When one sees Eddie Murphy, they won’t be amiss to recall the name Axel Foley. The American comedian has made a name for himself starring in the Beverly Hills Cop movies, a franchise that went on to entertain fans for decades.
Even Gen Z knows the legends of Beverly Hills Cop. But for Murphy himself, the name rings both good and bad memories. And well, the idea that he could have worked with Quentin Tarantino on the fabled project.
Eddie Murphy hated Beverly Hills Cop III
It’s been almost 4 decades since the OG Beverly Hills Cop hit the theatres. But Eddie Murphy still can’t do away with the desire to essay the role of the cop. It shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, considering that back in the 80s he owned the role of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop. But the last entry in the trilogy was not up to the mark.
Sharing his disgust with the last entrant in the series, he said,
“The third Beverly Hills Cop was garbage. Those movies, when I travel overseas, people say, ‘Hey, Beverly Hills Cop! Axel Foley!’ They call me that s***. All the movies I’ve done, and they call me that.” (Cheat Sheet)
No wonder he couldn’t get over the idea of giving a proper farewell to the beloved character. And it was in search of his coveted farewell that he almost entered into a partnership with Quentin Tarantino.
How Quentin Tarantino (almost) made a Beverly Hills Cop
Eddie Murphy wanted to work with someone who could take Beverly Hills Cop to the next level. And Quentin Tarantino is a guy who has never shied away from coming with bold experimentations.
Come to think of it, imagine the Beverly Hills Cop as a Tarantino. That is one tasty project. And at one point of time, The Nutty Professor star couldn’t help but dig in to the idea.
Spilling the beans, Murphy said,
“There’s been talk. Nothing solid yet. Quentin is insane but good insane. He came to me with an idea for another Cop, and we’ve been talking about that. If it comes off, great – he’s one crazy guy worth working with.”
The movie sadly didn’t materialize. That doesn’t mean that Axel Foley didn’t get the farewell he deserved.
Eddie Murphy’s long sought adieu to Axel Foley
Eddie Murphy is officially back as everyone’s favorite cop, for one last rodeo (or is it?) in Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, a series that takes a dive back into the life and adventures of the ace cop. The hype for the project is insane. And if it wasn’t, Netflix is leaving no stone unturned to take it up a notch.
Just this week, a comedy featurette featuring our favorite cop and NFL quarterback Jared Goff linking up with each other, with the latter sharing how he learnt a lot from Foley. The movie is the long awaited sequel to the series, and is a result of years of meticulous planning. Murphy would have it no other way, no matter it may have taken him another 40 years.
