncenter" width="662"] Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop[/caption] Also Read: “No, I ain’t going”: Eddie Murphy Nearly Boycotted the Oscars, Returned to Make a Prediction That Came Scarily True With Denzel Washington The buddy cop action flick launched a successful franchise that continues to hook the audience but many might be surprised that he turned down, the $943 million Ghostbusters franchise to work as Axel Foley. Eddie Murphy Chose Beverly Hills Cop Over Ghostbusters [caption id="attachment_432051" align="aligncenter" width="662"] Beverly Hills Cop (1984)[/caption] Also Read: Tom Hanks’ Unique Record of Playing 7 Roles in the Same Movie Matches Beverly Hills Cop Star Eddie Murphy Film That Many Fans Forgot In an interview with Parade back in 2021, the comedian was asked about the 80s movie he wished he would have starred in. He replied that Ghostbusters was the one movie that he would have loved to work in. Eddie Murphy shared, “Ghostbusters. I was supposed to be in Ghostbusters. We were doing Trading Places and Dan Aykroyd was like [in a Dan Aykroyd voice], ‘This movie Ghostbusters…’ But then Beverly Hills Cop came along." He added, "I wish I could have been in both, but I did Beverly Hills Cop instead of Ghostbusters.” Dan Aykroyd for the unknown, gained prominence for writing, and starring as Dr. Raymond "Ray" Stantz in the Ghostbusters franchise. Back in a 2003 interview with Extra, Murphy admitted turning down the movie when Aykroyd pitched it to him on the set of their project, Trading Places. The Boomerang actor passed on the project as he recalled stating to his co-star, "I was like, 'This sounds like a crock ... to me.'" Murphy's presence would have surely skyrocketed the success Ghostbusters attained over the years, he did not lose much from passing the offer. Even the writer himself wanted the former in the project. Ghostbusters's Original Cast Included Eddie Murphy [caption id="attachment_255759" align="aligncenter" width="662"] The Ghostbusters[/caption] Also Read: Beverly Hills Cop Reboot: 6 Actors Who Can Replace Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley While the four leads of the 1984 supernatural comedy flick quickly gained attention after the film's success, Aykroyd revealed that the early planning stage was a different cast including Murphy. In one of the episodes of the Netflix series, The Movies That Made Us, screenwriter Dan Aykroyd talked about his initial plans. "I wrote it for Eddie Murphy," he said via Comicbook. "It was me, John Belushi, and Eddie Murphy. We were supposed to be the original Ghostbusters." The role he wanted Murphy to play was Peter Venkman which Bill Murray took on in the franchise. It went on to gain critical acclaim becoming a cultural phenomenon. With a dedicated fandom and the immense success of the 1984 movie, it launched a multi-billion dollar franchise, which is returning next year with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Meanwhile, Murphy's buddy cop franchise is adding another title, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F which is due next year.

“I did Beverly Hills Cop instead of…”: The $943M Franchise Eddie Murphy Happily Rejected as it “Sounds like a crock”

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Written by Priya Sharma