Throughout the course of his decades-spanning career, Eddie Murphy has headlined massive movies, to say the least. From 48 Hrs. and Trading Places to Shrek and Dreamgirls, Murphy truly has some impressive credits in his filmography. What’s even wilder is that had circumstances worked out in different ways, the Oscar nominee could’ve had even more marquee titles under his belt. Among the projects that got away is Ghostbusters and, while it stinks that Murphy couldn’t be involved, I understand why he passed on the project.

Eddie Murphy was in rarified air in the ‘80s, at which point he rose to prominence as a bonafide movie star. So, at the time, he was in a position in which he was not only offered a plethora of projects, but he also had the ability to turn them down if he so chose. During an interview with the Associated Press – which was shared to Instagram – Murphy recalled passing up Ghostbusters. Murphy also name-dropped a beloved ‘80s fantasy flick and a great ‘90s buddy comedy while talking about missed opportunities:

While speaking with the AP, Murphy admitted that he regretted not being a part of those movies, because they were “huge, giant hits.” He’s not wrong there, as all three films have powerful positions within pop culture. An interesting BTS Who Framed Roger Rabbit fact is that it nearly landed Murphy in the role of Eddie Valiant. But, as Murphy noted in this recent interview, he thought the concept was “ridiculous” until he saw the movie. Because of that, he now feels like an “idiot” for turning it down. He didn’t give a reason for passing on Rush Hour, but that flick still stands as one of the best buddy cop films of all time.

The Ghostbusters movies may vary in quality, but that first installment from Ivan Reitman – which was released in 1984 – is still perfect. Based on past interviews, that film’s co-writer and co-lead, Dan Aykroyd, apparently wrote the role of Winston Zeddemore with Eddie Murphy in mind after they worked together on Trading Places. Some may wonder why Murphy opted not to participate and, as it so happens, he had to choose between that and another little movie:

Honestly, I have to agree with the Bowfinger star on that front, as I think he made the right choice. Initially a Sylvester Stallone vehicle, Beverly Hills Cop was a box office hit, and it turned Murphy into a true star. Not only that, but the film launched a film series, of which the latest installment, Axel F, was just released in 2024. All of that information – paired with the fact that Ernie Hudson ultimately gave a winning performance as Winston – is why I think everything, in hindsight, turned out for the best.

Still, it’s hard not to wonder what a Ghostbusters with Murphy would’ve looked like. The thought of the witty actor wielding a proton pack and taking on supernatural forces is just too cool (and funny) not to consider. Alas, it simply wasn’t meant to be and, ultimately, there’s no use crying over spilled milk… or slime in this case.

Anyone who wants to hear more of Eddie Murphy’s candid reflections should check out his new documentary, Being Eddie, which was just released amid the 2025 movie schedule. That introspective film is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

When it comes to the best Eddie Murphy movies, I wouldn’t criticize anyone who has a hard time picking their favorites. That includes the man who actually starred in the movie themselves. Murphy has amassed a vast body of work that includes films that span various genres. With that, the iconic entertainer was recently asked what four titles make up the “Mount Rushmore” of his movies. I think all of the titles Murphy named for that distinction are solid, but I honestly wasn’t expecting him to leave out one of his most popular flicks.

Eddie Murphy Picks Out The Four Movies That Best Sum Up His Career

Making this figurative “Murphy Monument” definitely isn’t an easy task, as evidenced by the star’s own difficulty laying out four titles during his interview on Complex’s 360 With Speedy. As a fan of Murphy myself, I found it really interesting seeing him somewhat struggle with putting together his Top 4. However, the Delirious performer was ultimately able to nail down his list, after making a quick switch. Check out the list below to see the four feature films Murphy ultimately chose to best represent his filmography:

• The Nutty Professor
• Shrek
• Coming to America
• Dreamgirls

Believe it or not, Dreamgirls almost didn’t make the cut. During the interview, which is on YouTube, Eddie Murphy decided to swap that one into the mix and take out 48 Hrs. As for why he made that change, Murphy provided the following explanation:

All in all, what we have here is a relatively varied lineup of Murphy-led flicks. Each one does represent a different facet of his repertoire. For instance, The Nutty Professor is a testament to the actor’s ability to mix comedy and drama, and Murphy has been saying for a while that he thinks the film includes his best performance as an actor. Shrek is also an excellent showcase of Murphy’s voice-acting abilities. Still, there’s one other title that I truly thought the Oscar nominee would’ve included.

Which Movie Was I Expecting (And Hoping) Eddie Murphy Would Add To His Top 4?

There are definitely plenty of films that could’ve landed that coveted fourth spot within the “Murphy Mount Rushmore.” However, there’s one specific movie that I initially thought would be an absolute shoo-in: Beverly Hills Cop (which Sylvester Stallone was originally going to lead). Martin Brest’s 1984 comedy sees Murphy take on the role of young Detroit cop Axel Foley, who travels to Beverly Hills in the hopes of finding his friend’s killer. The film not only bolstered the buddy cop genre as a whole and spawned a franchise, but it also arguably cemented Murphy’s status as a bonafide movie star.

Beverly Hills Cop is filled to the brim with funny scenes, from Axel’s hotel check-in to the wise-cracking policeman’s “super cops” speech. Eddie Murphy’s performance exudes an exuberance and charm that I’d argue even gives shades of Bugs Bunny in the best ways possible. All in all, the beloved action movie perfectly exemplifies Murphy’s comedic talents and, while I respect it not being in the actor’s Top 4, it’s still a somewhat tough pill for me to swallow.

I won’t get too dramatic, though, as BHC (which is available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription) definitely gets its flowers. While I’ve yet to plot out my own Murphy Mount Rushmore entirely, you better believe Axel Foley’s cinematic debut is on it. As fans think about their own lineups, they can also stream Murphy’s 2025 movie release, The Pickup, which is streamable with a Prime Video subscription.

The 1980s were the peak of movie soundtracks. It seemed like every single movie included a banger that became a hit on the pop charts. Sometimes, the biggest hits from those movies overshadow other great tunes. This list is all about those songs that we don't play as much, but we should. Songs from movies like Rocky IV that aren't by James Brown, or from The Lost Boys that don't involve shirtless saxophone players. Fire up your streaming service and start listening!

"Heavy Metal - Take A Ride" - Heavy Metal

The cult animated hit Heavy Metal has a bunch of great tunes in it. Sammy Hagar, Blue Öyster Cult, Devo, and others all have great tunes. One of the best, if not the best, is "Heavy Metal - Take A Ride" by former Eagles guitarist Don Felder. Felder never got the appreciation he deserved as a songwriter in the Eagles, and he shows why he should have with this classic.

"A Hazy Shade Of Winter" - Less Than Zero

The Bangles' cover of the Simon & Garfunkel classic folk tune "A Hazy Shade Of Winter" takes on a real 1980s urgency in Less Than Zero. It is a completely transformed tune that fits the vibe of the movie exceptionally well. It's a movie about yuppie excesses, and the driving beat The Bangles achieved is pitch-perfect.

"Ghostbusters" - Ghostbusters 2

Everyone remembers Ray Parker's "Ghostbusters" from the first Ghostbusters movie, but far fewer people know the song by the same name by Run DMC from the sequel. I dare say it's an even better song (though that's not taking away from Parker's classic). Of course, it borrows heavily from the original, lyrically and musically.

"You're The Best" - The Karate Kid

There is no question that the biggest and most enduring hit from The Karate Kid is "Cruel Summer" by Bananarama. There is another banger on the sountrack though, "You're The Best" by Joe "Bean" Joe "Bean" Esposito. I'll bet you're humming it right now, but when was the last time you listened?

"To Live And Die In L.A." - To Live And Die In L.A.

To Live And Die In L.A. is a mostly forgotten movie from the '80s, and Wang Chung isn't nearly as remembered as they should be either. "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" is great and all, but their theme song, "To Live And Die In L.A.," is just as good.

"Love on a Real Train" - Risky Business

German electronic pioneers Tangerine Dream were all over the soundtracks of '80s movies. One of their best soundtracks was the one they wrote for Risky Business. Everyone remembers Bob Seger blasting as Tom Cruise danced in his tighty whities, but fewer remember the trippy electro soundtrack by Tangerine Dream, especially the song played during the train sequence.

"Burning Heart" - Rocky IV

Every 4th of July, James Brown's "Living In America" from Rocky IV can be heard coming from backyards across the country. There is another song from the movie, played during the epic training montage in Siberia, called "Burning Heart" by Survivor. Survivor, of course, is most remembered for another movie in the Rocky franchise, "Eye of the Tiger" from Rocky III.

"Shakedown" - Beverly Hills Cop II

The first Beverly Hills Cop is a movie with some amazing music moments. The sequel, which is just as funny, doesn't have as good of a soundtrack, with the exception of Bob Seger's "Shakedown." It matches anything from the first movie, for sure. It was even nominated for an Oscar.

"Restless Heart" - The Running Man

John Parr had one of the biggest hits of the '80s with the theme to St. Elmo's Fire, but that wasn't the only banger he wrote for a movie. "Restless Heart" from The Running Man proved even '80s movies about dystopian futures could produce hit songs that ooze 1980s." You might not remember it from the movie, but it's classic '80s cheese, in the best way.

"One Foot In Front Of The Other" - Revenge Of The Nerds

There aren't any hits in Revenge of the Nerds, but there are some really memorable tunes. One of those, the best one, is "One Foot In Front Of The Other" by the band Bone Symphony, who really only had this one song. The movie may have been "canceled" (for good reason), but the song lives on!

"Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" - Pretty In Pink

The Smiths are one of the most revered bands of the 1980s. They are probably more popular today than they were even at their peak. Like so many other great wave bands, they are featured in a great John Hughes movie, Pretty In Pink, with their song "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want." It's not the biggest hit from the movie, but it's a total '80s classic.

"For Your Eyes Only" - For Your Eyes Only

Of all the many theme songs from James Bond movies, this song from the Roger Moore era is often forgotten. "For Your Eyes Only," from the movie of the same name, performed by Sheena Easton, is one of the mellower tunes in Bond history, and it's sneaky great.

"You Can Leave Your Hat On" - 9 1/2 Weeks

9 1/2 Weeks was a cultural phenomenon when it was released in 1986. It featured a legendary soundtrack, and, in my opinion, the best song on it is "You Can Leave Your Hat On," performed by Joe Cocker. The song was written by the great Randy Newman (of "You Got A Friend In Me" fame) and appears in one of the most memorable scenes in the steamy movie.

"Cry Little Sister" - The Lost Boys

Everyone remembers the sweaty, shirtless saxophone player in The Lost Boys who still believes (Tim Cappello), but do you remember "Cry Little Sister" by Gerard McMahon? It's a banger too. Frankly, it's a little better than "I Still Believe," but not nearly as remembered, for obvious reasons.

"We Are Not Alone" - The Breakfast Club

Simple Minds had a huge, worldwide hit with "Don't You (Forget About Me)" from The Breakfast Club soundtrack. It's a song that has remained beloved, especially by Gen X, ever since. Karla Devito had another song on the soundtrack, featured in the scene with Emilio Estevez dancing around the library, called "We Are Not Alone" that also deserves some love from Gen X.

"Playing With The Boys" - Top Gun

Okay, we admit this one might be a stretch, because the entire soundtrack to Top Gun is pretty well loved by millions. Still, "Playing With The Boys" by Kenny Loggins is far less remembered than his other song on the album, "Danger Zone," or the love theme from the movie, "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin. Everyone remembers the volleyball scene, but it's not because of the music,

"Cat People" - Cat People

Cat People is a wild movie, with a wild soundtrack by the legendary Giorgio Moroder. The theme song was co-written by Moroder and the equally legendary David Bowie, who also sang it. Is it the best Bowie tune ever? Well, no, but come on! It's Bowie and Moroder together! That alone is reason to still be talking about this song today.

"All She Wants To Do Is Dance" - Real Genius

This one is a little bit of a fudge, as "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" was pretty much simultaneously released as a single by Don Henley and appeared in the soundtrack to Real Genius. It's not the most talked-about song in the movie, however, so in that respect, it'll stay on the list. Everyone remembers the popcorn scene in Real Genius and the Tears for Fears song that follows it ("Everybody Wants To Rule The World"), but fewer remember this Henley hit playing during the party scene in the school lecture hall.

"Stir It Up" - Beverly Hills Cop

Beverly Hills Cop has a banging soundtrack featuring The Pointer Sisters, Glenn Frey, Rick James, and, of course, composer Harold Faltermeyer with his "Axel F." Patti LaBelle has two songs that are less remembered, and of the two, "Stir It Up" is my favorite.

"Glory Of Love" - The Karate Kid Part II

I'll admit it, I randomly heard this song recently, and it inspired this whole list. The "Glory Of Love" was a giant hit for Peter Cetera when it was released in 1986 on The Karate Kid Part II soundtrack. It hit #1 on the Billboard charts, and it was nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars. So why isn't it as remember today? It's a mystery to me.

"Eighties" - Weird Science

John Hughes had a knack for including some really great up-and-coming bands on his soundtracks, and Killing Joke, with their song "Eighties," is a perfect example. It was right as the band was breaking big, and the song, though less remembered than Oingo Boingo's theme song from Weird Science, is excellent.

"Mr. Night" - Caddyshack

There's a reason Kenny Loggins is so beloved for his soundtracks in the '80s. One of his biggest hits, "I'm Alright," comes from the Caddyshack soundtrack. It's not the only song he has on the album, though. He has a total of four tracks in the movie, and the best, including "I'm Alright," is "Mr. Night," which can be heard when the caddies hit the pool.

"Oh I Love You So" - Cocktail

The Cocktail soundtrack was one of the best-selling albums of 1988, with almost 6 million in sales, and it reached the top ten on the charts of multiple countries. It was anchored with the late-era Beach Boys hit "Kokomo" and Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy," but it also features a lilting little ditty called "Oh I Love So" by Preston Smith, and it's just as fun as those two other tunes.

"Somebody's Baby" - Fast Times At Ridgemont High

If you ask someone to name one song from Fast Times At Ridgemont High, the odds are almost all of them will say "Moving In Stereo" by The Cars. Maybe a few people mention "Goodbye, Goodbye" by Oingo Boingo. Fewer people will say "Somebody's Baby" by Jackson Browne, which seems to be a forgotten classic for many people.

"Bring On The Dancing Horses" - Pretty In Pink

It's hardly a surprise to see John Hughes movies on this list, as he really put together some great soundtracks. Pretty In Pink is a perfect example, as it produced the hits like "If You Leave" for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and a re-recorded version of the song the movie was named after, "Pretty In Pink" by The Psychedelic Furs. It also produced a minor his for Echo & The Bunnymen, "Bring On The Dancing Horses."

"Helplessly In Love" - Dragnet

If you wonder why people want to see Tom Hanks go back to pure comedies, check out Dragnet. It's not the best movie in his filmography, but he is really funny in it. It also features a great, forgotten song, "Helplessly In Love" by New Edition.

"Unbelievable" - Night Of The Comet

Night Of The Comet is an '80s cable classic. No one saw it in theaters, but everyone saw it on TV in the months following its release. It's a cheesy movie that has become a minor cult classic in the four decades since its release. "Unbelievable" by the short-lived and obscure band Revolver shares that '80s cheese DNA in all the best ways.

"After All" - Chances Are

What happens when you team up the great Peter Cetera with the legendary Cher? The love theme from the forgotten Robert Downey, Jr. movie Chances Are. The song, "After All," was good enough to be nominated for an Oscar, but you never see it on any playlists from the '80s, and it should be!

"Thunder In Your Heart" - Rad

Anyone who grew up in the 1980s dreamed about riding a BMX like the characters in Rad. That also meant bouncing on one tire to the tune of "Thunder In Your Heart" by John Farnham.

"Far From Over" - Staying Alive

The soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever is one of the best-selling albums of all time and is one of the most beloved of all time. It was a cultural bombshell in the '70s, along with the film that made John Travolta a movie star. The sequel, Staying Alive, was pretty much the opposite of Saturday Night Fever in every way, especially the soundtrack. However, "Far From Over" by Frank Stallone, whose brother Sylvester directed the movie, is a certified banger.

"Cheer Down" - Lethal Weapon 2

It's pretty astounding that a song by a former Beatle, in a movie as popular as Lethal Weapon, wouldn't be a more remembered hit, but here we are. The crying guitar in "Cheer Down" can only be one guitar player, the legendary George Harrison. The song is pure Harrison and should be as appreciated as his bigger hits.

"Nobody's Fool" - Caddyshack II

Kenny Loggins' songs on the Caddyshack soundtrack are beloved, but don't discount his banger from the Caddyshack II soundtrack, "Nobody's Fool." It's by far the best part of the sequel.

No one really scrolls the channels looking for something to watch anymore, there are too many great streaming services and other ways to call up your entertainment on demand. Back in the late 20th Century, however, that was the only option, and so, as you flipped endlessly from channel to channel, you could only hope to come across a classic "remote dropper." One of those movies, like The Big Lebowski or The Hunt For Red October, that never gets old is a remote dropper, and those are what this list is all about. The moment you hit on a movie you love, and drop the remote for the next couple of hours.

Die Hard

Die Hard may ultimate Christmas movie to some, but it is always a must-watch, no matter what season it is. There are so many amazing moments in the movie, no matter where it is in the plot, you just have to stop and watch until the end when Al becomes the hero he deserves to be.

GoodFellas

Martin Scorsese's classic Goodfellas is one of those movies where the great performances and amazing dialogue just get better with time. It's a movie that has aged incredibly well, and really, do we need to explain why so many people call this the perfect gangster movie?

Friday

Speaking from experience, I can tell you, if you went to college in the '90s, Friday was part of a regular rotation of movies that were watched over and over and over again. It really introduced Chris Tucker to the world, and it's filled with so many quotable lines from Tucker and the others that my friends and I could basically recite the entire movie. There's a good reason that it is so meme'd today.

Ocean's Eleven

The incredible cast, headlined by George Clooney and Brad Pitt, is so utterly charming in Ocean's Eleven that it's impossible to pass up when it's on. Every viewing will give you a new favorite moment or favorite line. The pace of the movie is perfect as you speed along to the fantastic conclusion. It's a classic heist movie, among the best the genre has ever produced.

Anchorman

Talk about a movie with an endless amount of quotable lines. There aren't many movies out there that have as many as Anchorman. It's ridiculous and hilarious. The comedy is Will Ferrell at his zenith, in my opinion. He's always funny, but Ron Burgundy is his funniest character ever. Including Buddy the Elf.

The Godfather And The Godfather Part II

There is a reason The Godfather and its first sequel are so often ranked as among the finest films ever made. The dense, complex movies are still incredibly watchable. That is a hard combo to pull of, but that's what makes the Francis Ford Coppola's movies so freaking great. They have everything anyone could ever want in a movie. Watching them back to back is a perfect way to spend a rainy day.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High

With an incredible cast of future stars, Fast Times at Ridgemont High will never not be a classic. Some of the jokes have aged poorly, to be sure, but for anyone who grew up with the movie on cable all the time, it will always be a favorite.

Dredd

If you haven't watched Dredd in a while, you should. The Alex Garland-penned superhero based on the classic comic series is an amazing improvement over the first attempt to adapt Judge Dredd by Sly Stallone in the '90s. Whenever I want to watch a movie and can't decide what to watch, there is a good chance I'll fall back on this, since it never gets boring or old.

Malcolm X

I'm a sucker for a great historical biopic and Spike Lee's Malcolm X is truly one of the best. It's also my favorite performance by Denzel Washington, and that is really saying something. Based on Alex Haley's The Autobiography Of Malcolm X, Lee adaptation is fantastic from start to finish.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

I mean, come on, how could Raiders not be on this list? The Steven Spielberg classic is one of the most fun movies ever made. It's quippy and exciting, and it's exactly the kind of movie that everyone loves to watch. And we all know it so well, you can still get distracted by your phone and not worry about missing any important plot points that you don't already know by heart.

Network

It's almost scary just how relevant a movie like Network, which was released in 1976, is today. Ned Beatty's speech about corporations running the country is so prescient it's crazy. The rest of the movie is just as good.

The Hunt For Red October

This, to me, is the ultimate remote-dropper. It's the movie that inspired this list. It's such a well-made movie, from start to finish, that it just never, ever gets old. The Hunt For Red October is a near-perfect movie in my opinion, and it's easily one of the best movies of the 1990s. Sure, Sean Connery's lack of an accent is a little weird, but he's so great otherwise, it's easy to overlook. Alec Baldwin was born to play Jack Ryan, and I wish we'd gotten more movies with him in the role.

The Big Lebowski

There are many people who, when asked what their favorite movie of all time is, will answer with The Big Lebowski. It's the ultimate shaggy dog story with a cool macguffin (The Dude's rug), and some of the best dialogue ever put on film, courtesy of the Coen Brothers. All the Dude wanted was his rug back, and instead, we got one of the best movies ever.

The Dark Knight

Whenever a director as talented as Christopher Nolan takes on a superhero movie, sign me up. Ultimately, though, it's not Nolan's awesome direction that brings me back again and again; it's Heath Ledger's legendary performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight. It has redefined how the classic character has been portrayed ever since.

The Princess Bride

From the time you're a kid, well into adulthood, The Princess Bride is part of your life. It changes with perspective as you age, but it's always fantastic. The story is so timeless, and the performances are so good, it just never gets old. It would be inconceivable to me to keep scrolling when I see it on TV.

Dazed And Confused

Alright, alright, alright. You knew this one had to be here. The ultimate coming-of-age high school party movie that somehow avoids so many of the tropes of the genre that other movies like it fall into. It helps to have actors like Matthew McCoughnehey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Cole Hauser, and so many more to anchor the movie.

Sicario

I was entranced the first time I saw Sicario. The gripping movie is intense, but incredibly watchable. The performances from Emily Blunt and Josh Brolin are great, but it's Benicio Del Toro who really steals the show as a man on a psychotic mission to avenge his family.

Casablanca

Casablanca is quite possibly the most quoted movie of all time. The first time you see it, it almost feels like a parody of classic cinema because so many iconic lines originated here. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are incredible, and the movie has it all, from daring escapes to classic romance to even some wonderful humor. Yeah, it's a misquote, but I'll always "Play it again, Sam."

Apocalypse Now

The opening scene of Apocalypse Now, with the trees exploding and The Doors playing over the sound of a helicopter is one of the most engaging opening scenes in any movie, ever. The movie never lets up from there (unless you're watching the "Redux" version, which I don't recommend). Screenwriter John Milius manages to cram a war movie with so many classic quotes, it's a movie you can recite over and over when you watch.

New Jack City

If we're honest, New Jack City is a bit dated these days, but in its time, it was one of the most rewatchable movies of the era. The Crack Epidemic was very real, and no movie showed it quite like this Wesley Snipes-led classic. Plus, Chris Rock, who was just 19 years old at the time, puts in one of his best acting performances of all time.

Tombstone

Could Tombstone be the most quotable movie ever? It is certainly one of the best Westerns ever. That's before we even get into all the amazing facial hair in the movie. The whole cast is amazing, especially Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday, and that will always make the movie rewatchable.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

This one is personal. I love some Quentin Tarantino movies, and I honestly hate other ones. I suppose that's the mark of a great artist. His vision isn't always going to line up with everyone else's idea of greatness. Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a truly great one, though. There are so many fun moments, great lines, and superb performances that it's easy to watch again and again.

Friends With Benefits

Rom Coms are always great movies to have on in the background as you do your daily chores, and my favorite for that is Friends with Benefits. Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake have great chemistry, and, honestly, Woody Harrelson's performance is my favorite part of the movie. He's just hilarious.

Iron Man

In a way, Iron Man is on this list to represent the entire MCU. It set such a fantastic example for next three dozen movies that it's hard to imagine any other movie launching the most successful franchise of all time. And it's maybe the most rewatchable of all them.

Beverly Hills Cop

In the 1980s, there was no one funnier than Eddie Murphy, and the peak of that came in Beverly Hills Cop. It's the perfect movie for Murphy's irreverent, foul-mouthed humor, and every single joke in the movie lands perfectly. It also has a great plot that allows for more than just Murphy delivering those jokes.

The Game

Director David Fincher has a slew of movies that could be on this list, like Seven and Fight Club, and even The Social Network, but for me, the one I love the most is The Game. It's a movie I knew nothing about when I first saw it and it blew my mind. I've revisited it many, many times over the years since.

Jurassic Park

The summer of 1993 will forever be known as the summer of Jurassic Park. The movie dominated the box office all summer, and it launched a franchise that is still going more than 30 years later. The most amazing part is how well the visual effects still hold up, and that is why it is on this list. It will be watched until the end of time.

Mean Girls

Talk about quotable movies! Mean Girls is full of classics. Its also one of the most enduring comedies of its era and has even inspired a musical and movie adaptation of that musical.

The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs is the last movie to win each of the "Big Five" Oscars. It won Best Picture, Best Director for Jonathan Demme, Best Adapted Screenplay for Ted Tally, Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins, and Best Actress for Jodi Foster. That pretty much tells you everything you need to know.

True Romance

Tony Scott has a bunch of movies that could fit on this list. Top Gun, Days Of Thunder, Crimson Tide...it's a long list. For me, however, True Romance is his best. The Tarantino-penned classic also features one of the greatest scenes in movie history between Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper that ends with Hopper's character's death.

American Fiction

The Oscar-winning American Fiction is the newest movie on this list, but it became an instant classic for me. Issa Rae's character never fails to crack me up in her first scene, and Sterling K. Brown delivering the line "I've taken a lover" is my favorite quote in a movie this decade.

Boogie Nights

Paul Thomas Anderson hit the big time with Boogie Nights, and there are a lot of reasons it's on this list. The music is amazing, and every scene is like a self-contained mini-film. No matter where you start, you are sucked right in. The end gets a little dark, sure, but it's still Anderson's most rewatchable film.

Comedies in the 1980s were just built differently. Sure, there are plenty of examples of movies that have been reevaluated for their questionable humor in more modern times, but one thing even the controversial ones did well was their over-the-top endings. It became a staple of the genre in the decade to end in the most ridiculous ways. Here is our list of some of our favorite examples of such endings. The list is hardly exhaustive, that would be impossible, but if you're looking for a good '80s comedy to watch with one of your subscription services, these are all great choices.

The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers, starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, is an action movie as much as it is a comedy. Well, it's also a musical, but the purpose of this list it's an action movie. The car chase at the end of the movie is legendary. Dozens, if not hundreds, of cars were trashed while shooting the scene, and it'll forever go down as one of the most famous car chases in Hollywood history.

Airplane!

It's a little absurd to include the crazy ending of a movie as wild as Airplane!, but we shouldn't discount the ridiculous ending just because the whole movie is ridiculous, right? The flop sweat pouring out of Ted Striker (Robert Hays) as he tries to guide the plane down with no help from the inflatable autopilot is worth this list alone.

Caddyshack

Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) spends most of Caddyshack at war with the gopher. Sure, he finds some time to get wasted with Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) and do a quick loop with the priest, but mostly it's about the Vermin Kong. In the end, he blows giant holes all over the course in one last desperate attempt to take the gopher out, but the rodent prevails, and Danny's putt falls into the cup. Everyone but Judge Smails (Ted Knight) and Carl is happy.

Ghostbusters

Has there ever been anything sillier than a giant Marshmallow Man rampaging the streets of Manhattan? When the creators and writers of Ghostbusters imagined how to end their movie, they couldn't have known how iconic it would become. The only thing funnier might have been a 500-foot-tall zombie of John Belushi, but they found another way to fit him into the movie as Slimer.

Stripes

Remember, in the words of John Winger (Bill Murray), it's not like they were going into Moscow at the end of Stripes in a heavily-armed recreational vehicle. They were going into Czechoslovakia, it's like going into Wisconsin. The band of misfit army trainees still manage to pull off their incredible stunt and rescue their platoon sergeant (and "big toe"), Sgt. Hulka (Warren Oates).

National Lampoon's Vacation

It was never hard in the 1980s for a Chevy Chase character to prove that he was the biggest jerk in the room, and National Lampoon's Vacation is no exception. On one hand, you can't really blame Clark for losing it, after the disastrous drive cross country ends in an empty Wally World parking lot because the park is closed. Buying a gun (real or not) wasn't the right answer, but it sure was funny, especially with John Candy as the hapless security guard.

Back To School

Rodney Dangerfield is still responsible for some of the funniest quotes in comedy history, and quite a few come from Back To School. None of Dangerfield's hilarious quotes are quite as ridiculous as his dive, the Triple Lindy, that he does at the end of the movie. The faces he makes alone make it worthy of inclusion here. Something like that could only be "learned" on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Struggling with a big school project is something everyone can relate to. Maybe that's what has made Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure so endearing and so enduring. Nah, it's really the two knuckleheads that go on that adventure through time and ultimately bring back half a dozen historical greats for their final presentation. Party on, dudes!

The 'Burbs

The ending to The 'Burbs is crazy. Houses are blown up, the block is destroyed, and Tom Hanks has one of his best meltdowns. The escalation in the movie just keeps growing and growing until their nice, suburban street is left in literal rubble.

Real Genius

The popcorn scene at the end of Real Genius is, for lack of a better word, genius. Not only is it a great prank to pull on the main character's annoying professor, but they actually used real popcorn!

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Like a few other movies on this list, it feels a little weird to call the ending of Who Framed Roger Rabbit "ridiculous" when the whole movie is meant to be pretty darn absurd. Still, we couldn't leave it off the list, either. It's when we find out that Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd) was a toon (and why he never blinked) when he melts into ink and dies.

Trading Places

People can quibble about whether or not the ending of Trading Places is financially accurate or not, but it doesn't matter. The whole third act of the movie, from the train ride to the beach scene at the very end, is just insane. Insane in the very best way.

Better Off Dead

There are two things that make Better Off Dead's ending ridiculous. First, skiing the "K12" with one ski. This is a mountain that Lane (John Cusack) couldn't ski with both skis for most of the movie, but then he completes it with one? Oooookay. Then, somehow, he ends up on the field at Dodger Stadium making out with Monique (Diane Julian). Still, while it may be one dark comedy, it's the "comedy" part that hits the hardest.

Police Academy

It's easy to forget that the original Police Academy was a monster hit in the spring of 1984. It was, in fact, one of the biggest movies of the year, and it explains why there were so many (mostly terrible) sequels. Still, the original is a classic, and the riot that ends the movie is completely ridiculous and completely hilarious.

Christmas Vacation

Clark Griswold is back up to his shenanigans in Christmas Vacation, only this time, it's not really his fault that the end of the story is so insane. It's really Cousin Eddie's fault. Eddie (Randy Quaid) kidnaps Clark's boss, which is crazy enough, but the SWAT team crashing through every window in the house is way over the top. It's wonderful.

Big Trouble In Little China

The ending of Big Trouble In Little China is lot to explain, and it's best that if you aren't familiar with the movie, go watch it right now! the closing battle is, frankly, awesome, and it makes the comedy into more than just a movie that brings some great laughs and some iconic Kurt Russell quotes. Still, will we ever find out what happened with Wild-Man? Where's the sequel??

Little Shop Of Horrors

This one has a little caveat to it. The ending of the movie that we all saw in Little Shop of Horrors was honestly pretty standard: the guy saves the day and gets the girl. Why it's on this list is what it could have been. The original ending (and the ending in the play) saw Audrey getting eaten by the plant, and Seymour, realizing that a corporation wanted to sell more plants, tries to kill the plant. He fails, and the plants propagate worldwide and become forces of massive destruction, including Godzilla-like moments where they destroy buildings. Oh, what could have been had test audiences not hated it!

Top Secret!

Yet another ridiculous movie on this list with a ridiculous ending. Top Secret! was Val Kilmer's first movie, and will always be one of his best roles, and the ending, including the bar fight underwater, is a big reason why.

Revenge Of The Nerds

Revenge of the Nerds is one of the movies from the '80s that is problematic on so many levels, but that doesn't take away from its huge popularity in its day. The final song, with all the Lambda's joining on to win the fraternity cup thing, is and always will be a total banger. Cancel it for all the reasons it should be canceled for, but leave the song alone!

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

Major League superstar and future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson trying to kill Queen Elizabeth II? Yeah, that's gonna land a spot on this list every single time. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! is a stone-cold classic, and the ending is so over-the-top it has to be here, and that's not even including Norberg (O.J. Simpson) flying off the top deck of the stadium!

Ghostbusters II

When the team of Ghostbusters returned for their second adventure, you knew they had to up the ante from the original's ending. How about a Statue of Liberty that has the ability to walk and destroy the city, ala the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man? Add in the banging music, and you've got an all-time great ending, especially for a sequel.

The Goonies

At the end of The Goonies, after the kids have saved the day, a reporter sums it all up when he describes a pirate ship, One-Eyed Willie's pirate ship, floating out into the sea off the coast of Oregon. Sure, there might have been a squid we never saw, but it was mentioned at the end, and even without it, the pirate ship qualifies the movie for this list.

Risky Business

It's a good thing everything worked out for Joel (Tom Cruise) in Risky Business, and wow, did it take until the last moment for things to do so. If only his mom hadn't noticed that crack in her crystal...

A Fish Called Wanda

A Fish Called Wanda is such a forgotten classic. It's not a true Monty Python movie, but it does feature Michael Palin and John Cleese, alongside Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline. Palin's character running over Kline's with a cement roller is the reason it's on this list and one of the things that make it a true classic.

Heathers

Christian Slater and Winona Ryder became Gen X icons in large part due to Heathers. The dark comedy will forever be one of that generation's touchstones, though many don't remember how over the top the ending was. Slater's character, J.D., tries to blow up the school, and while Veronica (Ryder) stops him from committing mass murder, he does manage to blow himself up. Things really escalated quickly!

The Cannonball Run

Dom DeLuise's character in The Cannonball Run is the biggest nut among a sea of crazy people, and while he has a chance to win the crazy race, he gets sidetracked, leaving the win to another team. His ridiculous character ruins it all, and it's brilliant. Plus, it set up the sequel nicely.

Romancing The Stone

Romancing the Stone is on this list for one reason. Jack (Michael Douglas) not only hauls a giant yacht through the streets of Manhattan looking for Jane (Kathleen Turner), but the sails on the boat are raised! Have you ever walked down the concrete canyons of New York City on a windy day? What would happen to a full sailboat with its sails up? Yikes!

Armed And Dangerous

The end of Armed and Dangerous is a crazy chase scene with John Candy doing some of his best, and most under-appreciated work. It's not always the best movie, but the ending does make up for some of that.

The Couch Trip

Too many people aren't familiar with The Couch Trip. It's a hilarious movie with a stellar cast including Dan Aykroyd, Charles Grodin, and Walter Matthau. It ends with Matthau having to be rescued off the top of the Hollywood sign, which in and of itself is worth the price of admission.

The War Of The Roses

Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas made some great movies in the eighties, and by far the darkest was The War Of The Roses. It's one of those movies that just keeps getting crazier and crazier as the two Roses fight over their house and everything else in the divorce. It ends with the two of them lying on the floor, barely alive, but still fighting.

Weird Science

A nuclear missile, catatonic grandparents, and a grotesque-looking older brother. That's more or less how Weird Science ends (though everything is fixed in the end. It's a wild ending to a John Hughes classic.

Beverly Hills Cop

If you're not aware, Beverly Hills Cop was originally intended to be an action movie starring Sly Stallone in the lead. Instead, we got one of the funniest movies of the 1980s with Eddie Murphy playing the cop from Detroit avenging his friend in L.A. The shootout at the end seems kind of out of place, and it's a wild shootout, until you realize the movie's origin story.

There are two things about the 1980s that will be forever linked, the movies and the music. It was a unique decade for both and there are so many great songs that came from movie soundtracks that it's almost impossible to limit this list, but we're going to do our best. Here is our list of some of the very best music moments in classic 1980s movies like Dirty Dancing and Top Gun.

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" - The Breakfast Club

One thing fans of The Breakfast Club will never do is forget about you. The song, written and performed by Simple Minds, is one of the most iconic songs of the decade. The use of it in The Breakfast Club is equally iconic, as Bender and the rest of the "club" leave detention at the end of the day.

"Playing With The Boys" - Top Gun

The Top Gun soundtrack produced multiple hits and the whole album is full of bangers. If we're going to pick one iconic moment in the movie that fits the music perfectly, we have to go with the Kenny Loggins' hit "Playing With The Boys" during the volleyball scene. The moment you hear the song, you think of those fit guys playing on the beach... even if Tom Crusie is inexplicably wearing jeans.

"Fight The Power" - Do The Right Thing

While there are great songs all over movies from the '80s, there are few that had the cultural impact as Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" from the equally impactful Spike Lee joint, Do The Right Thing. Both exploded onto the scene and neither music nor movies were the same after them.

"Neutron Dance" - Beverly Hills Cop

Not only is Beverly Hills Cop one of the funniest movies of the decade, but it's also a great action movie, and to top it all off, it's filled with fantastic songs, including the theme song "Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer. But there is no more memorable scene than the opening with Axel (Eddie Murphy) swinging from the back of the truck in an amazing chase with "Neutron Dance" by The Pointer Sisters blasting in the background.

"Holding Out For A Hero" - Footloose

Yet another '80s movie with an iconic soundtrack is Footloose. Sure, we could have gone with the theme song here, but is there a more memorable scene than the game of chicken on heavy construction equipment with "Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler accompanying the ridiculous (and amazing) scene? We think not.

"I Still Believe" - The Lost Boys

There is just something that is just so 1980s about. greased up, topless Tim Cappello shouting out "I Still Believe" as he gyrates around with his saxophone. That scene in The Lost Boys is both ridiculous and ridiculously awesome.

"Christmas in Hollis" - Die Hard

When John McClain asked Argyle if he had any Christmas music in Die Hard and the chauffeur answered with "Christmas in Hollis" it was a revelation for millions of middle-class Americans who had no idea there was Christmas hip hop. It's still the best seasonal rap song, don't you agree?

"Mess Around" - Planes, Trains And Automobiles

A whole bunch of things really go wrong for John Candy and Steve Martin in Planes Trains And Automobiles. The wildest has to be when Candy's character burns down the rental car while he smokes and jams out to the Ray Charles classic "Mess Around."

"Adagio For Strings" - Platoon

The most powerful moment in Platoon is when Elias (Willem Dafoe) is killed with his arms out in a Christ-like pose. Without question, a big reason the scene is so emotional is the choice by director Oliver Stone to use the piece "Adagio For Strings" by composer Samuel Barber. It's the perfect piece of music for the scene and really adds to the incredible impact of it.

"Partyman" - Batman

Sometimes people who weren't around in the 1980s don't really understand what a huge cultural moment Tim Burton's Batman was. It was a huge deal and Burton getting the enigmatic Prince to write some songs for the movie was an inspired moment. The Purple One's "Partyman" is the perfect song for the scene when The Joker (Jack Nicholson) and his henchmen break into Gotham's art museum and deface the art.

"Old Time Rock And Roll" - Risky Business

Is there any way we could put together this list without Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear in Risky Business to the Bob Seeger classic "Old Time Rock And Roll"? No, there isn't and there really isn't anything else to be said here, It's a classic film moment.

"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" - Dirty Dancing

Nobody puts Baby in the corner, and only one person can launch Baby up in the air. When Johnny and Baby finally pull off that lift at the end of Dirty Dancing is one of the most triumphant moments of '80s film. The song that accompanies the moment, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes became just as iconic.

"In Your Eyes" - Say Anything

Walking a fine line between romantic and psychotic is Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) holding his boom box over his head while playing "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel outside Diane's (Ione Skye) window in Say Anything. We're saps at our core, so we'll call it 100% romantic and 100% iconic.

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" - The Big Chill

Boomer culture was in full nostalgia mode in the 1980s and nothing sums that up more than The Big Chill. That's not to say that the movie doesn't have its moments. One of the coolest tricks the movie pulls off is near the beginning when the organ player at the funeral starts playing "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones. It segues perfectly into the actual song as the funeral procession drives across a long bridge. It's probably the best scene in the movie if we're honest.

"Oh Yeah" - Ferris Bueller's Day Off

"Oh Yeah" by Swiss electronic band Yello was used in a few movies in the 1980s, like Uncle Buck and The Secret Of My Success. With all due respect to the Michael J. Fox classic, the best use of the song came at the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is forced to ride the school bus and learns that he does, in fact, "eat it."

"Let's Go Crazy" - Purple Rain

Prince was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s and his magnum opus was the soundtrack to his movie Purple Rain. Obviously there is a ton of great music in the movie, but the best scene has to be when Prince plays "Let's Go Crazy" in a club before jumping up on an amp and shredding that amazing guitar solo at the end of the song.

"Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" - Beetlejuice

Even songs from the 1950s were able to create amazing musical moments in the 1980s. Take the Harry Bellefonte song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" in Beetlejuice for example. The wild scene that the song accompanies is when the dinner party is interrupted by the ghosts living in the attic and it's the most memorable moment in the whole movie.

"Moving In Stereo" - Fast Times At Ridgemont High

In the interest of keeping this list rated G, we won't say much about the scene in Fast Times At Ridgemont High that features The Cars' song "Moving In Stereo." expect to say it involves Phoebe Cates in a red bikini and IYKYK.

"If You Were Here" - Sixteen Candles

Director John Hughes had a knack for creating amazing musical moments in between the hilarious quotes from his movies. In Sixteen Candles one of those classic moments happens at the end when Jake and Sam finally kiss over Sam's birthday cake as "If You Were Here" by Thompson Twins plays over the scene.

"Holiday Road" - National Lampoon's Vacation

Fleetwood Mac veteran Lindsey Buckingham provided the classic "Holiday Road" for National Lampoon's Vacation and while it only plays briefly as the Griwolds first hit the road in Chicago, it's been an enduring hit ever since.

"Magic Dance" - Labyrinth

1986's Labyrinth not only launched Jennifer Connelly's career, but if gave one amazing musical moment when the villain, played by the legend himself, David Bowie, sings his song "Magic Dance" along with a whole slew of Jim Henson puppets. It's as magical and the name of the song implies.

"Eye Of The Tiger" - Rocky III

In the first Rocky movie, audiences were treated to that amazing moment of Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) climbing the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum to "Gonna Fly Now." Of course, that doesn't count for this list of '80s movies, but luckily in Rocky III, we get "Eye of the Tiger" for the training montage. It's a toss-up for which is better.

"Tequila" - Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

For years after Pee-Wee's Big Adventure was released, people were still doing the Pee-Wee dance whenever they heard "Tequila" by The Champs. The '60s classic created a classic '80s moment.

"These Boots Are Made For Walking" - Full Metal Jacket

What makes "These Boots Are Made For Walking" by Nancy Sinatra so amazing in Full Metal Jacket is that it feels so upbeat immediately after the darkest moment in the movie when Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) kills his drill sergeant and then himself. It's director Stanley Kubrick at his finest.

"Big Bottom" - This Is Spinal Tap

Well, once again, we've come to a movie that there was no way we could leave off this list. The rock mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. There are at least a dozen scenes we could choose here, but the most iconic has to be the song "Big Bottoms" and that was proven years later when literally dozens of bass players joined the sort of fake, sort of real band for the song at Live Earth concert in 2007.

"The Power Of Love" - Back To The Future

We just had to include the meta moment in Back To The Future when the fictional band led by Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) starts playing a rocking version of the movie's theme song "The Power Of Love" only to be shut down by a teacher played by Huey Lewis who, with his band The News, actually played the song for the movie. It's just too darn loud.

"Werewolves Of London" - The Color Of Money

Warren Zevon is one of the most beloved songwriters in rock history, but he didn't have a ton of hits. One exception is "Werewolves of London" a song that was a hit when it came out in 1978 and then fans fell in love with it again when it appeared in an amazing scene in The Color Of Money in 1986.

"If You Leave" - Pretty In Pink

Like all his other movies, John Hughes using "If You Leave" by Orchestral Movements in the Dark in Pretty In Pink created one of the all time combos of music and movie. It's still weird that Andie didn't end up with Duckie, though.

"Lollipop" - Stand By Me

For many in Gen X, their first introduction to classic early '60 music came from Stand By Me. One of the songs used, "Lollipop" is almost a novelty song, but it's an incredibly infectious earworm too, so it ended up being one of the most iconic moments in the movie, music-wise.

"Into The Groove" - Desperately Seeking Susan

Desperately Seeking Susan isn't a great movie. It feels rushed and half-baked, and it was, really, as it was an attempt to capitalize on Madonna's burgeoning fame. It's the Material Girl's first major foray into film and the most memorable moment came when she is in a bar, listening to her own song, "Into The Groove."

"Gimme Shelter" - Adventures In Babysitting

If you aren't paying attention, you might miss "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones in Adventures In Babysitting, but it adds a real foreboding as the kids hitch a ride back to the station wagon that they hope has been repaired and they can finally wrap up their crazy night.

"Imagine" - The Killing Fields

John Lennon, and later Yoko Ono, were very protective of the former Beatles' music, especially his iconic "Imagine." Ono gave permission to the producers of The Killing Fields to use it at the end when the two protagonists are reunited after the horrors of the Khmer Rouge are finally over and it's an incredible emotional moment, in no small part to the song.

The “grumpy veteran police detective” is a well-worn trope but it’s possible nobody has ever done it better than John Ashton. While Ashton had nearly 100 screen credits to his name, he will likely be best remembered as Detective John Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop films opposite Judge Reinhold and Eddie Murphy. Yesterday we learned that Ashton had passed away, and now his on-screen partner remembers him.

John Ashton passed away on Thursday but it was only over the weekend that the news broke widely. Following the announcement, Judge Reinhold, who played Billy Rosewood, Taggert’s partner in the Beverly Hills Cop movies said goodbye to his friend on Twitter, while sharing some images on the set of the recent Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

Reinhold jokes that there’s “no smoking in heaven.” It sounds like Ashton and his most famous role may have had a lot in common. Taggert enjoyed his cigars and based on the comment, and one of the pictures posted here, it looks like Ashton felt the same way. But honestly, if you can't smoke in heaven, what's the point?

If Ashton passed on while watching his favorite team, it sounds like a peaceful goodbye, which is all anybody could hope for. Judge Reinhold calls Ashton his brother, which is fitting for two guys who have worked together for four decades. We know that Reinhold and Murphy have remained close over the years, and it seems that the same was true for Reinhold and Ashton.

Several fans responding to Reinhold’s post are saying similar things. Beverly Hills Cop fans are all very happy that, at the very least, we all got to experience the reuniting of the iconic trio of Taggert, Rosewood, and Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley, one last time. Ashton declined to appear in the third film, which is just one of the reasons Beverly Hills Cop III isn't as good as the previous two. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which dropped to everybody with a Netflix subscription earlier this summer. The critical response to Axel F was much stronger.

There had been attempts to make a fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie for decades, but the project stalled for a variety of reasons. Considering how close we got to not getting the movie, it is quite wonderful that they were able to make it happen. Trying to make the movie now, would be that much harder, and doing it without Ashton the film certainly would have been missing something.

Axel F may end up being something of a tribute to Ashton considering it came out just a couple of months before he passed away. The final scene of the film put the three main Beverly Hills Cop characters back into a car together, calling back to one of the most famous scenes from the original Beverly Hills Cop. It’s the perfect place to leave Taggert, sitting with his friends.

The Hollywood community has lost a few notable stars as of late and, sadly enough, yet another superb actor has left us. John Ashton – a veteran of the screen – has unfortunately died following a battle with cancer. While the seasoned performer amassed countless credits over the course of his lengthy career, he’s arguably best known for playing John Taggart in the fan-favorite Beverly Hills Cop franchise and Marvin Dorfler in the acclaimed comedy Midnight Run. Ashton was 76 at the time of his passing.

John Ashton’s death was confirmed by his manager, Alan Somers, who relayed the news to TMZ. Per the news outlet, Ashton reportedly died this past Thursday at his home in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Somers also shared a statement:

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1948, the USC School of Theatre alum’s career began in earnest in the ‘70s, at which point he began appearing in smaller capacities in both films and TV shows. Among his earlier credits were guest appearances on shows like Kojak, Columbo, Barnaby Jones and Phyllis. When it comes to the films he appeared in early on, The Psychopath, Breaking Away and Borderline are on that list.

During the course of his career, John Ashton became well known for playing law enforcement officials, and atop that list is arguably his role as Beverly Hills Cop’s John Taggart. Ashton made his debut as the humorously grumpy, veteran cop in the Eddie Murphy-led series’ initial installment (one of the best '80s movies), which was released in 1984. The actor went on to reprise Taggart in the 1987 sequel but didn’t appear in the 1994 threequel, much to fans’ disappointment.

Just this year, though, the late actor returned as Taggart for the 2024 movie release Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which was widely watched by Netflix subscription holders. CinemaBlend was actually able to speak to Mr. Aston about the film this past summer, during which he discussed his experience working with co-stars Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold again.

The Last Resort star eventually found more big-screen success when he reteamed with BHC's Martin Brest for 1988’s Midnight Run. In the film, the actor played bounty hunter Marvin Dorfler, starring alongside Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto and more. The film ultimately proved to be a critical and financial success. The So Evil, My Sister alum also starred in other notable films during the ‘80s and the years that followed, including King Kong Lives, Some Kind of Wonderful, She's Having a Baby, Instinct and Gone Baby Gone.

It’s honestly somewhat surreal knowing that John Ashton is no longer with us, especially considering that just a few months ago, he had embarked on a major press tour. However, what’s comforting is that amid that tour, he was able to soak in the excitement that a number of fans felt over Axel F, which was well reviewed. There’s also more solace to be found in the fact that Ashton’s exceptional work in some of the great action movies and more will remain with us forever.

We here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of John Ashton during this time.

Minor spoilers for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F lie ahead, so proceed with caution.

The newly released Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F manages to add some fresh concepts to the classic buddy cop franchise. Among those elements are a host of new characters, including Taylour Paige’s Jane Saunders and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Bobby Abbott. Of course, the film also sees Eddie Murphy’s titular protagonist reuniting with a number of familiar faces. It’s honestly pretty cool to see Murphy on screen with several of his former co-stars again for the first time in decades. As a longtime fan, I was particularly pleased to see so much of the OG cast back in action for this 2024 movie release. However, there’s one franchise veteran I really wish would’ve returned. 

Just so we’re clear, the goal of this article isn’t to sound ungrateful about one star not being brought back into the fold. I had a good time with the film and agree that it’s a legacy sequel done right. However, given just how many series alums popped up in the movie (which is available to Netflix subscribers), I just can’t help but highlight this omission. What we’re going to discuss is obviously the absent actor as well as how they could’ve been included in Axel F (which should’ve been in theaters). But, before we do that, it’s only fair that we discuss the BHC stars that did return for this installment. 

Which Longtime Beverly Hills Cop Stars Came Back For Axel F?

When the fourth film in the Beverly Hills Cop series was confirmed to be in development, longtime fans likely wondered if Eddie Murphy would be the only OG cast member to appear. That was ultimately far from the case, as the movie sees Murphy teaming being joined by not one but four franchise alums. Chief among them are Judge Reinhold, who reprises the role of Det. Billy Rosewood and John Ashton, who once again plays John Taggert. In the film, the noble (and reckless) Rosewood finds himself in a dangerous situation while investigating a case. All the while, Taggert, who’s now the chief of police, finds himself trying to clean up Billy’s messes and eventually Axel’s as well.

Also joining in on the adventure is Bronson Pinchot’s eccentric Serge, who previously worked at the art gallery owned by the villainous Victor Maitland, before becoming a weapons dealer. By the events of the fourth film, Serge is a high-end real estate agent and assists Axel and co. in a way that only he can. And, last but not least, Paul Reiser also reprises his role as Jeffrey Friedman, Axel’s former partner in Detroit. While Jeff is now Deputy Chief, he must still wearily (and humorously) step in when his longtime pal wreaks havoc on the streets with his unconventional law enforcement methods.

It’s really great seeing this quartet of actors back in their respective roles, and they all get their moments to shine. I’d also be lying if I said it wasn’t particularly awesome to see Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton in character and sharing the screen again. And, with all of that in mind, it’s even more disappointing that one particular actor – who’s still alive – wasn’t part of the reunion.

Who’s The Franchise Veteran Who Wasn’t Included In The New Movie?

On the off chance that you’re a die-hard fan of this beloved film property and are reading this, then you probably already know who I’ve been referring to. I’m talking about Lt. Andrew Bogomil, who was played by Ronny Cox in the franchise’s first two films. The inaugural entry in the series establishes Bogomil as a by-the-book lieutenant, who oversees Rosewood and Taggert’s activities. 

The lieutenant ultimately tasks Taggart and Rosewood with following young Axel Foley after he arrives in Beverly Hills and begins investigating Victor Maitland. By the end, not only does Bogomil end up assisting his allies in taking down Maitland but he also helps save Axel’s job in Detroit. Foley eventually returns the favor in Beverly Hills Cop II by helping to solve the Alphabet Crimes, which result in Bogomil being shot and left in critical condition. He eventually recovers, though, and the film concludes with him being named the new police chief. 

Bogomil may not have been involved in some of the funnier moments in the Beverly Hills Cop series, but he was still a vital aspect of those first two movies. He was not only a firm ally to Axel, but he also served as a grounding presence in the midst of his peers’ wilder antics. Yes, Andrew was sidelined for the vast majority of the 1987 sequel, yet his sharp investigation skills are what set the events of the film in motion. And, of course, the great Ronny Cox, who’s now 85, deserves credit for his understated performance in the role.

Considering that the RoboCop alum is still around and has worked in recent years, it’s interesting that he didn’t appear in Axel F. He and his character are briefly honored in the movie via a photograph, though that’s certainly not as impactful as a physical appearance from the man. I’m also surprised that his absence wasn’t even addressed, which was also the case with 1994’s BCH III (a movie that Eddie Murphy still believes is a misfire). Some of you may be wondering how Bogomil could’ve figured into this latest film, and I have a sweet idea.

How Could Lt. Bogomil Have Been Organically Featured In Axel F?

Ronny Cox’s character wouldn’t have needed a massive role in the recent streaming release, especially given the vast amount of characters and plot threads it already contains. With that, a cameo from Cox would’ve been perfect, and it could’ve come by way of a scene involving him and John Ashton’s Taggart. Amid Taggart’s efforts to manage the chaos resulting from the film’s main conspiracy, it might’ve been nice to see him give Bogomil – his professional predecessor – a call to receive some advice. In addition to providing a nice check-in with the former chief, it would’ve also added a sentimental layer to the usually crabby Taggert. 

All in all, Axel F certainly isn’t made worse by not having Ronny Cox’s Bogomil, but his inclusion could’ve provided another sweet element for what’s already a solid flick. It remains to be seen whether or not Eddie Murphy, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and co. decide to proceed with a film movie in the saga. But, if they do, I’d give Cox a call and see if he’s willing and able to jump back in. 

Those looking to either check out Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F for the first time or rewatch it can still stream it on Netflix, which is one of the best streaming services. Anyone who has a subscription to the platform can also stream the first two films there as well.

In an era where notable IP is the name of the game, making sequels to popular movies decades after they were originally popular has gone from being an occasional novelty to a normal form of business. What’s often referred to as the legacy sequel, or legasequel if you will, has seen everybody from Tom Cruise’s Maverick to the Ghostbusters to Bill and Ted return decades later. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, now available with a Netflix subscription, is just the latest of these, but it’s also one of the best.

Since we’re certainly going to continue to see these legacy sequels for the foreseeable future -- several including Twisters and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice are on the 2024 movie schedule and will be here before the summer ends -- we might as well do them right. So for all studios looking at their older franchises and trying to figure out how to make them bankable again, watch Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, because it understood the assignment.

Axel F Doesn’t Forget What A Beverly Hills Cop Movie Is

As simple as it seems, the first thing Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F does right is it made a Beverly Hills Cop movie. That may seem obvious, but many legacy sequels seem to have forgotten what it was that made the original movie, or movie series, popular, and the sequel becomes something else entirely unlike the original movie we liked. Axel F has a simple enough premise that contrives a reason for Detroit police detective Axel Foley to go to Beverly Hills and solve a crime. Along the way, hijinks and comedy ensue. It's very much like the other three movies, in a good way. 

Compare it to something like Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Likely due to the poor reception of the attempted Ghostbusters reboot, the sequel movie treated the original movies and characters with nostalgic awe, as if the franchise hadn’t made its name with a tone of sarcastic impertinence. The reverence with which the sequel treated the story flew in the face of what the franchise used to be.

Axel F doesn’t try to up the stakes or try to make Beverly Hills Cop seem like it’s more important than it is. It's fun and funny, and overall a very successful movie franchise. The plot fits into the others. The stakes are about equal. The characters don't feel like entirely different versions of their previous selves. 

Beverly Hills Cop 4 Acknowledges The Passage Of Time

It’s been 40 years since the first Beverly Hills Cop movie was released, and 30 since the last one came out. That’s a long time in between sequels. Eddie Murphy was in his 20s when he made the first movie. Murphy's 63 years old right now. While he looks pretty damn good for his age, there’s no argument that time has passed. 

Many legacy sequels sidestep the fact it’s been a long time since we’ve seen these characters. For example, The Matrix: Resurrections certainly doesn’t ignore the passage of time, but if the same movie had been released three years after the Matrix trilogy ended, nothing would have needed to be much different.

Other movies, like the recent Jumanji films, are sequels in only the broadest sense. They acknowledge the original movie from three decades ago is canon, but the story and the characters in the new film are unrelated. 

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F makes the passage of time mean something. All our returning characters are older. They’re in different jobs. They’re at or close to retirement because a 63-year-old Axel Foley needs to start thinking about hanging it up. Yes, they still get up to the action-hero stuff, it is a movie after all, but the fact that decades have passed isn’t ignored, it’s embraced. 

The Beverly Hills Cop Fan Service Is Handled Properly

One of the elements of the onslaught of legacy sequels that I could usually do without are the references and the “fan service.” I'm talking about those little elements in a new movie that are designed to make you remember that you liked the old movie by calling back to it as if you can’t just watch the old movie anytime you want.

While Axel F doesn’t completely ignore the fan service, it does the next best thing:  Including it in ways that can allow people who won’t get it to still watch and enjoy the film without even realizing the movie is making a callback.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F includes two of these moments very early on. The song that plays over the opening credits of the original Beverly Hills Cop, Glenn Frey’s “The Heat is On” also plays over the credits of the new film. The opening theme song of Beverly Hills Cop II, Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” also gets played before the movie’s first action sequence is over. Yet, if you haven’t seen those movies, it’s just music. Really great music.

Bronson Pinchot's return to the franchise as Serge is portrayed obviously as a character you're supposed to know, but his character isn't made vital to the story. And arguably he gets upstaged in the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast by Nasim Pedrad playing an entirely new character. 

Some jokes are certainly funnier if you’ve seen the other films, like the reference to Beverly Hills Cop III not being Axel’s best work, or when Billy asks if Axel has taken Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character to a strip club. The latter line doesn’t have much context if you’re not familiar with the first two movies (or the tendency of '80s films to include scenes in strip clubs for no reason beyond the very obvious), but the line is followed by a joke that will quickly help you forget the reference if it didn’t mean anything to you. 

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Is A More Accessible Movie, And It's Better For It

If this were another movie somebody would have made a Beverly Hills Cop 4 that was about a copycat recreating the robberies of the Alphabet Bandit or made the criminal one of Axel’s former undercover busts out for revenge. If part of the value of the legacy sequel is introducing a franchise to a new audience, the barrier of entry must be low. It’s cool to be part of the crowd that “gets it,” but it doesn’t usually make for good movies and it can hinder any chance a returning franchise might have to make an impact the second time around.

To be honest, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is perhaps still only the third-best Beverly Hills Cop movie, but that’s all it ever needed to be. It’s a solid entry in a franchise. It’s one that fans will want to watch again, not simply write off. 

Axel Foley is back. Three decades after a somewhat unceremonious third installment, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F has debuted for everybody with a Netflix subscription, and the general consensus from critics is that Axel F is pretty damn good. It’s been an overall impressive run for Eddie Murphy, which makes it all the more surprising that there’s an alternate universe somewhere where Beverly Hills Cop stars Sylvester Stallone. 

How exactly did Sylvester Stallone get involved in Beverly Hills Cop, and why did it eventually not work out? A new oral history of Axel Foley on The Ringer sheds more light on the topic. As it turns out you can blame, and thank, Paramount Pictures for both decisions.

How Sylvester Stallone Was Originally Cast In Beverly Hills Cop 

The first Beverly Hills Cop was an early project for the fledgling production team of Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. The pair helped develop the project, which was a more straightforward cop drama. Perhaps because of that Bruckheimer says Paramount didn’t want to cast Eddie Murphy, who was still most known for becoming a star in the Saturday Night Live cast, despite early successful film roles. Bruckheimer describes the conversation with the studio like this… 

Sylvester Stallone was the bigger star in 1984. Both the Rambo and Rocky movies had already begun, making him a household name. It’s understandable why Paramount might want Sly in a cop movie. However, things didn’t end up working out as expected. 

How Eddie Murphy Came Back Into The Axel Foley Picture

Paramount is the one paying for the movie, so it gets what it wants. Sylvester Stallone was brought in, but the actor, who is also an accomplished writer, recognized that the script as written wasn’t his sort of movie. Sly went back and wrote his own version of Beverly Hills Cop. This would ultimately bring the film back around, as Sly’s version of the movie didn’t work for Paramount either, giving Bruckheimer and Simpson the chance to go after Eddie Murphy again. Bruckheimer continued…

Beverly Hills Cop would still go through some changes. The original movie wasn’t particularly funny, something that changed once Eddie Muphy agreed to do it. Sylvester Stallone’s script wouldn’t be completely wasted. He would take the movie with him when he left and it would eventually become Cobra.

Sylvester Stallone would remain part of the franchise, at least spiritually. In Beverly Hills Cop II, Billy Rosewood has several Stallone posters in his house, including one for Cobra. Even Axel F has a little reference to one of Stallone's iconic roles. It's only fair. From a certain perspective, if it weren’t for Stallone, we wouldn’t have ever seen the Beverly Hills Cop that became a massive hit. 

The 2024 movie schedule marked the return of cinema royalty this past week, as movielovers were graced with the release of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. The long-gestating installment in Eddie Murphy’s iconic film franchise became available to Netflix subscribers on Wednesday and, since then, it’s made quite the impression with users. Not only have critics called the film a “return to form” for Murphy but general audiences have also hyped up the film on the web. As a fan of the series, I checked out the flick as well and really enjoyed it. And, with that, I’m more than convinced that the streamer should’ve given this production a wide theatrical release. 

In this entertainment landscape, it’s definitely not uncommon for major movies to head straight to streaming. So some people may not be all that surprised that Axel F was just one of the many productions to be part of Netflix’s 2024 movie schedule. I’d certainly argue that there are a number of films that work exclusively for streaming. However, there are those select few that should play in theaters for a while before hitting a platform. For example, Hit Man was worthy of a longer run in cinemas before hitting the aforementioned streaming service. So what makes this latest installment in the BHC saga also deserving of that distinction? Let’s talk it out and discuss why this was a digital release to begin with.

Why Did Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Go To Streaming?

Those who are familiar with film properties owned by massive studios probably know that the Eddie Murphy-headed franchise has long been housed under Paramount Pictures. At least, that was the case for the first three installments. So you may be wondering how exactly this one landed on a streaming service. Well, in 2019, it was reported that Paramount reached a licensing deal with Netflix. And, as part of that one-time agreement, the streamer earned the distribution rights to the movie.

What’s also interesting is that Deadline explained that the deal even includes an option for a sequel. So, if a fifth film in the buddy cop series comes to fruition, then it would likely be released on the streamer as well. It’s understandable as to why Ted Sarandos’ massive company would want such a massive IP, and the deal that was struck is paying off. The latest Beverly Hills Cop installment is the No. 1 movie on the platform in the U.S., as of this writing. Despite that, there are still several reasons why this flick was worthy of a major theatrical release. 

Why Should Axel F Have Been Released in Theaters?

From a filmmaking standpoint, this legacy sequel is a massive action flick through and through. Yes, it has funny Beverly Hills Cop moments you’d hope for, but it also delivers plenty of thrills. The opening action sequence, which sees Axel Foley zooming through Detroit in a snowplow while chasing criminals is exhilarating. And the same is true of Axel and Bobby Abbott’s helicopter escape later in the film. In short, Mark Malloy’s feature film debut includes a number of set pieces and sequences that would really play well on the big screen.

There’s another reason that this film should’ve hit cinemas across the globe, and it’s quite obvious: this is a Beverly Hills Cop movie starring Eddie Murphy, for goodness sake! This is the first time Murphy has starred as Axel in 30 years, and such a moment should be marked with a theatrical release. Not only that, but the A-lister is also joined by a number of other franchise alums like Judge Reinhold and John Ashton. The trio of actors are still great in their roles, and there’s one particular scene that made the group feel right at home. Ultimately, they were left “beaming” over it. I’m sure fans would’ve been beaming as well had they been watching that particular moment play out on the big screen. 

In fairness, the role out for Axel F has been solid, as Netflix has been promoting the movie, and touting it as a grand return for Eddie Murphy. Still, one can’t help but feel like this would’ve been a perfect movie to play in theaters over a 4th of July weekend. And, in a landscape that just saw Bad Boys: Ride or Die earn big bucks at the box office, I truly believe Murphy’s latest cop comedy would’ve done some sweet business as well. A fifth movie in the franchise has yet to be formally confirmed but, if it happens, let’s hope Axel and co. get their time to shine on the silver screen again.

For now, stream Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F alongside some of the best movies on Netflix. A membership with the streamer will also get you access to the first two installments in the beloved action franchise.

Can you imagine the Beverly Hills Cop movies without their most hilarious scenes? Believe it or not, the 1984 original — one of the absolute best ‘80s movies — was, at one point, going to be a gritty crime drama starring Sylvester Stallone before SNL star Eddie Murphy stepped in as Axel Foley, ensuring it would become the highly quotable comedy classic.

The long-awaited fourth installment, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, is finally available with a Netflix subscription. And, as reflected by the solid critical reception of Mr. Murphy's latest, it has contributed a lot to the slate of funniest moments from the Eddie Murphy movies’ shared history. In that spirit, let’s revisit all of the times Axel Foley made us laugh the hardest during his adventures in 90210.

Axel Checks In At Beverly Palm Hotel (Beverly Hills Cop)

One of the details that makes Axel Foley one of the best Black detectives in movies or TV (or one of the most iconic fictional detectives in general) is that he's a cop who doesn’t always play by the rules. That's evident by how he manages to get a room at the Beverly Palm Hotel in the original 1984 installment of BHC. He poses as a Rolling Stone reporter interviewing Micheal Jackson who has already booked a room but, when the front desk attendant claims he has no reservation, he accuses the hotel of racial discrimination. The façade humorously works, but his luxury suite still ends up costing him more than pretty penny.

Axel Meets Serge (Beverly Hills Cop)

It's clear how Serge (whom Bronson Pinchot reprised most recently as part of the Axel F cast) became a staple of the franchise, thanks to his first interaction with Axel. The flamboyant art gallery salesperson of indeterminate European origin can't seem to pronounce the cop’s first name (“Achmed,” “Akwell,” etc.) and practically engages in a contest of who can project their voice to the highest pitch when discussing his recent dealings. Now, anytime someone might say, “Get the fuck outta here!” what other response is there than an even louder, “No, I can’t!”?

Axel Puts Bananas In Taggart And Rosewood's Tailpipe (Beverly Hills Cop)

There is not a single moment from the Beverly Hills Cop franchise more famous than when Axel pulls a fast one on Sgt. John Taggart (John Ashton) and Det. Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), who have been ordered to tail him. While distracting them with curbside food service by a hotel attendant, Axel stuffs a couple of bananas in their vehicle’s exhaust pipe, stopping them in their tracks when they try to follow the Detroit cop as he leaves to follow a clue. Reinhold later told Rich Eisen that it was originally going to be a potato until Murphy rightfully suggested the banana would be funnier.

Axel's "Super Cops" Speech (Beverly Hills Cop)

After foiling an attempted robbery at a strip club, Axel, Taggart, and Rosewood return to the Beverly Hills Police Department to an angry Lt. Bogomil (Ronny Cox). Axel subsequently claims that the arrests were completely the work of the other two “super cops,” who only found themselves there after following him inside. However, Taggart decides to “fuck up a perfectly good lie” by recounting the truth.

Axel Poses As Victor's Lover (Beverly Hills Cop)

Another one Axel’s funniest tricks occurs when he tries to have a conversation with Victor Maitland (Steven Berkoff), whom he suspects is the drug pusher responsible for his friend’s murder, while he is dining at a “members only club.” He tells the maitre'd to tell Victor that he, calling himself “Ramon,” learned he has "herpes simplex 10" and Victor should get himself checked out before “things start falling off on the man.” The maitre’d then agrees that the clever cop should be the one to deliver the message in the brilliantly off-the-cuff moment.

Axel Steals A House Under Renovation (Beverly Hills Cop II)

Apparently, having learned his lesson about the cost of a hotel in Beverly Hills, Axel decides to find a place to stay in a less costly way in Tony Scott’s 1987 sequel. He pulls up to a luxurious mansion being renovated and, posing as a building inspector, informs the crew that the “plans have changed” and that everyone should leave until further notice. Taggart catches on to the con when he and Rosewood meet him at the house, which Axel claims belongs to his uncle.

Axel Convinces A Strip Club Taggart Is Gerald Ford (Beverly Hills Cop II)

Axel, Taggart, and Rosewood’s investigation into Bogomil’s shooting in Beverly Hills Cop II leads them to visit yet another local strip joint called 385 North, where Axel comes up with another way of receiving special treatment. He tells the bouncer that he and Rosewood are from the Secret Service and are escorting Gerald Ford, whom he identifies Taggart as. When the sergeant asks Axel if he really looks like the 38th President, he tells his white buddies that they both do.

Axel Pops In At The "Illegal Chop Shop" (Beverly Hills Cop III)

As per tradition, 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III (which marked Murphy’s reunion with director John Landis after Coming to America, which has great BTS facts) opens in Detroit, where Axel and his task force plan to bust an illegal chop shop. The fast talker makes his entrance by simply knocking on the front door and addressing the place as an “illegal chop shop” and asking to have his wife’s Buick destroyed to get back at her. This is one of the few moments (if not the only moment) in the otherwise widely reviled threequel that is considered funny.

Axel Steals The "Meter Lady's" Buggy (Beverly Hills: Axel F)

One of the highlights of the latest installment — as mentioned in our CinemaBlend's review of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F — is the bevy of action sequences, which are equally as thrilling as they are funny. One of the best examples is the first chase that Axel finds himself in in Beverly Hills, when he is forced to steal a buggy from a “meter lady,” who manages to hold on to the side while blasting him with mace for an impressively long time. The sequence also ends with one of the funniest lines, in which a cuffed Axel jokes about being detained in a "Fisher Price-looking cop car.”

The Beverly Hills Cop III Call-Out (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F)

Even Eddie Murphy views Beverly Hills Cop III as a misfire, which is made clear by a clever callback in the fourth installment. As Det. Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is reviewing the department’s file on the veteran cop, he tells Axel that his last trip to Beverly Hills in 1994 was “not your finest hour.”

Axel And Bobby Steal A Helicopter (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F)

During their first interaction, Axel learns that Bobby was part of the LAPD Air Support, which later gives him the idea to escape the police department by taking a helicopter from the roof. Unfortunately, Axel learns a little too late that Bobby is not the best pilot, and even crashed a helicopter before becoming a detective. What ensues is a thoroughly ridiculous, low-altitude chase through the city that ends with a crash landing on a golf course.

It looks like Eddie Murphy still has it what it takes to play Axel Foley just as we remember him. Could this mean that we could soon add more funny moments to this collection in a Beverly Hills Cop V? We'll see but in the meantime, you can stream the first two films in the franchise alongside Axel F on Netflix. As for the panned threequel, Paramount+ subscribers have access to that in addition to the first two installments.

One of the most iconic Black detectives in pop culture history is also one of Eddie Murphy’s funniest characters, Axel Foley, whom he's reprised in the 2024 Netflix movie, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. To celebrate Axel’s latest return to 90210, let’s take a look back at more of our favorite Black detectives from movies and TV shows, starting with the man of hour.

Axel Foley (Beverly Hills Cop)

The original Beverly Hills Cop from 1984 and its sequels are some of the funniest Eddie Murphy movies ever, particularly for Axel Foley’s blistering wit. Yet, he is also the right kind of detective you would want on your side for his commitment to getting the job done, even if he has to break a few rules along the way.

Virgil Tibbs (In The Heat Of The Night)

In 1967, trailblazing Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier gave one of his most inspiring performances in the Best Picture Oscar winner, In the Heat of the Night, as Virgil Tibbs, who falls prey to racial prejudice when he is wrongfully accused of a murder while visiting his mother in a small Mississippi town. However, the Philadelphia cop’s arrival proves to be a godsend, as Chief Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) would have never solved the crime without the expert investigation skills and resilience of the one they call “Mister Tibbs.”

John Luther (Luther)

The title character of the long-running British crime drama, Luther, could be called the Sherlock Holmes of his time, in the sense that his unusual methods of investigation and alienating personality traits often rub his colleagues the wrong way and even put him in legal trouble. Audiences, however, cannot get enough of the Detective Chief Inspector — who returned for Netflix’s feature-length spin-off, Luther: The Fallen Sun — his brilliant criminal perception and the charming Idris Elba’s captivating, Golden Globe-winning performance.

John Shaft (Shaft)

The crown jewel of Richard Roundtree’s best movies is Shaft — the story of a suave, streetwise detective from New York City. The Oscar-winning 1971 classic and its sequels made this bad mother— “shut yo mouth” — the undisputed king of the Blaxploitation era.

Mike Lowery And Marcus Burnett (Bad Boys)

As the title — borrowed from Inner Circle’s 1987 reggae hit — suggests, Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) from director Michael Bay’s directorial debut, Bad Boys, are not ones to be messed with. What really makes the 1995 buddy cop movie favorite and its sequels such a fun time is the two detectives’ unbreakable bond, both on and off duty.

Faith Mitchell (Will Trent)

When GBI Special Agents Will Trent (Ramon Rodriguez) and Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson) were forced to work together, they could not stand each other, with Faith being especially ticked off by his uptight attitude and connection to her own mother’s stunted law enforcement career. However, the title hero of ABC’s fun detective drama came to respect and admire his partner — a single mother to a college student with a big heart, a strong intuition, and a powerful kick — just as she warmed to him for his keen eye for evidence.

Ricardo Tubbs (Miami Vice)

One of the most dynamic duos in the history of TV cop dramas is that of Ricardo “Rico” Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) and James “Sonny” Crockett (Don Johnson) on one of the best mystery TV shows of the ‘80s, Miami Vice. Between the two, Tubbs was the one whom audiences would hope to identify with the most, being the more laid back undercover detective.

Alex Cross (Kiss The Girls)

As a forensic psychologist, Dr. Alex Cross knows how to get into the mind of the most disturbing criminals in Washington D.C., which often comes in handy during the many times the perpetrators make his cases a personal matter. Author James Patterson’s flagship character was first brought to life on screen by Morgan Freeman in 1997’s Kiss the Girls and again in Along Came a Spider four years later, before Tyler Perry took over the role in Alex Cross in 2012.

William Somerset (Se7en)

Two years before he became the (first) face of Alex Cross, Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman was cast in David Fincher’s breakthrough masterpiece, Se7en, as William Somerset — a veteran detective showing the younger David Mills (Brad Pitt) the ropes while working on what is meant to be his last case. However, despite how much the increasingly unsettling investigation tears him up inside, Somerset apparently decides to stay on the force by the end, based on his agreement with the second half of Ernest Hemingway’s belief that “the world is a fine place and worth fighting for.”

Misty Knight (Luke Cage)

One of the most influential comic book characters with a disability is Mercedes “Misty” Knight, who became equipped with a bionic right arm after losing it in an attempt to defuse a bomb. The brave, intuitive, hard-fighting New York detective was portrayed wonderfully on Luke Cage by Simone Missick.

Easy Rawlins (Devil In A Blue Dress)

One of the few and most esteemed Black characters in old-fashioned noir fiction is Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins — first introduced in Walter Mosley’s 1990 novel, Devil in a Blue Dress. In the book’s 1995 adaptation, Academy Award winner Denzel Washington portrayed the World War II veteran who falls into the world of private investigation when his street smart intellect gets him enlisted to find a politician’s missing lover.

Roger Murtaugh (Lethal Weapon)

We wish we had a nickel for every time Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) proclaimed he was “getting too old for this shit” in one of the all-time greatest action movies, 1987’s Lethal Weapon, and its sequels. However, despite his age and no matter how uproarious his cases with his loose-canon partner, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), would get, the L.A. cop continued to fight.

Neal Washington (Hill Street Blues)

One of the best cop dramas of its time, if not all time, is Hill Street Blues, which boasted a diverse cast of characters, including standout Neal Washington (Emmy nominee Taurean Blacque). Known for his trademark toothpick and cap, the undercover veteran officer was a stern individual, but with a track record that earned him much respect and admiration from his peers.

Cleopatra Jones (Cleopatra Jones)

While the aforementioned John Shaft was the King of Blaxploitation, its queen would have to be… well, Pam Grier, who never actually played a cop in any of her most iconic roles from the era. However, when it came to ass-kicking Black females in official law enforcement positions in the 1970s, no one was better and badder than the title character of Cleopatra Jones — an undercover government agent played by Tamara Dobson in the 1973 hit and its 1975 sequel, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold.

Ron Stallworth (BlacKkKlansman)

In the early 1970s, Ron Stallworth became the first Black cadet at the Colorado Springs police department before going on to lead a secret operation to infiltrate the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. He later chronicled this previously classified operation in his memoir, which was adapted into director Spike Lee’s Oscar-winning film, BlacKkKlansman, in which Stallworth was portrayed by John David Washington.

These are only some of our favorite examples of Black detectives in pop culture. Follow the clues and seek more of them out!

When Eddie Murphy first played Axel Foley back in 1984, the actor was in his early twenties and branching out from his star-making stint as part of the Saturday Night Live cast. The release of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F comes four decades after the iconic Detroit police agent rolled through the streets of Los Angeles. And apparently, Murphy had a particular gripe about not changing one thing about his character – at first, anyway.

Axel Foley is back in action for Beverly Hills Cop 4 (which should've hit theaters), now streaming with a Netflix subscription. And yes, he’s still rocking that Detroit Lions jacket, alongside blue jeans and white Adidas. However, Axel’s wardrobe was a point of contention between Murphy and the movie’s creatives at first. As Eddie Murphy told The Ringer:

At first, Murphy felt Axel Foley, who is now in his sixties, should dress his age. However, as the filmmakers pointed out, the Beverly Hills Cop lead’s fashion is a huge part of the character. As the comedy legend continued:

Hey, it kind of makes sense that Axel Foley would be the kind of guy to rep his Detroit Lions bomber for decades upon decades, right? Plus, in the years since Eddie Murphy has become recognizable for so much more than Beverly Hills Cop, that perhaps the nostalgia of his specific wardrobe was a necessary ingredient that Murphy ended up coming around to. 

In Axel F, the detective returns to Beverly Hills after his estranged daughter (played by Taylour Paige) when her life is threatened. They both team up with another Beverly Hills-based detective, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Bobby Abbott, along with many of Axel Foley’s old pals along the way.

Yes, Judge Reinhold is back as Billy Rosewood, John Ashton plays John Taggart again, Paul Reiser’s Jeffrey Friedman and Bronson Pinchot’s Serge are all apart of the fourth Beverly Hills Cop. Plus, Kevin Bacon plays a new police captain at the BHPD named Cade Grant.

Ahead of the new Beverly Hills Cop movie coming to streaming, the movie got a good word from critics overall. CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg gave the movie a 3.5 out of 5 in our Axel F review, calling the comedy a “quality addition” to Eddie Murphy’s filmography and “unquestionably” the best legacy sequel the actor has ever made. You can see Eddie Murphy’s return in his iconic ‘80s role now on Netflix!

July’s lineup of 2024 movies seems to be heating up one whatever the audience’s screen of choice happens to be. In the case of Netflix’s new legacy-quel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Eddie Murphy returns after 30 years absent from his legendary action-comedy detective in an adventure that feels like a perfect bookend to the original Beverly Hills Cop. 

That’s partially because screenwriter Will Beall approached his turn at bat in the franchise with that sort of mindset on the page. Even he found himself dreaming up an opening action sequence that sounded cool, but was ultimately nixed by Axel F director Mark Malloy. After learning why this happened, I can’t say that I blame Mr. Malloy for his decision, and even Will Beall himself agreed with reigning it into what we can currently see on Netflix. 

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’s Much Bigger Opening

As I had the opportunity to sit down with Beall, on behalf of his work on both Beverly HIlls Cop 4 and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, there was plenty of action talk flying around in the room. But the alteration of the big opening chase on the streets of Detroit was inspired by a question I had about another very important subject: the needle drops for original trilogy songs like “Shakedown” and “The Neutron Dance” that found their way into the mix. 

Surprisingly enough, that subject made for a pretty easy door into how this opening sequence changed from page to screen. With that in mind, here’s what Will Beall told CinemaBlend about his suggestions for the soundtrack, and the action it accompanied: 

I have to admit, that does sound like a pretty killer opening for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. This chase scene happens pretty early in the movie, as we reunite with Eddie Murphy’s Axel while he’s on a case he shouldn’t be working. An ambitious theft during a Detroit Red Wings game is all it takes to bring us back to Detective Axel Foley’s trademark propensity for wit and property damage. 

Looking back at Will Beall’s commentary on Bad Boys 4s climactic gator-filled ending, I can see why he’d want to up the action on the page. Considering how much Beall loved Beverly Hills Cop III as a kid, as well as his fandom of the James Bond movies, that’s a recipe for some pretty large aspirations. However, as he revealed Axel F. director Mark Malloy’s concerns with this initial concept, I can definitely see why this wouldn’t have fit the movie at hand.

Why Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Director Mark Malloy Nixed The Frozen Detroit River Chase

While there aren’t any spoilers for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F present in this discussion, viewers that have enjoyed this picture through the use of a Netflix subscription can tell you the vision Will Beall described is significantly different from his original. Axel Foley’s return to action is still pretty pulse pounding, with composer Lorne Balfe’s score leading directly into the needle drop on Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” from the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack. 

It is a huge welcome back to those who have been waiting through decades of development hell, which included a failed Beverly HIlls Cop TV pilot that almost saw Eddie Murphy bringing the role back in 2013. Continuing his discussion with CinemaBlend, screenwriter Will Beall gave me the following insight into Mark Malloy’s process for making the movie: 

Listening to Will give Mark that sort of praise has me believing that sort of hype, for sure. As you’ll read in our own Eric Eisenberg’s Beverly HIlls Cop: Axel F review, the finished result is certainly a treat for those who were worried about another potential legacy-quel blowing its chance at glory. And now you have the chance to see that work for yourself, as this new movie is currency streaming for those of you who use the Netflix platform. 

But while you’re at it, be sure to also check out our Beverly HIlls Cop: Axel F interviews! There are plenty more stories from Eddie Murphy and his co-stars that celebrate Detective Foley’s resurgence, and isn’t a successful legacy-quel worth celebrating? 

Legacyquels are big business, and it doesn’t matter how many years have passed, movie lovers have long and loyal memories when it comes to certain franchises. On the heels of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprising their roles for another Bad Boys movie, Eddie Murphy is following suit with one of his most iconic characters — Axel Foley. The new action comedy Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F can be streamed with a Netflix subscription starting Wednesday, July 3, and critics have had the chance to screen the flick ahead of time. Let’s see what they’ve got to say.

It’s been 40 years since Eddie Murphy’s Axel first made the trip from Detroit to Beverly Hills, and it’s been a full 30 years since we last saw him in the misfire that was Beverly Hills Cop III. This time around the stakes are raised again, when Axel’s estranged daughter— criminal defense attorney Jane Saunders (Taylour Paige) — finds herself in danger, thus drawing the lieutenant away from Michigan again. In the CinemaBlend review of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Eric Eisenberg says the movie is way better than you’d expect, even with plenty of cliches. He rates it 3.5 out of 5 stars, writing: 

The Daily Beast’s Nick Schager agrees Beverly Hills Cop 4 is funnier than it has any right to be, with Eddie Murphy recapturing some of the wisecracking magic that drew audiences in to begin with. Schager says: 

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY gives it 3 out of 4 stars, calling the sequel “confident,” while it maintains old-school vibes. This movie reminds us why Beverly Hills Cop is one of Eddie Murphy’s best movies. Truitt writes:  

Luke Reilly of IGN a “Great” 8 out of 10, saying Axel F feels like an authentic continuation of the original, rather than an arbitrary remake, and Eddie Murphy appears entirely at ease as Axel Foley. Reilly continues: 

David Rooney of THR, however, isn’t as impressed as other critics, writing that Eddie Murphy is as charming as ever, but his material is just not sharp enough to generate big laughs. He concludes: 

It sounds like critics are mostly happy with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, and fans of the previous installments — particularly the 1984 original — will undoubtedly enjoy seeing the return of old favorites like Paul Reiser, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, in addition to seeing what Taylour Paige, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon bring to the franchise. Beverly Hills Cop 4 will be available to stream Wednesday, July 3, on Netflix — one of the best streaming services. 

To be perfectly blunt, my expectations going into director Mark Molloy’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. were dig-a-ditch-at-the-bottom-of-a-well low – and entirely to blame for these feelings was Coming 2 America. Like many others, I had high hopes for an Eddie Murphy renaissance following 2019’s Dolemite Is My Name, but the actor/producer’s first crack at a legacyquel to one of his classic 1980s films was a disaster (despite the star reuniting with Dolemite director Craig Brewer). The 2021 movie makes some of the worst choices that can be made with a comedy sequel, most notably rehashing the original’s plot and making recycling jokes the core of its humor.

I braced myself for more of the same with Murphy’s latest effort… and I think that was ultimately a good thing. The movie isn’t exceptional in any specific way, and it features plot and character dynamics that we’ve seen in dozens of other works, but it’s entertaining in similar ways to the original Beverly Hills Cop. It executes a number of funny bits (including a couple of excellent cameos), develops exciting action within thrilling set pieces, and it has a proper light touch when it comes to franchise callbacks. It succeeds in all the key areas where Coming 2 America fails.

Written by Will Beall, Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. catches up with Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy), who is older, but very much up to the same wild shenanigans that drive his former-partner/now-deputy chief Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser) nuts. He gets chewed out after causing wild amounts of damage commandeering a snow plow while going after a homicidal heist crew, calling his future on the streets into question – but his attention is abruptly diverted to Los Angeles, where his estranged daughter Jane Saunders (Taylor Paige) is in serious trouble.

A defense attorney, Jane takes on case involving the shooting of an officer referred to her by Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), who has left the Beverly Hills Police Department, but has continued investigating the alleged crime. When Jane’s life is threatened and Billy goes missing, Foley flies in to bring to light a conspiracy – led by the sinister and corrupt Captain Cade Grant (Kevin Bacon) – and simultaneously repair his broken relationship with his only child.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. sports a number of cliches, but navigates them with a talented cast.

From that plot description, it should be clear that there are a whole lot of tropes in play in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. I didn’t even mention that Axel partners up with a clever, dedicated cop/former helicopter pilot (Joseph Gordon Levitt) who is also Jane’s ex-boyfriend. The clichés are tolerable, however, and not just because this is the latest installment of a franchise created in the decade that birthed so many of them. The movie is able to sell them in large part because of some really smart casting choices.

While I typically dislike it when legacyquels suggest that the characters have been essentially standing still in their lives ever since we last saw them, Axel Foley is a protagonist with the proper charisma, confidence and energy to make that believable in this case – and it allows for some real and understandable drama between him and Jane (Taylour Paige does a skilled job balancing the chip on Jane’s shoulder about her absentee father and showing that she has inherited his flair and tenaciousness). The film doesn’t overplay the awkwardness of Axel teaming with his daughter’s ex (it’s good for a few chuckles), and instead, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Det. Bobby Abbott ends up having a great comedic chemistry with his temporary partner, akin to, but not a carbon copy of Axel’s bond with Billy Rosewood in the original.

First time feature director Mark Malloy demonstrates some real skills with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'s set pieces.

A perfect example of this comedic chemistry is when Axel and Bobby strap into a helicopter to make a daring escape… and only too late does Axel discover that there is a very good reason Bobby is a former helicopter pilot. The uneasy aerial adventure that follows is a thrill – but also one of a number of exciting and ridiculous Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. unfurls. The snow plow smashing its way through the streets of Detroit proves to be an eye-opening way to kick things off, and the film is never too far away from a chase through Rodeo Drive in a meter reader cart or broad daylight assassination attempt. It’s Mark Malloy’s feature debut as a director, and he demonstrates an impressive eye for action and ear for timing.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. makes callbacks and references, but doesn't break the movie to make them.

The cherry on top is that the film doesn’t abuse fans as a legacyquel – which is to say that it doesn’t beat fans over the head with callbacks that grow from tired to exhausting (again, I’m looking at you, Coming 2 America). Not only does it not make a habit of bending over backwards to make some kind of reference, but it actually finds natural ways to fold series staples into the mix – Billy referring the case to Jane and getting abducted being prime examples. The synth-heavy score formulated around the iconic theme never lets you forget the world you’re living in, and it’s consistently fun to see Axel brashly enter a room and take on a whole new persona to advance his investigation/not die.

The movie does give into its worst impulses at the very, very end with a phony scene that only exists to mirror a classic setup from the original movie, but by that point in the cinematic experience, it’s allowable.

Eddie Murphy’s run on screen in the last few years has been a roller coaster, but Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. is a quality addition to his filmography and a welcomed addition to a beloved late-20th century franchise. It’s not the best legacyquel, but it’s unquestionably the best that Murphy has made.

This week, one of Eddie Murphy's most iconic film franchise's will finally expand when Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F premieres after decades of remaining in development hell. Part of the reason for the long wait is clearly because, even though the first two movies were massive box office hits, the third installment did not live up to its predecessors. Ultimately, it was both a critical and commercial failure. Even Murphy has admitted that the threequel has problems, calling it “soft.” With that, the actor also explained just why the film was a misfire.

It’s difficult to argue that whatever magic was present within the first two Beverly Hills Cop movies was missing in the third. The first sequel only received middle-of-the-road reviews, but it was the highest-grossing domestic movie of 1987 because it had everything fans wanted out of a sequel (on paper). Eddie Murphy admits to Screen Rant that Cop III was missing some key elements that made the earlier movies good, specifically, one co-star and more. Murphy said…

While John Ashton's Sgt. Taggert may have only been a supporting player within the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, but Eddie Murphy thinks the missing character was one of the key elements the 1994 flick was lacking. In that movie, Taggert is revealed to have retired, and Judge Reinhold’s Billy Rosewood has a new partner. Thankfully, the new movie won’t have that problem as Ashton is returning to the franchise as part of the Axel F cast.

Cop IIIs failure was certainly disappointing for all involved, but that doesn’t mean it was a surprise. Eddie Murphy indicates that he knew the movie wasn’t clicking while he was filming it, as one scene was so cliched that he knew it was in trouble. He explained…

Beyond the fact that large parts of the movie took place at an amusement park, Valencia, CA’s Magic Mountain, standing in for the fictional theme park Wonder World, there wasn’t a lot that was special about Beverly Hills Cop II. In hindsight, the movie was more an excuse to get Eddie Murphy to play Axel again than it was a reason to do that.

On the plus side, the failure of the third film did result in a bit of a silver lining. The fourth film was held up mainly because the producers and leading man did their due diligence by waiting to find a story worth telling. One can only hope that this latest outing for Axel Foley will surely surpass his last one. Fans will find out on July 3 when Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F becomes available for Netflix subscribers. And check out the 2024 movie schedule to read up on other releases.

When the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F premiere date arrives on July 3 it will be the first time that Eddie Murphy and Judge Reinhold have been on screen together in the franchise in 30 years. But while the sequel has taken decades to finally materialize, it turns out the two actors have remained close in the years between films, and see each other every year, when they go duck hunting together. 

I certainly didn’t have “Eddie Murphy loves duck hunting” on my bingo card unless maybe I learned he was a fan of the classic Nintendo game Duck Hunt. But Judge Reinhold tells THR that duck hunting is actually a favorite pastime for Murphy, who has an extensive collection of taxidermy birds, and the pair have been hunting together for years. Reinhold explained…

I feel like if Eddie Murphy wanted the world to know he was an avid duck hunter, we’d know it, so this probably is something he was keeping intentionally hushed up. Hunting isn’t seen as the most noble pastime by many people, so that’s understandable. Still, I’m dying to know how Eddie Murphy (who was born in Brooklyn) became a guy who goes duck hunting in Minnesota once a year. 

There’s a scene in Beverly Hills Cop II where Ronny Cox’s character calls up Axel Foley to cancel a planned fishing trip. It’s a cool little moment for fans that reveals that since the events of the original movie, Foley and the cops from Beverly Hills became real friends, hanging out and even going on vacation together. 

It’s unclear exactly when the yearly duck hunting trip started, but it sounds like this movie moment may have been based in reality, as at least Murphy and Reinhold truly became friends. The two actors were the closest in age in the core cast, so that’s maybe not a surprise.

The Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast brings together several of the players from the original trilogy while also adding a few to the mix. While Murphy and Reinhold spend time together yearly, actor John Ashton apparently doesn’t go on the duck hunting trips. Reinhold says that when he, Ashton, and Murphy filmed a scene in a car, a callback to the classic scenes from the first Beverly Hills Cop, it was the first time the trio had been together since the last Beverly Hills Cop movie.

All three Beverly Hills Cop movies are available for those with a Netflix subscription so they can get caught up ahead of the release of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on July 3.

This summer has seen the rejuvenation of the aging action hero. Not Ryan Gosling. He’s perfectly fine as The Fall Guy. But the box office recently was dominated by Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, two guys who first started playing the Bad Boys in 1995. And this Fourth of July, a period that ironically once was dominated by Smith, we will be returning with Eddie Murphy to the glamorous neighborhood of Beverly Hills for a fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie, subtitled Axel F. It’ll be available on Netflix, one of the best streaming services available.

But what if it was called Shaq-sel F? That’s the premise of an hilarious new promo video that the ever-entertaining Shaquille O’Neal recorded for Netflix in which he donned Axel Foley’s iconic Detroit Lions jacket and pretended he was auditioning for Beverly Hills Cop. Shaq is gold. This is hysterical.

Shaquille O’Neal never was considered for the role of Axel Foley in the original Beverly Hills Cop. But do you know who was? Sylvester Stallone! Which makes sense on a certain level. Axel Foley is a Detroit Cop who follows a lead out to California when his close friend is murdered. With Stallone in the lead, that becomes way more like Cobra. Cast Eddie Murphy, fresh off of 48 Hours and Saturday Night Live, and you end up with  something far more fresh, funny, and long-lasting.

I also kind of love, in the Shaquille O’Neal promo video, that he uses a banana as a gun that’s hiding out in his pocket. It instantly calls to mind the prank that Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley pulled on two cops in the original Beverly HIlls Cop who were supposed to be tailing him. The old “banana in the tailpipe” routine. Classic.

Will audiences be primed for Eddie Murphy to return to Axel Foley in the fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie? A lot of time has passed since 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop 3, but that movie left a bad taste in the mouth of franchise fans, as it didn’t live up to the standard set by the original movie and its superior sequel (directed by the great Tony Scott). We have a lot of familiar faces rejoining Murphy in this sequel, including Judge Reinhold, Bronson Pinchot, Paul Reiser, and Johns Ashton. But we also get new characters joining the series… including an interesting new villain. Look for the latest Beverly Hills Cop story once it lands on Netflix beginning on July 3.

It’s been 40 years since the first Beverly Hills Cop movie opened in theaters. And if you aren’t old enough to remember it, it’s hard to describe just what a big movie it was. It was one of the highest-grossing movies of 1984, an incredible year at the box office, and it solidified Eddie Murphy as a bankable movie star, something that not everybody was sure Murphy could be. Now we’re getting close to the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F release date, and it sounds like for fans of the original, it was at least a fun movie to make.

Mark Molloy, the director of the new Beverly Hills Cop told EW he used to watch the original movie over and over again on VHS as a kid, and thus the movie was quite engrained in his memory. So for him, getting the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast of Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, and John Ashton together again, specifically, in a car, was a big moment. He explained…

While I’m not sure exactly how old Mark Molloy is, he must be about my age because I could have said the exact same thing about the first Beverly Hills Cop. I also watched it endlessly on VHS, when I was much younger than I probably should have been, and the image of the three actors in that car is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the movie. I still can't believe Sylvester Stallone could have starred in Beverly Hills Cop. It's impossible to image this movie being anything else than what it became.

I can’t even imagine how cool it was to see this moment live on set, where the three cops are back in similar positions, recreating the iconic shot. It was amazing enough just seeing it in the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F trailer.

Hopefully, this is exactly what this franchise needs, a director who has a passion for the original movie, and so clearly wants to make something that lives up to that film. It’s no secret that neither of the previous Beverly Hills Cop sequels lived up to the original, so the new movie is going to have some work ahead of it.

Fans will certainly be hoping that Axel F is a great Beverly Hills Cop movie, even if we had to wait 40 years to get another one. While Murphy admits doing a Beverly Hills Cop sequel at his age was hard, but hopefully it was worth it.

The long-awaited Beverly Hills Cop 4 is finally set to be released this summer, meaning that Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley will once again be on the scene. And the star won't be alone, of course., as he'll be joined by a mix of franchise newcomers and OGs, with one of the former being Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The actor has referred to his time working with Murphy as a treat and, based on the explosive Axel F trailer, their two characters will have an interesting relationship. Gordon-Levitt got close enough to the comedy icon off camera that he got to see a somewhat nerdier side of him while filming the sequel, and I wish I could’ve been a fly on the wall.

Many would likely relish the former 3rd Rock from the Sun star's position, given he's part of the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast. The highly anticipated flick will see Joseph Gordon-Levitt play straight-laced BH detective Bobby Abbott opposite Eddie Murphy’s vivacious Foley. Gordon-Levitt recently opened up to Empire about what it was like working with the Oscar nominee on the action movie. Amid the chat, he also revealed a topic of discussion that allowed him and his co-star to bond:

It's nice to know that Eddie Murphy is an audiophile like so many people. Music is definitely an element that connects folks, and it's cool that the two co-stars were able to bond over it. I would’ve loved to have heard their conversations about those soul and rock classics. I specifically want to know what stuck out to them in each song. What did they think of the instrumentals? Did they dive deeper into each artist’s discography? Hopefully, the two A-listers will discuss their music conversations when they start promoting the movie.

While the actors themselves seem to have a few things in common, that doesn't sound as true for their characters. The Looper star delved into Abbott and Foley’s differing personalities, teasing what their dynamic will be like. He explained:

By all accounts, they're going to be a true odd couple, and the fact that Bobby is the ex-boyfriend of Axel's daughter should add another interesting wrinkle in their relationship. Abbott is just one of the law enforcement vets who's teaming up with Axel this time around, as Judge Reinhold and John Ashton are reprising their roles as Billy Rosewood and John Taggart, respectively. Those reunions will be fun to see, but I'm also eager to see Eddie Murphy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's on-screen chemistry. Here's hoping it's as delightful as their music conversations apparently were.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F will premiere for Netflix subscribers on July 3, and that membership currently gets you access to the first movie in the franchise. You can also stream that 1984 flick alongside its first two sequels using a Paramount+ subscription.

A great movie is often made better by a great song. Often, those songs become huge hits on their own and have just as much, or more, of a legacy as the movie itself. Here is our list of 32 hit songs from movie soundtracks that still get played often. 

“My Heart Will Go On” (Titanic)

You can’t have this list without the massive Celine Dion hit “My Heart Will Go On” from another massive hit, Titanic. The song went to #1 in more than 25 countries worldwide and sold somewhere in the neighborhood of seven million copies. It made Dion an international superstar and remains a song people all over the world love. 

"Fight the Power" (Do the Right Thing)

Sometimes people forget that the Public Enemy track "Fight the Power" is from a soundtrack. The song by the pioneering hip hop crew has taken on a true life of its own with its strong social message and fantastic beat. It did, however, start life as part of the soundtrack for Spike Lee’s revolutionary Do the Right Thing, a movie the song fits perfectly in. 

“I Will Always Love You” (The Bodyguard)

Whitney Houston was a national treasure before her untimely death at age 48. Her biggest hit, “I Will Always Love You” from The Bodyguard was written by another national treasure, Dolly Parton. The combination of the two proved to be immensely powerful and successful, as the song, and the soundtrack album it is on, dominated the charts for months, starting in late 1992. The album spent a total of 121 weeks on the charts, nearly two and a half years! 

“The Heat Is On” (Beverly Hills Cop)

The late Glenn Fry had a slew of hits with his original band, The Eagles, and in the ‘80s he had a bunch of solo hits as well. The most prominent being “The Heat Is On” on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. The opening notes crash into the opening scene of the movie and people have loved the song ever since. 

“Danger Zone” (Top Gun)

Kenny Loggins was soundtrack gold in the 1980s. He had huge hits in a number of movies including Caddyshack and Footloose, but maybe his most enduring hit is “Danger Zone” from the Top Gun soundtrack. It’s still so popular that the original version was used in Top Gun: Maverick rather than an updated version. Amazingly, it was offered to a number of artists before Loggins, but we can’t imagine anyone else singing it. 

"Happy" (Despicable Me 2)

Is there a more aptly named song than Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”? It’s a song that just makes you, well, happy. Like the movie it’s from, Despicable Me 2, it’s full of joy and you can’t not be in a good after watching the movie or listening to the song. It was an instant classic when it was released on the soundtrack and remains so today. 

"Sunflower" (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)

With over 2 billion views on YouTube, "Sunflower" by Post Malone and Swae Lee from the Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse soundtrack is a true earworm. It’s a song you can listen to over and over and never get sick of. Superhero movies don’t tend to produce a ton of hit songs, for whatever reason, but "Sunflower" is a huge exception. 

“9 To 5” (9 To 5)

There is no way to play Dolly Parton’s “9 To 5” and not immediately get motivated. If you ever feel low on energy, just pop this song, and bam! you’re off to the races. It’s a song you still hear all the time, despite coming out as part of the soundtrack to the movie of the same name more than 40 years ago. Dolly truly is the greatest, we think you’ll agree. 

“Stayin' Alive” (Saturday Night Fever)

The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack was a cultural phenomenon in the late ‘70s. To this day it’s one of the best-selling albums of all time, with an estimated 40 million copies sold. The soundtrack, the sound of the ‘70s, was anchored by the now-legendary disco song “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees. The song was such a huge hit, that they named the sequel to Saturday Night Fever after it, though that’s a sequel we’d rather forget. 

“Gangsta Paradise” (Dangerous Minds)

The late Coolio’s hit "Gangsta Paradise" from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack is a great example of a song’s legacy far outlasting the movie’s. The movie, starring Michelle Pfeiffer, was a huge hit in 1995, but you have to wonder if the song drove more of the box office than the movie itself. It’s not a terrible movie by any means, but it's not surprising the song is more popular today than the film. 

“Ghostbusters” (Ghostbusters)

The tale of the signature song from the Ghostbusters soundtrack is long and sordid. There have been disputes and lawsuits along the way, but the Ray Parker, Jr. remains a banger and one that gets played all the time, especially at every Halloween party you’ve ever been to. The video is also legendary with all kinds of stars making cameos, and singing along with it. 

“Lose Yourself” (8 Mile)

Eminem’s legacy is cemented as one of the best rappers of all time. He also took a foray into acting for a bit, starring in the semi-autobiographical 8 Mile in 2002. It’s a good movie, though a little dated these days. The hit song from it, “Lose Yourself” is definitely not dated, however, and people still love listening to the hip hop anthem today. 

“I'm Alright” (Caddyshack)

Even in the 2020s, on golf courses all over the world, you will hear quotes and references to Caddyshack and that includes the theme song from the movie, “I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins. One of a slew of soundtrack hits for Loggins in the ‘80s, “I’m Alright” was the first to launch that part of the singer's career, and it’s kept him relevant for years, decades even. 

“You've Got A Friend In Me” (Toy Story)

Randy Newman is one of the truly underappreciated songwriters of the late 20th Century, but it’s really great to know that one of his songs, “You've Got A Friend In Me” from Pixar’s Toy Story, has become part of the American music lexicon. Generations of kids have now grown up singing the happy ditty and it will surely be a favorite for kids for generations more. The song, like the movie, will always find a new young audience.

“Let's Go Crazy” (Purple Rain)

Prince owned the mid-1980s with hits like “1999,” “Little Red Corvette,” “Controversy,” and more. In 1984 he took on the most ambitious project of his career, a movie called Purple Rain and the soundtrack to accompany it. The movie was a success, and the album was a full-blown blockbuster. There are a bunch of songs we could choose here, but by far the most fun is “Let’s Go Crazy.” The guitar solo at the end is one of the best ever played in pop music, period. 

“Don't You (Forget About Me)” (The Breakfast Club)

The Scottish band Simple Minds had been building a solid career for themselves in the U.K. in the early ‘80s but had not found any success breaking through in America. That was until 1985 when they were asked to record “Don't You (Forget About Me)” for the soundtrack to The Breakfast Club. The song was then, and remains, a true anthem of the decade. 

“Theme From Shaft” (Shaft)

To later generations, Isaac Hayes is probably best known as the voice of Chef on South Park, but for any film fan from the ‘70s, he’s the guy who wrote and recorded the soundtrack to the original Shaft. The whole soundtrack is filled with funky goodness, but the theme song remains the most iconic. It’s been referenced in pop culture all over the place, including in a very funny bit on Newsradio in the ‘90s and of course, in an episode of The Simpsons in Season 2. 

“Mrs. Robinson” (The Graduate)

It was pretty rare in the 1960s to get a pop group, or folk duo in this case, to do an entire film soundtrack, but in the case of The Graduate, it was a brilliant decision. Simon & Garfunkel wrote and recorded the soundtrack, which includes one of the best songs of the 20th century, “Mrs. Robinson.” In the years since it was released in 1968, it’s been covered by many other artists including Frank Sinatra and The Lemonheads, who had a big hit with it in the ‘90s. 

“(I've Had) The Time of My Life” (Dirty Dancing)

When it was released in 1987, Dirty Dancing grew its audience through word of mouth and people returned again and again, Like the movie, the final song of the film “(I've Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes gets people coming back to it over and over. It’s a beloved song for multiple generations. It even won the Oscar for Best Original Song, one of the most enduring songs to ever do so. 

“Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

Unless you already know that “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” by BJ Thomas is from Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid you’d never guess it. It seems so out of place, yet somehow works perfectly in the movie. The movie is an all-time great Western and the song feels straight out of the era the movie came out, the late ‘60s. It’s popular today to make period pieces with modern music, but it was a rarity then.

“Tears In Heaven” (Rush)

Eric Clapton’s plaintiff hit “Tears In Heaven” is a great example of a song far outshining the movie it was written for. Rush, starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jason Patric is largely forgotten these days but the song, which Clapton wrote about his young son who tragically died, has endured for decades and is still a highlight of his live concerts. 

“Footloose” (Footloose)

Kenny Loggins just churned out hit after hit in the ‘80s. Most of them came from movies, like his iconic “Footloose” from the Kevin Bacon movie of the same name. The movie feels a little dated these days, but the song is a perfect moment in time that makes it, in fact, timeless. We dare you to try to not sing along and dance when you play it by yourself in the car. Go on, try. 

"Check On It" (The Pink Panther)

Let’s be honest, the 2006 version of The Pink Panther starring Steve Martin is mostly forgettable. The exception is co-star Beyonce and her banger of a hit “Check On It.” It’s vintage Beyonce and should be played at a high volume, as much as possible. It’s been far more enduring than the movie it came from. 

“Young And Beautiful” (The Great Gatsby)

One of the most striking things about Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby was the modern music set against the backdrop of 1920s America. The soundtrack is fantastic and Lana Del Ray’s "Young And Beautiful" is a song that people still love listening to today. 

“Eye Of The Tiger” (Rocky III)

One of the best songs to get you pumped up and psyched for…anything really… is “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor. Written as the theme song for Rocky III the song has since become the ultimate 1980s anthem and has been used in countless movies and TV shows, not to mention commercials and, of course, in sports stadiums all over the world.

"Crazy For You" (Vision Quest)

Did you know that the Madonna hit "Crazy For You"  is from a movie soundtrack? No? That’s not a surprise. The song was first released as part of the soundtrack for Vision Quest. The movie was nowhere near as big a hit as the song, which Madonna actually performs in the film. The song was so much more popular, in fact, that when the movie was released worldwide, the name was changed to Crazy For You in some countries. 

“We Don't Need Another Hero” (Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome)

The late Tina Turner had one of the most enduring careers in showbiz history.  One of her best appearances was in 1985’s Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Even more memorable was the song she recorded for the soundtrack, “We Don't Need Another Hero,” which became one of the biggest hits of her legendary career. 

“I Don't Want to Miss a Thing” (Armageddon)

Aerosmith has been one of the biggest bands in the world for decades now but their only #1 hit came from the Armageddon soundtrack. Despite multiple songs making their way into the Top 10, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” is the only one to hit the pinnacle for the Boston band. 

“Superfly” (Superfly)

Superfly is probably the most famous movie in the 1970s genre known as blaxploitation. While it’s a great movie that has a strong cult following, the soundtrack has endured even more, especially the theme song of the same name, written and performed by the great Curtis Mayfield. 

“Take My Breath Away” (Top Gun) 

It’s very rare for a soundtrack to have more than one hit, but the soundtrack for Top Gun had 3 Top Ten hits, with “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin reaching  #1. It also won the Oscar for Best Song and has become a staple of 80s music stations in the years since. 

“Power Of Love” (Back To The Future)

Huey Lewis and The News’ "Power Of Love" from “Back To The Future” just oozes great ‘80s power pop. One of the biggest hits of the band’s career, the song is even featured within the story of the movie when Marty McFly’s (Michael J. Fox) band, The Pinheads, play it in their audition for the battle of the bands before the judge, played by Huey Lewis, tells them it’s just too loud. It’s a song we’d all love to see The Pinheads play in real life, right?

“Wing Beneath My Wings” (Beaches)

Bette Midler’s biggest hit came fairly deep into her amazing career when she hit it huge with the theme song from her movie Beaches. Midler has continued to sing it often, including at a memorial for 9/11 victims in 2001 at Yankee Stadium, just days after the attack. The movie, while good, isn’t on the same level as the song. 

So here's our list of songs that are at least as enduring as the movies they come from. There's no doubt in the years to come, more tunes will emerge like these because we all love songs like this. 

When all-time great movie stars are discussed, Eddie Murphy should really be in the conversation, and for good reason. The seasoned actor and comedian has headlined some of the most iconic films in the history of cinema. While he definitely knows how to hit viewers’ funny bones, he’s also been lauded for his dramatic work. It would be an understatement to say that Murphy has produced an impressive body of work throughout his illustrious career. Luckily, many of his famous movies are available to watch, and we’re going to talk about them.

48 Hrs. (1982)

While the comic was a superstar on Saturday Night Live by the time he booked his first film, 48 Hrs., he wasn’t a proven movie star. Ultimately though, he more than made his mark through his performance as Reggie Hammond in the early ‘80s buddy comedy. Walter Hill’s gritty and funny flick sees Nick Nolte play rumpled cop Jack Cates, who must team up Hammond, a witty convict, to catch a pair of criminals under the titular amount of time. This movie delivers plenty of thrills, but it also serves up a considerable amount of laughs, many of which come courtesy of the SNL vet.

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Trading Places (1983)

Another one of the actor’s earliest (and funniest) features is the John Landis-directed Trading Places. This humorous tale centers on two men – one a wealthy commodities trader (Dan Aykroyd) and the other a poor con artist (Eddie Murphy). Their lives are turned upside down when, unbeknownst to them, a pair of sibling tycoons have them swap lifestyles as part of their personal game. This all amounts to a funny film that even provides a bit of commentary on capitalism and social class. And, of course, Murphy (who showed up late to set one day) is perfect, as are Jamie Lee Curtis, Denholm Elliot and the rest of the cast.

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Rent/Buy Trading Places on Amazon Prime Video.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

Even if you’ve never seen Beverly Hills Cop before, chances are you’ve at least heard of this Jerry Bruckheimer-produced classic. After Sylvester Stallone walked away from the production, Martin Brest’s beloved flick thrust Eddie Murphy into the role of Axel Foley. The film centers on Foley, a Detroit native, who travels to the eponymous town to track down the man responsible for his friend’s murder and teams up with some local officers. 

Murphy is pure dynamite in this one, which is why Axel is one of cinema’s most iconic characters. This is simply one of the best buddy cop flicks ever made, as it has a strong script, an A+ cast, impressive action sequences and pitch-perfect music.

Stream Beverly Hills Cop on Paramount+.
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Eddie Murphy Raw (1987)

Though he became a movie star, the entertainer didn’t leave his stand-up comedy roots right away. In fact, several years after headlining his iconic Delirious special, the A-lister took his act to the big screen via Eddie Murphy Raw. Directed by fellow comedian, Robert Townsend, the flick sees Murphy talking about a wide array of topics, including sex, relationships, childhood growing pains and more. 

The well-reviewed production was a hit upon its release and as of this writing, is still the highest grossing stand-up comedy film of all time. It may not quite reach the comedic heights of Murphy’s 1983 set, but it’s still a good (and raunchy) time.

Stream Eddie Murphy Raw on Paramount+.
Stream Eddie Murphy Raw on Pluto TV.

Coming To America (1988)

Coming to America may be the most iconic credit that the actor has to his name, and that’s saying a lot. This riotous, highly quotable (and rewatchable) comedy reunites the leading man with director John Landis. It sees the Best Defense alum take on the role of Prince Akeem of Zamunda, who travels to New York City’s Queens to find a wife. You’d be hard pressed to find a funnier fish-out-of-water story than this one. Amid the dirty humor, there’s also a true warmth to this one, and it’s easily one of the best romantic comedies of all time.

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Stream Coming to America on Pluto TV.
Stream Coming to America on Hulu.

Harlem Nights (1989)

Eddie Murphy hit a major milestone with Harlem Nights, as it's the first (and as of right now, only) movie he’s ever directed. The period dramedy, which Murphy also wrote, is about nightclub owners seeking to defend their establishment from gangsters and corrupt cops in 1930s New York. 

There’s a murderer’s row of talent on display in this one, as Murphy is joined by the likes of Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Della Reese, Charlie Murphy, Robin Harris, Arsenio Hall and more. While not a critical or box office darling, it has arguably remained a fan favorite due to its stellar cast and humorously memorable scenes.

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Boomerang (1992)

An incredibly underrated rom-com, Boomerang is, in some ways, one of the more overlooked titles within the Oscar nominee’s massive body of work. Reginald Hudlin’s comically romantic tale has Mr. Murphy playing a successful playboy executive, who gets a taste of his own medicine after he meets his female equivalent (Robin Givens). This charming movie sports a talented supporting cast composed of Halle Berry, David Alan Grier, Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock, Grace Jones and Eartha Kitt. If you’re looking to laugh and feel a bit fuzzy inside, this is for you.

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The Nutty Professor (1996)

Another staple of Murphy’s movie resume is The Nutty Professor, which is a remake of Jerry Lewis’ 1963 film of the same name. The sci-fi tale centers on Dr. Sherman Klump, who seeks to lose weight to earn the affections of a woman (Jada Pinkett Smith). To do so, he creates a formula that helps him drop the pounds, but what he gains is an unstable alter ego named Buddy Love. 

Directed by Ace Ventura: Pet Detective’s Tom Shadyac, this is a funny movie that’s also as warm as its protagonist. It’s also an excellent showcase for Murphy, specifically his ability to effortlessly play multiple roles – sometimes in the same scene.

Stream The Nutty Professor on The Roku Channel.
Rent/Buy The Nutty Professor on Prime Video.

Mulan (1998)

Eddie Murphy more than proved himself as a voice actor through Mulan, which still stands as one of Walt Disney Pictures best features. It tells the story of a young woman (Ming-Na Wen), who disguises herself as a man and enlists amid a conscription in ancient China in place of her elderly father. Murphy plays the wise-cracking dragon, Mushu, who (unbeknownst to the ancestors) becomes Mulan’s guide. Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft’s film as a whole is wonderful, and Murphy more than excels at voicing one of the most endearing (and annoying) Disney sidekicks.

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Rent/Buy Mulan on Prime Video.

Dr. Dolittle (1998)

Another notable remake the actor starred in is Dr. Dolittle, a reimagining of the 1967 fantasy film and a loose adaptation of the books by Hugh Lofting. This is the funny story of a successful surgeon who finds his world turned upside down after he rediscovers his ability to talk to animals. This feature from director Betty Thomas is fun to watch and is one of the best Black family films available. Come for the furry friends and funny quips, and stay for the warm story and solid performances.

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Rent/Buy Dr. Dolittle on Prime Video.

Bowfinger (1999)

If you’re looking for a great satirical comedy, then 1999’s Bowfinger should be right up your alley. This farce comes from the humorous mind of Steve Martin, who wrote and starred in the Frank Oz-directed feature. Martin stars as a small-time film producer who attempts to make his first movie on a tight budget and with an A-list star (Eddie Murphy), without the actor knowing he’s even in it. Murphy plays a dual role here and, at times, he’s downright historical in the roles of Kit and Jiff Ramsey. All in all, this is another unappreciated gem from the comedian’s filmography.

Rent/Buy Bowfinger on Prime Video.
Buy Bowfinger on Apple TV.

Shrek (2001)

It’s fair to say that a lot of people are well aware of Eddie Murphy’s work as the loud, funny and lovable Donkey within the Shrek franchise. The star is practically a revelation in the first film, which is helmed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson. It’s a cynical and humorous fairy tale spoof about an ogre, who – in an attempt to regain control of his swamp home – makes a deal with a devious lord to rescue a princess. Of course, the reluctant hero can’t do that without the help of his furry buddy. Murphy is pitch perfect in this role, and it’s easy to see why he was cast. Overall, he makes a total ass of himself (pun intended). 

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Rent/Buy Shrek on Prime Video.

Dreamgirls (2006)

Dreamgirls is definitely one of the marquee titles on the Daddy Day Care star’s list of credits. He played the role of James “Thunder” Early in Bill Condon’s theatrical adaptation of the 1981 Broadway play. Unsurprisingly, the music hits well, and the performances from Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Jamie Foxx and co. are excellent. Eddie Murphy’s tremendous work as Early earned him a Golden Globe as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, which was his first nod from the Academy.

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Rent/Buy Dreamgirls on Prime Video.

Tower Heist (2011)

To be honest, Brett Ratner’s Tower Heist was a well-needed return to form for Mr. Murphy at the time it opened in theaters. He plays the role of a sharp-tongued hustler, who teams up with members of a hotel’s staff to steal back money from their corrupt bosses after losing their pensions. Murphy’s greatness in the film is one of the many reasons why you should check it out, especially since it’s very reminiscent of Beverly Hills Cop and 48 Hrs.

Buy/Rent Tower Heist on Prime Video.
Buy Tower Heist on Apple TV.

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

The critically acclaimed Dolemite Is My Name was a passion project for Eddie Murphy, who’d long wanted to tell the true story of underground comic Rudy Ray Moore. Dolemite chronicles the late stand-up’s rise as a filmmaker and the formation of his eponymous alter ego. Murphy shines as Moore and imbues the role – and Craig Brewer’s biopic as a whole - with equal amounts of raunchiness and earnestness. This is arguably some of the best work of the actor’s career.

Stream Dolemite Is My Name on Netflix.

Needless to say, Eddie Murphy has produced some incredible work, which spans genres and mediums. It’s not hard to see why he continues to work, and he deserves to keep getting his flowers. You can also honor the man by checking out these great titles. 

You can typically tell who is meant to be considered the “hero” of a movie by identifying the title role or looking at the top-billed cast member. However, there are many ‘80s movie characters who often go overlooked for the pivotal role they play in bringing things to a satisfying conclusion. We took a deeper look at some of the best movies of the 1980s, identified who we believe is the real hero, and decided to give them the credit they deserve.

Short Round (Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom)

While many like to criticize Raiders of the Lost Ark by claiming Indiana Jones' actions have no bearing on the plot, it is more surprising that Harrison Ford's intrepid archaeologist gets more credit for defeating the Thuggee Cult than he really deserves in the sequel. If not for Short Round (Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan in his debut role) freeing Indy from their captors' spell, 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom would not have had the happy ending the bleak thriller so thankfully concludes on.

Sgt. Al Powell (Die Hard)

In arguably the greatest action movie ever made (let alone one of the best Christmas movies), 1988’s Die Hard, as John McClane (Bruce Willis) is single-handedly warring against violent thieves invading Nakatomi Plaza, his only real ally at ground zero is Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson). At the very end, the L.A. cop actually ends up taking out the last of Hans Gruber’s (Alan Rickman) goons, Karl (Alexander Gudunov), with the first shot he gained the courage to take in years.

Boy In Police Station (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

At the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the title character (Matthew Broderick) probably would have gotten caught without help from his sister, Jeanie (Jennifer Grey), who would not have been willing to help if she hadn't met Charlie Sheen's character at the police station. Not to mention, despite his off-putting appearance, the unnamed teen gives off a more genuine and endearing aura than the central character of John Hughes's 1986 classic.

George McFly (Back To The Future)

When Marty McFly's (Michael J. Fox) plan to get his future mother, Lorraine (Lea Thompson), and father, George (Crispin Glover), to fall in love goes awry courtesy of Biff (Tom Wilson), George gains the courage he needs to knock the ruthless bully out himself. This ensures that Marty will one day be born and changes his family's fate for the better at the end of the 1985 time travel movie masterpiece, Back to the Future.

Chunk (The Goonies)

Out of the entire Goonies cast — a stunning who’s who of future A-listers, including Sean Astin and Josh Brolin — it is Chunk (Jeff Cohen) who has the most memorable and inspiring character arc. He goes from being the butt of every joke to the one who helps rescue his buddies from The Fratellis (with help from Sloth, of course).

Jessica Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

In 1988’s groundbreaking fusion of live-action with animation, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Jessica Rabbit (voiced by Kathleen Turner) assures private eye Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) that she is not bad, but “just drawn that way.” She goes on to prove that her words ring true by becoming a pivotal role in Valiant’s effort to clear her husband (Charles Fleischer in the title role) for murder.

Wang Chi (Big Trouble In Little China)

Kurt Russell may get top billing and his character, Jack Burton, may kill Lo Pan (James Hong) by the end, but did you ever notice that is really his only heroic act in 1986's Big Trouble in Little China? His Chinese-American best friend, Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), is the one who makes the smartest decisions and kicks the most butt in John Carpenter's cult-favorite fantasy that is lauded for its predominantly Asian cast at a time when such representation was scarce.

Rebecca "Newt" Jorden (Aliens)

Aliens may have solidified Sigourney Weaver's Scream Queen status and made a heroic icon out of her character, Ellen Ripley, but the most courageous and resourceful character in James Cameron's 1986 sci-fi sequel has to be Carrie Henn as Newt. The young girl manages to survive on a planet overrun with Xenomorphs all by herself before the arrival of a crew of marines, who also might not have survived as long as they did without her tips and tricks.

Rufus (Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure)

If you think about it, the plot of 1989’s Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is not so different from The Terminator, which makes George Carlin's Rufus the sci-fi comedy's own Kyle Reese. The time-traveler ensures a bright future by helping the titular messianic duo (Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter) at every turn, including in 1991’s Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey when he disguises himself as Pam Grier’s character, Mrs. Wardroe, to let them into Battle of the Bands.

The Ewoks (Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi)

There are many Star Wars fans who see the Ewoks as nothing but a cheap  gimmick to attract younger audiences to the franchise. Whether or not that is true, the cute, cuddly warriors were pivotal to the Empire's downfall at the end of 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Grandpa (The Princess Bride)

In 1987’s The Princess Bride, there is no real doubt that Westley (Cary Elwes), Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and Fezzik (Andre the Giant) are the heroes of the enchanting, action-packed fairy tale. However, to us, the hero of the whole movie is Peter Falk's character, who takes the time to visit his ill grandson (Fred Savage) and read to him the story within the story.

Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

The main protagonist of 1982’s Blade Runner is, of course, Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard, but his job as a cop assigned to retire Replicants makes him a better qualifier for the villain of the story. It is Roy Batty's (Rutger Hauer) bid to try to give artificial humans like himself a chance at a better, longer life that makes him the real hero of Ridley Scott's groundbreaking, futuristic noir.

Ophelia (Trading Places)

After losing everything as part of an experiment to make him poor and give his job to the impoverished Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy), hot shot investor Louis Winthorpe (Dan Aykroyd) crosses paths with a street walker named Ophelia (Jamie Lee Curtis). While she was initially hired by Clarence Beeks (Paul Gleason) to make life even worse for him, she takes him in, cares for him, and attempts to help him get back on his feet, making her the true hero of 1983’s Trading Places.

Cabbie (Escape From New York)

One of Kurt Russell’s most iconic roles is Snake Plissken — a hardened criminal tasked with rescuing the President (Donald Pleasance) from a penal colony that used to be Manhattan in a dystopian 1997 in John Carpenter’s 1981 cult favorite, Escape from New York. The only incarcerated individual who is selflessly willing to help the anti-hero complete his mission in time is Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine’s Cabbie, whose own taxi ends up being Snake’s escape vehicle.

Carl Fox (Wall Street)

Oliver Stone’s 1987 drama Wall Street chronicles the rise and fall of ambitious stockbroker Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), as a result of taking orders from the devil on his shoulder: the ruthless Gordon Gecko (Academy Award winner Michael Douglas). If only he had listened to the angel on his shoulder — his father and the moral center of the story, Carl (Sheen’s real-life father, Martin Sheen) — he might not have wound up behind bars.

Queen Aoleon (Coming To America)

In Coming to America, Akeem’s (Eddie Murphy) chances at a life with his true love, Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), are almost ruined by his father, King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones), if not for the support of his mother, Queen Aoleon, who we assume talked sense into her husband offscreen. Her tender-hearted performance and truly majestic presence in the 1988 comedy makes us sad that the late Madge Sinclair could not reprise the role in 2021’ Coming 2 America.

Bub (Day Of The Dead)

Never did a horror fan have any reason to feel empathy or admiration for a zombie until writer and director George A. Romero introduced “Bub” in 1985’s Day of the Dead. Played by Sherman Howard, the reanimated corpse displays an unusual level of intelligence, endearing human characteristics, and a strong compassion for his handler, Dr. Matthew Logan (Richard Liberty) which drives him to seek vengeance on his murderer and the film’s true villain, Capt. Henry Rhodes (Joseph Pilato).

The Gopher (Caddyshack)

As far as we are concerned, anyone who proves to be a source of frustration for Judge Smails (Ted Knight) is on the side of heroism in the classic 1980 comedy, Caddyshack. That being said, absolutely no one gets under that man's skin like the Gopher who lives underneath Bushwood Country Club and makes burrows in the golf course grounds wherever he goes.

Cousin Eddie (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation)

When Eddie (Randy Quaid, reprising his role from 1983’s Vacation) arrives at the Griswolds’ house unannounced, Clark (Chevy Chase) believes his holidays are destined for disaster. He is right, but his otherwise annoying and absent-minded cousin is responsible for very few of the uproarious mishaps in 1989’s National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. In fact, he really comes through at the end when he brings Clark’s boss, Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle-Murray), to the house, where he becomes ultimately convinced to give Clark the bonus he deserves.

Dawson (Adventures In Babysitting)

We are not just including Dawson, Vincent D’Onofrio’s garage mechanic character from 1987’s Adventure in Babysitter, because he happens to look like one of Marvel Comics’ iconic depiction of Thor. Then again, if not for that striking resemblance, he might not have been coerced into giving Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) a $5 dollar discount for her car repair by young Sara Anderson (Maia Brewton) who calls him her hero. 

Carl (The Breakfast Club)

The character who forever changed the way high schoolers perceive their custodial employees was Carl (John Kapelos) from 1985’s The Breakfast Club, who has a bit of a heart-to-heart with the nearly sadistic Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason). We like to think that the janitor's defense of the students in detention that day got through to the uptight teacher so, by the time he reads their letter at the end of John Hughes’ quintessential teen dramedy, he may have seen them in a new, more sympathetic light.

Vi Moore (Footloose)

In Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) refers to Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) as the hero of Footloose for bringing the joys of dancing back to the small, conservative town of Bomont. However, there is one character from the 1984 classic of equal (or even greater) importance that he should have also mentioned: Vi Moore (Dianne Wiest), who breaks her long silence and ultimately convinces her strict preacher husband, Shaw (John Lithgow), to give the town’s youth the freedom the dance.

Billy Francis Kopecki (Big)

In 1988’s Big, when 13-year-old Josh’s (David Moscow) wish to be a grown-up mysteriously comes true, turning him into Tom Hanks, the only one coming to his aid (after some convincing) is his best friend, Billy (Jared Rushton). He tries to be there to get his buddy through his strange situation in any way he can, even helping him get a job, but when Josh starts act a little too grown-up, it is Billy who brings him back down to Earth, reminding him it is time become his real self again.

Mr. Green (Clue)

Determining the real hero of Clue depends on which ending of the 1985 board game-inspired whodunit you consider canon. The conclusion we like to settle on reveals that Mr. Green (Michael McKean) is an undercover FBI agent, which he announces after shooting Wadsworth (Tim Curry), who also turns out to be the real Mr. Boddy.

The Gyro Captain (The Road Warrior)

Things between Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) and a fellow loner known only as The Gyro Captain (Bruce Spence) get off to a rough start in the second installment of George Miller’s Mad Max franchise, released as The Road Warrior in the States. However, the gyrocopter pilot comes to see the hardened former cop as a great teammate, later rescues him from a near-fatal accident, and assists him in his race to bring the rig to the Oil Refinery compound.

Mrs. Parker (A Christmas Story)

There are countless cinematic mothers, especially from the 1980s, who deserve more credit than they receive, and the quintessential example has to be Melinda Dillon’s role in 1983’s A Christmas Story. The classic moment when she keeps her son, Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), out of trouble with The Old Man (Darren McGavin) after his tussle with Skut Farkus (Zach Ward) is just one way she shows her loving devotion to her family and undisputedly earning the honor to be called a hero. 

Curtis (The Blues Brothers)

The heart and soul of the best movie based on Saturday Night Live characters, The Blues Brothers, is Cab Calloway's Curtis, who served as a father figure for the titular siblings, introducing them to music in their youth. Not to mention, he motivates them to attend a church service that ends up giving them the idea to put the band back together to save the orphanage.

Ken Pile (A Fish Called Wanda)

It comes as a surprise to see the stuttering, accident-prone goof, Ken Pile (Michael Palin), take down the true antagonist of 1988’s A Fish of Wanda, Otto West (Oscar winner Kevin Kline). To avenge the death of his beloved fish, Ken runs over Otto with a steamroller when he is stuck in cement, seemingly putting an end to his career in thievery, until we discover at the end that he survived the ordeal. Nonetheless, to see Ken get even with his enemy is one of the hit comedy’s most satisfying moments.

Otto (Airplane!)

When food poisoning incapacitates the entire piloting staff on a commercial flight, former fighter pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays) is asked to help bring the also ill passengers to safety, but he is not the only one equipped for the job. Lest we forget, a great deal of the classic 1980 spoof movie, Airplane! sees an inflatable automatic pilot — aptly named “Otto” — at the helm of the aircraft. 

Lt. Andrew Bogomil (Beverly Hills Cop)

When Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) first blows into town in 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop, he immediately comes at odds with Lt. Andrew Bogomil. However, because the Detroit detective helps Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggert (John Ashton) take down local traffickers while he is supposed to be on vacation, he fabricates a story to cover for him and helps smooth things out with Inspector Todd.  

Yori (Tron)

In 1982’s Tron, Flynn (Jeff Bridges) and the title character (Bruce Boxleitner) might have never managed to take down the Master Control Program without the help of Yori (Cindy Morgan). She gives Tron the chance to get pivotal information from his user outside the grid after convincing a guard named Dumont to let him. 

Merlin (Top Gun)

At the end of 1986’s Top Gun, Maverick (Tom Cruise) is still reeling from the death of his best friend, Goose (Anthony Edwards), which distracts him from his current aerial battle. Luckily, Merlin (Tim Robbins) is in the other seat and helps bring him back to Earth, leading him to victory.

So, next time you watch a flick and think you know who the real hero is, think again.

To be a “fish out of water” is to be a person who finds themselves in an unfamiliar and, thus, uncomfortable situation — much like how an aquatic animal on land likely feels. This age-old idiom has served as the basis for many great stories, especially comedies since uproarious hijinks tend to come about when a protagonist has trouble navigating their surroundings. See for yourself by revisiting, or discovering, some of our favorite funny fish-out-of-water movies.

Splash (1984)

There may be no better movie to ever fit the description of a "fish-out-of-water comedy" than Splash. Director Ron Howard's rom-com stars Tom Hanks as a man who falls in love with a woman (played by Daryl Hannah) who turns out to be a mermaid.

Borat (2006)

Sacha Baron Cohen's Oscar-nominated mockumentary — the full title of which is Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan — places the comedian’s iconic Kazakh journalist in the United States, where his vastly differing cultural perspective causes quite a stir, to say the least. To see just how alienating and appalling Borat proves to be, you will just have to watch the movie yourself because there is no way we can describe it here.

Barbie (2023)

When Barbie (Margot Robbie) begins to suffer a strange existential crisis, she and Ken (Ryan Gosling) venture beyond Barbieland and into the Real World. Hilarious hijinks certainly ensue, but so does a moving meditation on modern womanhood in co-writer and director Greta Gerwig's subversive adaptation of the popular toy line.

Mean Girls (2004)

In Mean Girls — which was later adapted into a Broadway musical that inspired another cinematic reimagining in 2023 — Lindsay Lohan plays a teen who, after being homeschooled in Africa for much of her life, experiences the social constructs of American public school for the first time. Director Mark Waters and writer Tina Fey’s coming-of-age comedy depicts the topic of high school cliques so authentically, that it practically transcends comedy and makes for one of the best high school movies of all time.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

The movie may be called Beverly Hills Cop, but Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley hails from Detroit. Yet, when a murder investigation takes him to California, he finds that his crimefighting methods greatly differ from how they do things around there — a situation that would repeat itself in three sequels.

Back To The Future (1985)

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is an '80s teen who — courtesy of a special DeLorean constructed by his friend, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) — finds himself stranded in the 1950s in Back to the Future. Director Robert Zemeckis and his co-writer, Bob Gale, were inspired to make this time travel movie classic after imagining what it would be like to meet their parents in their youth, much like Marty does.

Pretty Woman (1990)

A professional escort (played by Julia Roberts) gets a taste of the high life after she is hired by a businessman (played by Richard Gere) to pose as his girlfriend for a week, only to find himself falling for her. Director Garry Marshall’s Pretty Woman is one of the best romantic comedies of its time for the way it depicts a culture clash with heartwarming results. 

My Fair Lady (1964)

Based on Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s stage musical (which was inspired by George Bernard Shaw’s play, Pygmalion), My Fair Lady stars Audrey Hepburn as a poor, cockney-accented woman who is thrust into the world of high society by a phonetics instructor (played by Rex Harrison) as part of a wager. The conceit of the story would prove to be highly influential, later inspiring the 1999 teen comedy She’s All That, which was later reimagined as He’s All That.

Idiocracy (2006)

In one of writer and director Mike Judge’s best movies, Luke Wilson plays an astronaut who participates in an experimental hibernation program and, 500 years later, wakes up to discover he is the smartest man alive. Idiocracy is a ridiculous satire that imagines one of the scariest dystopian scenarios imaginable in which you are the only hope left for society to thrive.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

In Hot Fuzz, Nicholas Angel (co-writer Simon Pegg) is a high-skilled London cop transferred to a village where crime is virtually obsolete... or so it seems. Until the action in this action-comedy from director Edgar Wright kicks in and Angel’s skills are needed, the character spends much of his time feeling lost and without a purpose.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

In The Devil Wears Prada, a journalism graduate, played by Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway, is hired at a fashion magazine as the assistant to its relentlessly demanding head editor, played by Academy Award winner Meryl Streep. Her survival strategy is to adopt a more fashionable persona that greatly differs from her true self in this Oscar-nominated dramedy based on Lauren Weisberger’s novel.

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Oscar-winner Joe Pesci plays the title character of My Cousin Vinny, a lawyer defending his cousin (Ralph Macchio) and his best friend (Mitchell Whitfield) in a murder trial. When the native New Yorker's wise guy attitude clashes with the Southern community in and out of the courtroom, it results in one of the funniest legal movies of all time.

Lost In Translation (2003)

In Lost in Translation, an aging actor, played by Bill Murray in an Oscar-nominated role, and a recently married college graduate, played by Scarlett Johansson in her breakthrough role, both struggle with loneliness and disillusionment while staying in Tokyo. These characters end up finding the sense of belonging they need in each other in the 2000s-era masterpiece that earned Sophia Coppola her Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

Crocodile Dundee (1986)

In Crocodile Dundee, an American journalist, played by Linda Kozlowski, meets the eponymous hunter (Paul Hogan) in the Australian Outback, which he calls home. She then invites him to pay a visit to a whole new kind of jungle: New York City.

Trading Places (1983)

If we rework the "fish-out-of-water" analogy into something more like "happy-aquarium-bound-fish-and-struggling-sea-dwelling-fish-experience-each-other’s-habitats,” that would be a good way to describe the plot of Trading Places. It stars Dan Aykroyd as a wealthy investor and Eddie Murphy as a poor hustler who each get a taste of each other's drastically different lives as part of a wager by two billionaire brothers.

Sister Act (1992)

One of Whoopi Goldberg's most iconic roles is a lounge singer hiding from the mob by posing as a nun. She ends up making a profound impact on the convent, especially by giving the choir of taste of the Motown style, in Sister Act.

Luca (2021)

A comedy with a somewhat more literal approach to the "fish-out-of-water" mantra is Pixar's Luca, in which a young sea monster (voiced by Jacob Tremblay)  dreams of exploring the world beyond his home below the surface. He meets a fellow sea monster, voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer, who teaches him how to pose as a human and takes him on a tour of the Italian Riviera.

The Addams Family (1991)

Director Barry Sonnenfeld's cinematic adaptation of the creepy and kooky family does a wonderfully weird job showing how greatly their values differ from the rest of the world. Curiously, however, Joan Cusack’s performance in the sequel, Addams Family Values, makes them look far more personable by comparison.

Madagascar (2005)

Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and David Schwimmer voice a lion, a zebra, a hippo, and a giraffe, respectively, who have spent most of their lives in a zoo. However, when a mistake leaves them stranded on the island of Madagascar, they must figure out how to be real wild animals for the first time in their lives.

Enchanted (2007)

Disney pokes fun at the same fairytale cliches it helped popularize in Enchanted, which stars Amy Adams as a princess in an animated storybook world. That is, until she is accidentally transported into our real, live-action world and begins to question everything she thought she knew about life.

Coming To America (1988)

In, arguably, his best movie, Eddie Murphy stars in Coming to America as an African prince whose search for true love brings him to Queens in New York City. In addition to his romantic quest, he experiences a crash course in American working-class living while never losing his optimistic glow, although the same cannot be said about his servant and friend, Semi (Arsenio Hall).

Some Like It Hot (1959)

In Billy Wilder’s comedy classic, Some Like It Hot, two musicians, played by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, seek a way to hide themselves after witnessing a mob hit. Their solution: pose as women and join an all-female band (including a singer played by Marilyn Monroe), which gives them a unique perspective on the opposite gender.

Blast From The Past (1999)

In the romantic, underrated '90s movie, Blast from the Past, Brendan Fraser plays a man who has lived his entire life trapped in an underground bunker with his family. When he finally receives the chance to experience the outside world, which differs greatly from what his 60s-era parents taught him, his otherwise charming naïveté tends to get him in trouble.

The Jerk (1979)

In one of Steven Martin's best movies, The Jerk, the comedian plays Navin, who grew up in Mississippi as the adopted son of a Black family. When he decides to make a life for himself in St. Louis, and later Californie, his hopeless obliviousness constantly stirs trouble for himself and others. 

Elf (2003)

After one of Santa's helpers discovers that he is a human who was accidentally brought to the North Pole as a baby, he journeys to New York City to meet his father (James Caan). Will Ferrell's charmingly oblivious performance as Buddy is key to Elf's enduring reputation as one of the funniest Christmas movies ever made.

Miss Congeniality (2000)

In Miss Congeniality, Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) is a tough-as-nails FBI agent with a quick temper and not a single shred of fashion sense. However, she is forced to make a few drastic changes — both inside and out — when an undercover operation forces her to pose as a beauty pageant contestant.

Army Of Darkness (1992)

Picking up where Evil Dead II leaves off, Sam Raimi's cartoonish adventure comedy, Army of Darkness, sees Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) trapped in the Middle Ages. Luckily, his intimidating chainsaw hand earns the villagers’ respect and his previous experience with demonic entities comes in handy when he must protect them from the evil forces he accidentally awakens.

Pleasantville (1998)

Two teen siblings from the '90s (Reese Witherspoon and Tobey Maguire) are magically transported into a 1950s-era sitcom in Pleasantville. Their modern sensibilities do not just clash with this black-and-white, saccharine world, but influence it in unique and magical ways.

City Slickers (1991)

In City Slickers, three men, played by Billy Crystal, Bruno Kirby, and Daniel Stern, begin to suffer a mid-life crisis. Seeking a change of pace, they put themselves to the test by traveling to the southwest and joining a cattle drive run by a no-nonsense, veteran cowboy played by Jack Palance in an Oscar-winning performance.

Coneheads (1993)

In one of the best SNL movies, Coneheads, Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin reprise their roles from the classic comedy sketch as Beldar and Prymatt. Surprisingly, the stranded extraterrestrials' biggest issue with fitting in among their human peers has nothing to do with the shape of their crania.

The Terminal (2004)

In director Steven Spielberg's The Terminal, Tom Hanks plays an immigrant who is legally unable to enter the U.S., but also unable to return to his war-torn country either. He is then forced to live in John F. Kennedy Airport until further notice, which ends up providing him with a relatively enlightening portrait of American culture.

Spy (2015)

Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy's character in Spy, Susan Cooper, works in espionage... from behind a desk as an analyst and as an aid to field operative, Bradley Fine (Jude Law). However, things change for her when she volunteers for an undercover operation that throws her for a loop in writer and director Paul Feig’s acclaimed action-comedy.

If you have ever felt like a fish out of water, then you can probably relate to the characters from these great comedies.

As 2023 comes to a close and we look ahead to the 2024 movie schedule, one movie many audiences are looking forward to is the return of Eddie Murphy to his most famous franchise with next summer’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Ahead of the fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie coming to Netflix, the beloved comedian got honest about making an action movie now that he’s in his sixties. 

When Eddie Murphy first played Axel Foley in the 1984 classic, he had just come off four seasons of Saturday Night Live, which he was hired on for at the age of 19. With the release of Beverly Hills Cop 4 coming just a year shy of its 40th anniversary, Murphy had this to say about returning to the franchise: 

While speaking to People, Eddie Murphy got honest about stepping back in the bomber jacket of Axel Foley and it sounds like doing all that action isn’t as easy as it used to be. Murphy also said this: 

Being an action star is no easy task, and as Eddie Murphy shared, doing all the physical work involved to be Axel Foley this time around wasn’t necessarily something for which his body was prepared. He was, of course, happy to do it and remains “really excited for people to see it,” but the shoot wasn’t necessarily a walk in the park for the actor. 

As Murphy also shared, the fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie had been in the works for over a decade before it finally got off the ground, and the actor recalls reading five to six scripts before the movie got to the right place it needed to be. Jerry Bruckheimer, the movie’s producer, has previously teased that the movie will be funny for sure, but will also be “all about the heartstrings” as well. Longtime Beverly Hills Cop fans might want to keep tissues handy, it seems. 

The first trailer for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F came out earlier this month. Check it out: 

The upcoming movie will also see the return of original cast members like Reinhold, Ashton, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot, along with the addition of Kevin Bacon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Taylour Paige. The movie will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription next summer. Until then, you can watch Eddie Murphy in his new Christmas movie, Candy Cane Lane, which recently surpassed a huge milestone for Amazon Prime Video. 

Much of the moviegoing world watched with astonishment in 2022 when Tom Cruise reprised his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise and his collaborators, including veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer, took great care in ensuring the beloved character’s return was worth the wait. Bruckheimer will revive yet another iconic franchise in 2024 with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. The long-awaited sequel in the Eddie Murphy-led film series has a lot riding on it, and fans surely have high expectations. What some may be comforted to hear, though, is that there’s one key element that the movie has in common with Maverick, according to Bruckheimer. 

There’s a lot to love about Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun sequel. The performances are electric, the production design is ambitious and the aerial-related action is nothing short of incredible. But there’s another important aspect of the motion picture that resonates with audiences, and Jerry Bruckheimer pointed it out while previewing the latest Beverly Hills Cop movie. The 80-year-old producer teased that the action-comedy will have its share of thrills. However, like the aviator flick, there’s a true level of sentimentality that’ll be at play as well: 

The filmmaker brought up a very astute point while discussing his latest film with Empire Magazine. All of the stunts and special effects don’t amount to anything unless there’s true emotion driving the narrative for which they’re utilized. Jerry Bruckheimer would know this better than anyone. Over the years, he’s produced films like Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Bad Boys for Life and the aforementioned Top Gun: Maverick, which feature plenty of bombastic sequences but also have moments of genuine emotion. As a fan, I’m glad to hear he’s taking that same approach with the Eddie Murphy-fronted sequel.

After years of sitting in development hell, movement on a fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie truly began around the late 2010s, with Bad Boys for Life’s Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah attached to direct. By 2019, it was announced that Netflix had reached an agreement with Paramount Pictures to release the film. Arbi and Fallah eventually exited the production in a behind-the-scenes shakeup and, by 2022, it was confirmed that Australian filmmaker Mark Malloy had been tapped to secede them. Earlier this year, Eddie Murphy explained that he was convinced to do the film after Jerry Bruckheimer officially returned to his post as the franchise’s producer. Murphy said that “started to come together” after Bruckheimer jumped into the mix. 

Thanks to Empire, we now know a bit more about Beverly Hills Cop 4, in regard to its plot. The movie will see Axel returning to California after being pulled into a case by his estranged daughter, Jane, who’s a criminal defense attorney. In the process, Foley gets paired up with Det. Bobby Abbott (Jane’s former boyfriend) to crack the case. Axel Foley has a talented cast, which aside from Eddie Murphy, includes franchise newcomers Taylour Paige, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon. Series veterans Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot are also along for the ride this time.

Something tells me we’re in for a reconciliation story of sorts between Axel and Jane, and that could very well be where the heart of the movie lies. Top Gun: Maverick told such a tale using Maverick and Rooster, the son of his late wingman, Goose, and it worked well. Hopefully, if that is what Jerry Bruckheimer and co. are going for with BHC4, it’ll be as effective as it was in Maverick.

An official release date for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley has yet to be announced, but be sure you have a Netflix subscription so you’ll be able to stream it whenever it hits the 2024 movie schedule. You can also stream the first three movies alongside Top Gun: Maverick using a Paramount+ subscription.

Every movie has a star, most have a hero. Sometimes there other roles that get overlooked, or under-appreciated. This list is dedicated to those ‘80s movie characters that just don't get the credit they should. 

Sallah - Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Indiana Jones is a legend. A hero. Everything anyone ever wanted from a big screen idol. Dr. Jones also probably wouldn't have survived the first half of Raiders of the Lost Ark if not for Sallah (John Rhys-Davies). Remember, it's Sallah who notices the monkey that died from eating the poisoned dates. 

Queen Aoleon Joffer - Coming To America

When Eddie Murphy's character, Prince Akeem, wants to travel to America to sow his royal oats in Coming To America, it's his mother, Queen Aoleon Joffer (Madge Sinclair in one of her roles as a Queen), who encourages it. When Akeem declares his love for Lisa, it's Queen Joffer who tells him to run after her. She's a queen in name and in action. 

Merlin - Top Gun

The are two critical moments in Top Gun when a pilot needs his "RIO" (the guy in the other seat). One is at the beginning of the movie when Cougar loses it after the first dog fight. He cracks under the pressure and his RIO, Merlin (Tim Robbins), helps Maverick (Tom Cruise) talk Cougar down to the flight deck. In the end, when Maverick needs to get back in the fight but is struggling with the loss of his RIO, Goose (Anthony Edwards), It's Merlin in the backseat that helps get Maverick back in the fight. 

Fezzik - The Princess Bride

There is one person you can always count on in The Princess Bride and that is Fezzik, played by Andre The Giant. Sure, he threatens to crush Wesley's skull and he is the Brute Squad, but that's before we really get to know him. After drying Inigo Montoya out from the booze, they set out to help the man they once were ordered to kill and in the end, it's Fezzik with the four white horses to carry everyone to safety. 

Sarah - Adventures In Babysitting

Sure, Sarah gets herself in a jam on the edge of a skyscraper in downtown Chicago in Adventures in Babysitting, but she's also the one that convinces the mechanic played by a blonde Vincent D'Onofrio to help. In the movie, he may look like Thor, but at first, he's not interested in saving the kids, because they are short a few bucks on the car repairs. Sarah offers up her favorite toy and he's so touched, he gives them the car. 

Jake Houseman - Dirty Dancing

Dr. Jake Houseman, Baby's father in Dirty Dancing, played brilliantly by Law & Order's Jerry Orbach, is a bit of a villain at times in the movie. He's very old school and very over-protective of his daughters. He certainly isn't happy about Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze) canoodling around. When the chips are down and Johnny's partner Penny is in trouble after a botched back-alley abortion, it's Dr. Houseman who steps in and saves her life.

Yori - Tron

In Tron, it's Tron (Bruce Boxleitner) and Flynn (Jeff Bridges) who win the day by defeating the Master Control Program. But without critical information that Tron gets by contacting his user outside the grid, it never could've happened. To do this, Yori convinces the guard, Dumont, to let Tron get the info he needs from his user.

Lt. Bogomil - Beverly Hills Cop

Ronny Cox plays the hardass Lt. Andrew Bogomil in Beverly Hills Cop. At first, he's definitely not on Axel Foley's (Eddie Murphy) side. He orders Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggert (John Ashton) to follow Foley while he's in Beverly Hills. Bogomil comes around and ends up inventing a story to cover for Foley after they take down the drug traffickers.

Agent Oscar Wallace - The Untouchables

Agent Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith) isn't the prototype of a Treasury Officer tracking the gangsters in the 1930s in The Untouchables. He's not the grizzled vet like Sean Connery's Malone, or the hard-charging Elliott Ness (Kevin Costner). What he is, though, is the guy that actually nails Al Capone (Robert DeNiro). It's his bookish nature that gets him examining Capone's accounts to discover that Capone has paid no taxes for years. 

Carl Fox - Wall Street

Carl Fox, played by Martin Sheen, is Bud's (his real son, Charlie Sheen) father. Bud is caught up in the glitz and glamour of the go-go 1980s. Beach house, modern art, Darryl Hannah...you remember. He goes down some pretty dark roads in the movie, gaining insider trading info for the diabolical Gordon Gekko. The whole time, it's Carl  who tries to speak reason to him. Carl even lines him up with a job at his company that Bud once tried to kill with a deal. That's love. 

Sgt. Hulka - Stripes

In the beginning, he was the drill sergeant. Sgt. Hulka (Warren Oates) is mean; he's tough; he drills the men in the platoon in Stripes, directed by Ivan Reitman, half to death. Like any drill sergeant, he never lets down his guard or shows his human side. That is, until the end, when the idiots in the platoon drive straight into communist Czechoslovakia. Using all his toughness and smarts, Hulka gets word to John (Bill Murray) and Russell (Harold Ramis) and together they break the rest of the platoon out of jail and get back safely to Western Europe, becoming national heroes. 

Iona - Pretty In Pink

Iona (Annie Potts) is the best friend everyone needs in Pretty in Pink. She's the (slightly) older, wiser, big sister type for Andie (Molly Ringwald) and guides her through some of the most important parts of her life. When the brass tacks are down at the end of the movie and Andie needs a dress to the prom, it's Iona who gives Andie her own prom dress, making Andie pretty in pink. It's enough to bring a tear to your eye.

President John Harker - Escape From New York

Okay, so President Harker (Donald Pleasence) in Escape From New York isn't exactly a hero. In fact, the character is easy to despise. He's annoying, he's obnoxious, and he's almost ungrateful at times for the help he gets from Snake (Kurt Russell). For one brief moment, he is the hero. As Snake is being pulled to safety and off the prison island that is 1997 New York, The Duke (Isaac Hayes) appears with a gun and aims to kill Snake. Harker raises a machine gun and blows The Duke away, saving Snake, even if it was really Harker's own anger towards The Duke that motivated him. 

Billy - Big

Like Iona, Billy (Jared Rushton) in Big is the best friend we all need. After Josh (Tom Hanks, who almost didn't get the role) "grows up," he's basically on his own. The only person who believes Josh's story, that a wish from a fortune-telling machine made him "big," is Billy. He takes it upon himself to locate the machine while Josh is wrapped up in his "adult" life. In the end, it's Billy that finds the machine so Josh is able to become a kid again. 

Carl The Janitor - The Breakfast Club 

Carl (John Kapelos) is the eyes and ears of Shermer High School in The Breakfast Club. He's also quite the philosopher when he explains to Vice Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason) that the kids haven't changed, he has, after Vernon says he thinks '80s kids aren't like kids of yesteryear. It's an important thing for everyone to remember: kids will always be kids. 

Vasquez - Aliens

Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) is one tough marine. She might be the toughest of the bunch in Aliens. She proves how tough she is when she and Lt. Gorman fight down to their last bullet, holding the alien off so Newt and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) can escape. Vasquez and Gorman end up sacrificing themselves so the rest can get away. 

Sato - Karate Kid Part II

Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) and Sato (Danny Kamekona) have, it's easy to say, a complicated relationship in The Karate Kid Part II. We learn that the reason Miyagi left Okinawa as a kid was because Sato had challenged him to a fight to the death over a girl. When Miyagi returns to Okinawa, Sato has not forgotten. In the end, Sato finds forgiveness, and we need more of that in this world. 

Vijay - Octopussy

Sometimes even James Bond needs a little help. In Octopussy, a lot comes from Vijay (Vijay Amritraj), MI6's man in India. Not only does he help Bond get acclimated to the country, but he also drives the tuk-tuk in the chase scene, saving Bond and making the ultimate sacrifice when he's killed on a stakeout. 

Sgt. Al Powell - Die Hard

It's easy to hear "pal" instead of "Powell" in Die Hard when John (Bruce Willis) is communicating with Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson) of the LAPD. That's good, because Powell is a real pal to John. He's there to listen when John needs it, and most importantly, he's there with his weapon at the end so save John from the lone remaining terrorist. 

Zev Senesca - The Empire Strikes Back

Zev Senesca (Christopher Malcolm) in The Empire Strikes Back has a small role. He's one of many heroes in the rebellion, but the reason Zev stands out is because he locates Han and Luke after their night in the cold on Hoth. Without Zev, we might not have our heroes to save the galaxy from the Empire.

Da Mayor - Do The Right Thing

In Do The Right Thing, most of the characters do the wrong thing. The lone voice of calm in the movie is Da Mayor (Ossie Davis). He tries with all his might to educate the young and calm tensions at the end, but he, like many of our elders, is ignored and lambasted. He should be the hero that is needed at the moment, and would have been if any of us had been listening. 

Mrs. Parker - A Christmas Story

Moms are always a good bet for being unsung heroes and Mrs. Parker (Melinda Dillon) in A Christmas Story is no different. Anytime Ralph needs his mom, she is there. From the fight with the bully to covering up for shooting his eye out, Mrs. Parker has his back. 

Coleman The Butler - Trading Places

Butlers on film are often some of the most loyal characters, and Coleman (Denholm Elliott) in Trading Places is loyal not to one, but to both the characters he works for, Winston and Billy Ray (Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy). He even plays a big part in the scheme to get rich while bankrupting the Dukes and he ends up on the beach with them at the end, as he should.  

Rufus - Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Speaking of loyal servants, Rufus (George Carlin) in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is just that. Serving Bill and Ted with all the info they need to fulfill their destiny. Sure, he worships them, but he does the hard work to get them where they need to go so that in his future, Bill and Ted occupy the spot of reverence they are meant to. 

Frank Tillman - Road House

Frank Tillman (Kevin Tighe) in Road House is the boss. He's the bar owner who hires Dalton (Patrick Swayze) and lets him run the show. That's enough to get him on this list, but in the end, he's also one of the people who saves Dalton's life when Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara) goes to shoot him. A true hero in every sense. 

Next time you're watching a movie, pay attention to the supporting characters that truly make the difference. It shows we can matter in our own ways.

Looking back at the history of Beverly Hills Cop’s production, the choice of the lead actor is a huge pivot point that could have delivered a way different movie. If the original plans had panned out, Eddie Murphy wouldn’t have been the lead in director Martin Brest’s action-comedy hit, which may have robbed the film of its iconic status as a huge ‘80s hit. Thankfully, Brest had a rationale that worked with the project’s producers and execs, despite some interesting reasons for trying to stymy Murphy’s casting. 

In a retrospective interview with Variety, the Meet Joe Black director spoke more about securing the SNL veteran for his 1984 classic. The next step in the genesis of Paramount’s blockbuster hit came after original star Sylvester Stallone left the project to make Cobra. With Eddie Murphy now in the cards, Martin Brest laid out this story about why his collaborators were so gun-shy about the matter: 

At that moment, the Beverly Hills Cop we know and love was just starting to take shape. As noted by Martin in this interview, the popularity it would eventually find in its theatrical release wasn’t something anyone anticipated. This makes absolute sense since the concept that was originally sold with Sly Stallone as its public face drastically changed into the surprising hit that helped further cement Eddie Murphy’s career. 

Looking at the Shrek icon’s resume at the time, that “second banana” label sounds pretty hurtful. This is after Murphy not only landed 48 Hrs as a Paramount hit in 1982, but also gave that same studio the golden goose known as Trading Places in 1983. Both are not only key early wins for the comedian’s career, they’re also two of the best Eddie Murphy movies that people think of whenever he comes into conversation. 

So Martin Brest's offer of more of that magic, but extended through an entire movie, should have been something that was met with open arms from day one. Thankfully, Beverly Hills Cop saw Murphy cast in its lead, leading to box office history being made as a result.

If it weren’t for Eddie Murphy, Beverly Hills Cop may not have gotten past its first installment. It may not have even been made at all, depending on who else was in the mix. But history took its course, giving the world two more sequels, as well as putting what we know about Beverly Hills Cop 4 into play. While we don’t know when that new follow-up should be expected, anyone who wants to go back to the beginning of Axel Foley’s adventures can use their Paramount+ subscription to grant that wish. 

Beverly Hills Cop is the movie that made Eddie Murphy a movie star, and it also launched a franchise so successful that we’re set to get a Beverly Hills Cop 4 more than three decades after the last film in the series. It’s almost impossible to see any other actor playing Axel Foley today, in the same way that imagining Will Smith in The Matrix just seems weird. But as with that near casting, it very nearly happened. And Sylvester Stallone was once set to play the role.

Seeing a movie role go from Sylvester Stallone to Eddie Murphy may sound crazy, the two stars have never made the same sort of films, but Beverly Hills Cop was once going to be a very different movie. As the movie’s director Martin Brest recently told Variety, when he signed on to the film it was to direct Stallone, not Murphy. He explained… 

The original script for Beverly Hills Cop wasn't exactly the movie we saw, but it apparently did have some strong comedic elements, which would have been something a bit new from Sylvester Stallone at the time. It would be a few years before he gave comedy a try, with mixed results. It sounds like the Rocky star wasn’t that excited about the idea, so Stallone actually gave the script a rewrite into a more serious action drama.

However, the studio apparently wasn’t into Stallone’s version of the film, and they turned it down. This resulted in Stallone leaving the project, and taking his script with him to go make it under a different name. Brest explains what happened, and how that meant they basically wrote the script as they filmed once Eddie Murphy came on board. Brest continued…

In the end, it probably worked out for the best. Stallone made Cobra which was a hit in its own right, and Murphy made Beverly Hills Cop and became a breakout star. Still, it makes one wonder what Stallone would have been like if they’d gone with him and the lighter tone original script. Maybe it wouldn’t have worked out. Maybe we were robbed of an even better version of the film.

Based on what we know about Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, as Beverly Hills Cop 4 is currently known, most of the core cast of the franchise will be back. It might be fun if they'd found a small role for Stallone considering what almost happened.

George Clooney as Ferris Bueller? Eddie Murphy in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Sammy Davis, Jr as… Beetlejuice? These are just a few actors who almost starred in classic ‘80s movies and could’ve changed film history. They aren’t the only ones either. Here is our list of 20 actors who almost starred in classic ‘80s movies.

Tom Selleck (The Raiders Of The Lost Ark)

In one of the more infamous casting decisions of all time, Tom Selleck was offered the part of one of the most iconic characters in film history, Indiana Jones in Raiders Of The Lost Ark. It’s often falsely reported that Selleck turned the offer down, but as he explained to Rachel Ray, he didn’t say no to director Steven Spielberg, CBS did. The network decided to pick up the pilot he shot for Magnum PI and they wouldn’t let him take the time to shoot Raiders. Harrison Ford is very grateful for it.

George Clooney (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)

Yep, that’s right, everyone’s favorite truant, Ferris Bueller, was almost played by George Clooney, instead of Matthew Broderick, in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. According to casting director Janet Hirshenson, she had Clooney read for the part but thought he was too mature for the role and would’ve been "the college student version of Ferris Bueller."

Ethan Hawke (Stand By Me)

River Phoenix had his breakout role as Chris Chambers in Stand By Me, but director Rob Reiner also thought another up-and-coming actor at the time would have been great for the part. In an interview with The Guardian, Ethan Hawke explained that Reiner told him, "You’re really good, but I just gave the part to another kid with a bird name." 

Nicolas Cage (Fast Times At Ridgemont High)

Nicolas Cage did make his big screen debut in a small part in one of the best high school movies of all time, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, but he almost had a much more significant role. According to Judge Reinhold, who played the lead, Brad Hamilton, the producers were going to cast Cage (then known by his given name, Nic Coppola) in the Brad role. The part ended up going to Reinhold because Cage was under 18 at the time and that would’ve required working fewer hours due to child labor laws.

Yaphet Kotto (Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back)

In one of the coolest and most interesting “what could have been” moments, the now legendary role of Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back wouldn’t have been played by Billy Dee Williams. Alien star Yaphet Kotto was the first person offered the part of the former smuggler-turned-Empire bureaucrat, as Kotto was asked by Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner to star as the character. According to the actor, he turned it down because after having just starred in Alien, he was worried about staying "up there," saying,  

You can't blame a guy for worrying about being type-cast, but missing out on Star Wars must have stung! 

Eric Stoltz (Back To The Future)

In another of the more famous “almost-was” casting decisions, it was almost Eric Stoltz, not Michael J. Fox, as Marty McFly in Back To The Future. For six weeks, they filmed Stoltz in the lead role before deciding he wasn’t right for the humor. They went back to their first choice, Fox, who found a way to cram the film into his busy schedule shooting Family Ties, and the rest is history. 

Dustin Hoffman (Dead Poet’s Society)

Of all the roles on this list, the one that would’ve dramatically changed its film most (pun intended) is Dustin Hoffman as John Keating in Dead Poets Society. Hoffman was cast in the part early on and according to writer Tom Schulman, the movie would’ve been very different. In the original script, Keating was dying of leukemia, something Hoffman was ready to embrace in the character, per Schulman:

A dying John Keating played by a dour Hoffman sounds intriguing, but the tone Robin Williams struck makes for much better movie. 

Dustin Hoffman (Blade Runner)

Speaking of another movie that would have been quite different if it had starred Dustin Hoffman, the Rain Man actor was director Ridley Scott’s first choice to play Deckard in Blade Runner. According to the Mirror and production executive Katy Haber, the producers weren’t thrilled with Hoffman, and for the second time in his career, Harrison Ford caught a break and was cast in a film that would become a franchise. 

Matthew Modine (Top Gun)

It’s impossible to image anyone other than Tom Cruise in the role of Maverick in Top Gun, or its sequel Top Gun: Maverick, but it almost happened. The part was originally offered to Matthew Modine, but the Stranger Things star turned down the film because of his personal politics, telling Salon, 

You have to admire Modine for sticking to his personal morals, even if the role he turned down made Tom Cruise one of the biggest stars of all time, to the point where the 2022 sequel hit some major milestones at the box office. 

Mickey Rourke (Beverly Hills Cop)

Well, this one is just bizarre. Before Beverly Hill Cop helped establish Eddie Murphy as one the most bankable stars of the 1980s, it was a very different movie. So different, in fact, that the actor originally attached to play the Axel Foley character was Micky Rourke. The idea was for it to be an action flick, not a comedy, and, as producer Jerry Bruckheimer explained, they contracted Rourke to star for a whopping $400,000. Eventually, Bruckheimer changed his mind and we’re all grateful for it. 

Eddie Murphy (Who Framed Roger Rabbit)

Eddie Murphy isn’t immune from making the wrong call, either. While visiting with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, Murphy talked about how he was offered the role of Jimmy Valient in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. According to the Shrek star,

At least it sounds like Murphy is pretty good at not turning down hits on a regular basis!

John Belushi (Ghostbusters)

Sadly, this isn’t a case of an actor or a producer making the wrong (or correct) call by casting someone else in a role, this happened because the actor tragically died. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd were close friends and often castmates. As such, when Aykroyd wrote Ghostbusters, he wrote the role of Peter Venkman with Belushi in mind. Luckily for us, Bill Murray stepped into the part and the film still became a classic. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger (RoboCop)

The part of the titular RoboCop is a little different than most others. This time, a big star was very interested in the role but lost out. According to The Movies That Made Us on Netflix, Fubar cast member Arnold Schwarzenegger was very keen to play the role and was riding a wave of success. It all makes sense, right? Well, no, and somewhat ironically, it was Schwarzenegger’s legendary physique that might have lost him the job. While his bulging biceps helped make him a star, the producers of RoboCop were worried he wouldn’t fit into the suit, so the gig went to Peter Weller. 

Kris Kristofferson (The Shining)

This one is almost too hard to even contemplate. There is no one that could be Jack Torrance in The Shining other than Jack Nicholson, right? Well, it almost didn’t happen that way. While Nicholson was director Stanley Kubrick’s first choice to play the writer-gone-psycho Jack Torrance, there was a backup plan in case a deal couldn’t be made for the star. Kris Kristofferson was that plan, according to Kubrick historian Lee Unkrich. 

Billy Zane (Dirty Dancing)

There has rarely been on-screen chemistry like that between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing. Would you believe it almost never happened? According to writer Eleanor Bergstein in The Movies That Made Us, it was almost Billy Zane in the legendary role of Johnny Castle. Unfortunately for Zane, but fortunately for the rest of us, Bergstein said he danced, "like someone who looked like he had learned to dance beautifully for his bar mitzvah."

Frank Sinatra (Die Hard)

In what must have been the most ridiculous casting pitch of all time, the producers of Die Hard were contractually obligated to offer the role of John McLean to Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. You see, Die Hard was adapted from a book called Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp. That book was a sequel to his 1966 novel The Detective, and that was adapted in 1968 into a movie of the same name starring Sinatra. Because of all this, the legendary singer/actor had the first right of refusal to play the role in future films. Of course, a 70-year-old Sinatra turned down the role and fans rejoice every Christmas when we get to watch Bruce Willis as McLean taking out the terrorists. 

What If…

Finally, a few “what ifs” that were never particularly close to being cast, but directors were interested in filling some iconic roles with some really out-there choices. Take, for example, Tim Burton’s desire to cast Sammy Davis, Jr. as Beetlejuice, instead of Michael Keaton. It’s got to make you giggle at least a little bit to picture Davis trying to drive the Deetzes out of their home by crooning “The Candyman Can.”

How about instead of Sly Stallone as the grizzled Vietnam vet John Rambo, audiences got 1970s superstar, Burt Reynolds? The Smokey & The Bandit star was one of many big-name actors the producers contacted in hopes of landing them for the role. In an interview with Empire, Stallone once mentioned a few names that the part was offered to, including Reynolds, Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Robert De Niro, and Al Pacino. Frankly, the movie might have worked with any of them, but we’re lucky it “fell” to Stallone. 

Burton also had an out-of-the-box thought for the Joker in his Batman. Instead of Jack Nicholson owning that role, just imagine, for a second, David Bowie as the Clown Prince of Crime. Ziggy Stardust was the director’s dream pick, but it’s pretty safe to say that “settling” on Nicholson is a win for audiences, like almost every casting call on this list.

Somewhere in an alternate universe, all these parts were played by different actors and you have to wonder how the butterfly effect could have changed the course of careers and, indeed the film industry if these casts were different. We all believe the right choices were made, but were they? We'll never know. 

What makes an R-rated movie? Is it crass and foul language? What about nudity? Violence, too? Or it could be a combination of these different elements, which is often the case for some of the best comedies of all time. 

Below is a list of 25 R-rated comedies that really earned their R-ratings, either because of language, nudity, violence, or simply because the subject matter was too harsh for audiences under a certain age. With classics like Blazing Saddles and modern gems like The Hangover, and just about everything in between, here are some of the raunchiest comedies and why the MPA felt they should be “restricted” at the box office, but not enough to earn the dreaded NC-17 rating.

The Hangover (2009)

Todd Phillips’ The Hangover pushed the limits of the R-rating in 2009 with its pervasive language, all kinds of references to drugs, violence, sex talk, and even some full-frontal nudity involving Ken Jeong. Those elements, along with a fun story about a group of guys who lose their friend in Las Vegas right before he’s set to get married, created one of the most popular comedies of the century as well as the most successful R-rated comedy of all time, per BoxOfficeMojo.

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Most likely the first Mel Brooks movie that comes to mind, Blazing Saddles is often considered one of those movies that could never be made today. And there’s a good reason for that: Brooks already made the classic Western comedy in 1974. But seriously, this legendary R-rated comedy is full of racist, sexist, and straight-up dirty language, has all kinds of references to sex, violence, and so much more. But, what more would you expect from a script co-written by the late, great Richard Pryor?

American Pie (1999)

Undoubtedly the biggest teen sex comedy of the 1990s, American Pie took the world by storm in 1999, especially for those who had to sneak into the living room while their older brother and his friends were watching it. From the scrambled porn opening scene to the infamous apple pie moment, there are plenty of reasons the movie about a group of high school seniors trying to lose their virginity earned an R-rating.

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Though David Wain’s teen comedy parody, Wet Hot American Summer, doesn’t push the boundaries like other movies on this list, the 2001 movie about the counselors and campers of Camp Firewood does have one sequence that earns its R-rating: the “Going into town” scene. In the span of three minutes, we go from a library to an alley where the counselors buy cocaine, rob an elderly woman, and shoot up heroin in a drug den that looks like something out of Trainspotting. As quickly as it starts, the scene ends and the teens go back to camp as if nothing happened. Classic. 

Bridesmaids (2011)

Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids is another movie on this list that is on the softer side of the R-rating, but this raunchy 2011 comedy starring Kristen Wiig (who also co-wrote the script) and Maya Rudolph more than earns its restricted classification. The food poisoning scene, especially when Rudoph’s character is pooping in the street, might not be too extreme, but the sexual references and crass language throughout the two-hour comedy were what made this modern classic too much for younger audiences.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

One of the best Eddie Murphy comedies, the Martin Brest-directed Beverly Hills Cop also happens to be one of greatest buddy cop movies, and comedies in general, of all time. Murphy’s turn as Axel Foley, a reckless Detroit police detective who goes to Los Angeles to solve the murder of his best friend, is definitely what gives this movie its R-rating, considering his constant barrage of profanity would be enough to lose a PG-13 classification in his first scene alone.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Nicholas Stoller’s comedy about a composer who goes on a Hawaiian vacation following his high-profile breakup with a famous actress, only to discover she’s at the same resort with her new boyfriend, was one of the biggest surprises of 2008. The language and situations found in Jason Segel’s script were enough to make this romp R-rated, but the two scenes where the actor is seen fully naked is what pushes it over the edge.

Friday (1995)

One of the best ‘90s comedies, F. Gary Gray’s Friday follows Craig Jones (Ice Cube) and his best friend Smokey (Chris Tucker) over the course of a single day, a day in which they get incredibly stoned, survive a drive-by, and take on neighborhood bully, Deebo (Tiny “Zeus” Lister Jr.). With language totally not suitable for younger audiences (unless they’re watching the USA Network edit), constant drug references, and one of the most brutal fights, there are plenty of reasons this 1995 comedy earned an R-rating.

Booksmart (2019)

Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart took the teen coming-of-age/sex comedy premise and flipped it on its head in 2019 with a hilarious and crude yet incredibly heartfelt story about two girls who finally decide to come out of their shells on the last day of school. Drug use, cursing, sexual situations, and other things often associated with male leads are instead tied to Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein’s characters as they attempt to let loose after years of following the straight and narrow.

Clerks (1994)

Kevin Smith has had an incredibly long and fruitful career in Hollywood, and it all started with the 1994 black-and-white comedy, Clerks. If you are familiar with Smith’s movies, then you know this landmark film is full of unsavory language, drug use, some violence, and an extended bit of dialogue about a certain girlfriend and the number 37. 

Ted (2012)

Seth McFarlane’s 2012 comedy, Ted, follows life-long slacker John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg), as he spends his days wasting away with his best friend, a stuffed bear named Ted (McFarlane). This incredibly hilarious and crude movie checks all the boxes when it comes to an R-rating: drug use, sexual content, obscene language, and situations that may be too much even for some adults. 

The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Judd Apatow’s 2005 comedy, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, follows Steve Carell’s Andy Stiltzer as the introverted Smart Tech employee attempts to have sex for the first time. But, the craziest thing about this movie is that Andy isn’t what really earns the R-rating, but instead the cast of characters surrounding him. Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogen’s characters are foul-mouthed, sex-crazed lunatics who really turn up the volume throughout the movie, especially a certain scene shared by Malco and a then up-and-coming Kevin Hart.

Superbad (2007)

We had Booksmart on the list, so you knew Superbad wasn’t going to be too far behind. This seminal teen comedy from Greg Mottola has all the hallmarks of a teen buddy comedy: two nerdy friends (played by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera), an end-of-the-year party, and language that would make a sailor blush. If the language and drug/alcohol use by teens wasn’t crazy enough, there’s that notebook scene at the end of the movie.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

Amy Heckerling’s 1982 coming-of-age comedy, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, is just as popular 40 years later thanks to its incredible cast, multiple storylines, and some of the genre’s most iconic scenes. Some of these scenes, like the fantasy sequence involving Judge Reinhold and Phoebe Cates, help you figure out why the movie was given an R-rating upon its initial release. But, the cussing and drug use by Sean Penn’s Jeff Spicoli also probably helped in that department.

There's Something About Mary (1998)

The Farrelly Brothers’ 1998 romantic comedy, There’s Something About Mary, is one of those movies that could have earned an NC-17 rating; it’s that wild. The movie centers on Ted Stroehmann (Ben Stiller) as he seeks out Mary Jensen (Cameron Diaz), his high school crush who’s also the obsession of pretty much every man she encounters. If you’ve seen this movie, you know it doesn’t hold back when it comes to language, sexual situations, and gross body humor like the zipper scene and that hair gel moment.

Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (2004)

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle introduced the world to two of the greatest movie potheads in 2004 with its story about a pair of underachievers who go on an epic quest to find a greasy, square-shaped burger. It’s the journey that makes these road trip movies so much fun, right? Well, along the way, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) get into all kinds of ridiculous situations, including a sequence with Neil Patrick Harris, that more than earn it a spot on this list.

Me, Myself & Irene (2000)

After There’s Something About Mary, the Farrelly Brothers gave the world another great R-rated comedy, and one that pushes the limits of the rating once again, with the 2000 Jim Carrey comedy, Me, Myself & Irene. The movie follows Carrey’s Charlie Baileygate, a meek and overly nice Rhode Island state trooper who finally snaps after years of taking abuse from everyone around him. This split personality, known as Hank Evans, creates some of the most hilarious, and depraved, moments from Carrey’s career.

National Lampoon's Animal House

The legendary National Lampoon’s Animal House is an absurdly funny and raucous affair, which is to be expected considering the movie is about a college fraternity on probation for poor academic standing and countless conduct violations. Even then, John Landis’ 1978 comedy surprises you with its vulgarity, sexual situations, and straight-up ridiculousness from characters played by the likes of John Belushi, Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert, and Kevin Bacon.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

One of the best Coen Brothers movies, The Big Lebowski is one of those films that transcends genre, but since it’s funny as all hell, we can’t not include it here. Released in 1998, the movie follows Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) as he gets caught up in a scheme involving the other Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), which leads to a long and winding road of kidnappings, pornography, and an epic fantasy sequence. The sexual situations, violence, and language from Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) sent this over the edge.

Porky's (1982)

Two years before he gave the world the classic holiday movie, A Christmas Story, Bob Clark presented a less wholesome and raunchier movie that made the whole leg lamp situation look like nothing. Of course, we’re talking about the successful 1982 sex comedy, Porky’s. So, why the R-rating? Well, there’s the main plot that involves a group of Florida high schoolers going to a strip club in an attempt to get their friend laid. Combine that with the “pepping” and “Lassie” subplots, and you can figure it out.

Borat (2006)

Released in 2006, Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, or Borat for short, was a mockumentary following Sacha Baron Cohen’s titular character as he explored America and got into all kinds of hijinks. With a combination of scripted sequences and some of the most absurd hidden-camera pranks, there was no way Larry Charles’ movie was going to be anything but R-rated. Nudity, sexual situations, cussing, violence, and racism/xenophobia are all at play in this utterly ridiculous movie.

Zombieland (2009)

Though movies like My Boyfriend’s Back, Warm Bodies, and World War Z proved a good zombie movie could have a PG-13 rating, that wasn’t the case for Ruben Fleischer’s 2009 horror comedy, Zombieland. Taking the best elements of buddy action comedies and combining them with the hallmarks of the zombie genre, the movie was a fun ride. Crude language, violence, and so much gore are the main reasons the movie earned an R-rating.

Freddy Got Fingered (2001)

How Tom Green’s surrealist comedy, Freddy Got Fingered, was given an R-rating instead of the NC-17 classification is something that remains a mystery 22 years after its initial release. While the main plot about Green’s Gordon “Gord” Bordy trying to become a professional cartoonist doesn’t sound all that crazy, the movie is anything but tame. The horse and elephant scenes, the subplot where Gord accuses his father of sexually abusing his brother, and pretty much everything that happens is WILD. 

Revenge Of The Nerds (1984)

Jeff Kanew’s 1984 comedy, Revenge of the Nerds, doesn’t seem all that bad or too risque on the surface, but man, this movie is absolutely nuts. Sure, there’s an edited TV version that cuts out a lot of the language and some of the more absurd scenes, but the theatrical cut is a depraved exploration of college culture. The language is one thing, but the Lambda Lambda Lambda members spying on a sorority, the Darth Vader scene, and several other interactions mean giving this movie an R-rating was a no-brainer.

Super Troopers (2001)

The 2001 Broken Lizard comedy, Super Troopers, follows a group of Vermont state troopers as they try to prevent their raucous station from being shut down and their jurisdiction handed over to the local police department. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? Well, this movie is bonkers in all the good ways. With more curse words than one can count, so many drug references, and so many shenanigans, it’s easy to see what an R-rating was a given with this one.

Well, we’ve come to the end of this wild and debaucherous ride going back several decades. If you want to know about all the upcoming comedy movies that will push the boundaries of the R-rating, take a look at our 2023 movie schedule so you don’t miss a thing.

Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley is one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in all of cinema. He’s charming, he’s funny, he’s noble – and he nearly made the jump to the small screen a decade ago. Some may not remember (or even know at all) that CBS was developing a pilot for a Beverly Hills Cop TV show back in 2013. Said series was set to be procedural, and The Shield’s Shawn Ryan was attached as writer and executive producer. Sadly, the network passed on the show, and Ryan has now provided some insight into why things panned out as they did.

The Beverly Hills Cop TV series, which aimed to capture the spirit of its big-screen predecessors, would’ve focused on Axel’s police officer son, Aaron Foley, who’d seek to step out of his famous father’s shadow by relocating from Detroit to California. Comedian Brandon T. Jackson was cast in the lead role and was joined by Kevin Pollack and David Denman as Rodney and Brad, respectively. Law & Order alum Christine Lahti was also cast in an undisclosed role. And in addition to appearing in the pilot, Eddie Murphy was said to be remaining with the production as an occasional guest star. 

There was certainly a fun premise and a capable cast and crew in the mix here, so why didn’t this all work out? Well, as a fan of the franchise, I couldn’t help but ask Shawn Ryan that very question when speaking to him about his latest show, The Night Agent (which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription). Ryan, who says he enjoyed working on the project, chalks up its failure to a variety of reasons, which collectively make up a “tricky” situation: 

Those “politics” must’ve been pretty serious if they were able to put the kibosh on a pilot that tested so highly Nielsen-wise. In light of what happened, I do appreciate the super producer’s outlook on the situation, though, as getting to do any kind of work on a storied IP is a major accomplishment for a creative. During our conversation, he went to talk reflect on watching the episode and working with his collaborators: 

Shawn Ryan isn’t the only person who’s spoken out on the series since CBS pulled the plug on it. In 2013, Brandon T. Jackson – while comparing it to Fresh Prince – opined that the program was “too edgy” for the Eye Network. Eddie Murphy has addressed the project a few times, with his most recent comments coming by way of a 2019 interview with IndieWire. The veteran actor suggested that his presence in the pilot contributed to its downfall. He alleged that after his appearance in the well-tested episode, studio execs wanted Axel to pop in more frequently. And as Murphy recalled himself telling them, “I ain’t popping in shit.”

It’s honestly a shame that the Shawn Ryan-penned production didn’t get off the ground. Yet if there’s any consolation, fans will get to see him reprise his famous role in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, which features a cast filled with franchise veterans and newcomers. The prospect of finally seeing the long-awaited fourth movie is exciting, though I’d be lying if I said I’m not the least bit curious about what that TV show could’ve been.

But instead of wallowing in “what ifs,” you can focus your attention on continued updates regarding the latest Beverly Hills Cop flick. You can also stream the first three installments for free on Pluto TV. 

It’s been over three decades since audiences last saw Eddie Murphy play the wise-cracking detective Axel Foley. Of course, he'll be reprising that role in the long-awaited fourth installment, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. Murphy unsurprisingly had to get back into swing of things when it came to doing stunts for action sequences. Said moments are thrilling for audiences to watch but, as we know, they're not always easy on the actors performing them. It sounds like Murphy had quite the experience working on the highly anticipated film, as he got real about feeling like he was "going to die" amid production.

The fan-favorite actor came clean about doing stunts in his 60s while speaking to ET following his news-making Cecil B. DeMille Award speech at the 80th Golden Globes. The Coming 2 America star mentioned that he was 21 when he did the original Beverly Hills Cop (which is considered to be one of the best Eddie Murphy's films). Unsurprisingly, doing stunts at the age of 61 is a lot different from doing them at 21. Murphy explained to the news outlet just how rough the shoot got at points and recalled a conversation with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, during which Murphy brought up another iconic star:

To be quite honest, it's totally fair for the comedian to compare himself to Morgan Freeman in this regard at this point of his life. Freeman has appeared in many action films in recent years, including the Dark Knight trilogy and Lucy, without having to throw hands or run for yards. It's worth mentioning, though, that the Oscar winner is two decades older than the Beverly Hills Cop star, though.

Eddie Murphy shared more behind-the-scenes details about his reprisal of the Detroit police officer. He explained that he and Jerry Bruckheimer ultimately landed on a system for that would work for production and presumably keep the actor safe. But that didn't make things totally easy for Murphy, it seems:

Sounds like fans will indeed see Eddie Murphy do some action stunts throughout the flick. While Murphy may have walked away with a few aches and pains, he surely didn't die. Plus, he's also a professional and knows that the work has to get done one way or another. Hopefully, his efforts won't be in vain, and the fourth installment in his franchise proves to be a hit.

A release date has not been announced for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley just yet, but it's been confirmed to premiere on Netflix. Murphy revealed that he wrapped the third sequel alongside franchise staples like Judge Reinhold and Bronson Pinchot and newbies like Taylour Paige and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who was delighted to work with Murphy. Ahead of the action comedy's debut, you can catch Murphy's latest comedy, You People, using an active Netflix subscription when it premieres on January 27 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

Beverly Hills Cop 4 is a project that has been in the works for so long that it’s totally reasonable if swaths of fans gave up on the idea of it actually coming together. After 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III, there was continued hope that the next sequel could get made, but the project got stuck in development hell for years with new filmmakers becoming attached and then departing when they couldn’t produce a script up to star Eddie Murphy’s standards. Being a fan has required a lot of patience… but now the movie is actually happening.

Directed by newcomer Mark Molloy and based on a script by Josh Appelbaum, Will Beall, and André Nemec, Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F has made it through production and is set to be released on Netflix on July 3, 2024. So who can we expect from the original movies to return and who are the newcomers joining the franchise? We’ve put together this of actors in the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast for those looking forward to the upcoming 2024 movie, and we’ll start with the man playing the series’ eponymous hero.

Eddie Murphy (Axel Foley)

In 2021, Eddie Murphy brought back some of his most beloved characters in Coming 2 America, and he’s following it up by returning to the world of Beverly Hills Cop as Axel Foley this upcoming Netflix movie. This fourth installment will be the SNL legend’s latest in a string of streaming exclusives, including Netflix’s You People and Amazon’s Candy Cane Lane. A THR exclusive from May 2023 says Murphy was in talks to star in a Pink Panther reboot, Deadline reports he will star alongside Pete Davidson in Tim Story’s The Pickup for Amazon MGM Studios, and, according Variety, a fifth Shrek movie may be in the works, too.

Judge Reinhold (Billy Rosewood)

When we first met Judge Reinhold’s Billy Rosewood in the original Beverly Hills Cop, he was a fresh police officer still learning the ropes and Axel Foley ended up taking him under his wing. After that, Reinhold became the only actor other than Murphy to appear in all of the sequels and he will be keeping that streak going with the return of Billy in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. It’s been a minute since we last saw the Fast Times At Ridgemont High star in a movie, as his most recent credits were back in 2017 – including Lifetime’s holiday rom-com Four Christmases and a Wedding – so it will be exciting to see him playing one of his most beloved roles again.

Bronson Pinchot (Serge)

Despite his Beverly Hills Cop II absence, Serge actor Bronson Pinchot is considered a staple of the action franchise, starting with his standout role in the original (then as a museum employee) and return in Beverly Hills Cop III as a gun store owner – a profession we are unsure he will have in the 2020s. Pinchot was confirmed to appear in Axel F while the movie was in production in September 2022, though we don’t know what to expect from his role. In recent years, the actor – who took up household restoration for a while – as been primarily working on television, with a recurring role on Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina and appearances in episodes of Black Monday, NCIS: Hawai’i, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and Max’s Our Flag Means Death.

Paul Reiser (Jeffrey Friedman)

Paul Reiser has been experiencing a nice career comeback in recent years, starting with his part as Dr. Sam Owens in the Stranger Things cast followed by The Kominsky Method, The Boys, and Hulu's Reboot cast, as well as the the 2019 revival of Mad About You. Now, he’s bringing back yet another memorable part in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F by reprising Jeffrey Friedman for the first time since the 1987 sequel. What has the character been up to in the last three-and-a-half decades? We have no idea, but we expect him to continue being a loyal ally to Murphy’s titular cop.

John Ashton (John Taggart)

John Ashton’s John Taggart was introduced as a semi-antagonist in the original Beverly Hills Cop, being a smart, talented detective who doesn’t have much patience for Foley’s antics. He ultimately learns to appreciate the protagonist for his drive and skills, and while he wasn’t part of the action in Beverly Hills Cop III, he’ll be back for the fun in Axel F, as confirmed in the fall of 2022. Ashton’s most recent credits include 2020’s Death In Texas with Bruce Dern, Stephen Lang, and Lara Flynn Boyle and the 2023 drama, Lonesome Soldier.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Detective Abbott)

The cast of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F isn’t solely comprised of stars from the original trilogy, and includes a handful of other fresh faces, such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who said it was a “treat” playing Foley’s new partner, Detective Abbott. In the last few years, Gordon-Levitt has primarily been working on the small screen, having starred in Apple TV+’s Mr. Corman (which he also created) and Showtime’s Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber cast. Notably, however, the new Beverly Hills Cop will be his third Netflix original movie – following 2020’s Project Power and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Taylour Paige (Jane)

In August 2022, the first two actors announced to star in the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast opposite Eddie Murphy were JGL and Taylour Paige, who is playing Axel’s daughter, Jane. Since her breakout role as the titular character in 2021’s Zola, Paige has been busy on both the big and small screen, starring in Lena Dunham's Sharp Stick and Katie Aselton's Mack & Rita, as well as six episodes of the TV series, The Baxters. One of her other major upcoming releases, Magazine Dreams, has been removed from the schedule, but she will also appear in a new installment of another beloved '80s franchise: the upcoming superhero movie, The Toxic Avenger.

Kevin Bacon (Captain Cade Grant)

Despite the fact that they have both been in Hollywood for multiple decades, Kevin Bacon and Eddie Murphy have never had the opportunity to work together before, but that all changes with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Bacon joined the cast of the Netflix-produced sequel in September 2022, and was later confirmed to be playing Captain Cade Grant, following his turn as a cop in the Showtime series City on a Hill from 2019 to 2022. The actor also recently played himself in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, starred in another Netflix original called Leave the World Behind, and also stars in the upcoming remake of The Toxic Avenger with Paige.

Be sure to have your Netflix subscription up and running for when Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F arrives.

Seeing Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley again has been a long road for Beverly Hills Cop fans. Moviegoers are close to seeing Foley return to Beverly Hills once again after a few false starts and delays. This time around, Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets to join in on the fun. But this wasn’t another role for Gordon-Levitt as he was a fan of the original BHC films. Of course, working with a Hollywood staple like Murphy could’ve gone two ways – either good or bad. Luckily his time on the set has been the former the Inception star called working with the Oscar-nominated actor “a treat.”

Gordon-Levitt opened up to Collider about filming the Beverly Hills Cop sequel while promoting his Apple TV+ animated series Wolfboy and the Everything Factory. The former child star’s role in the sequel is currently unknown as the film is in production. Acting alongside Murphy wasn’t a full-circle moment for him. The 500 Days of Summer star revealed his affinity for the comedy legend started with his older brother, who was a huge fan. Eventually, his brother’s love for Murphy rubbed off on him. Once he was on set with the Axel Foley actor, the actor-producer found Murphy to be better than he imagined.     

They say never meant your idols, but Gordon-Levitt’s interactions with Murphy proved the statement can be wrong sometimes. He went from watching the original Beverly Hill Cop to starring in a BHC sequel with the SNL alum. So, this role is a full-circle moment for the TV and film actor. As a bonus, he gets to pick Murphy’s brain daily about his history while filming the Beverly Hills Cop 3 sequel. It makes you wonder what their conversations are like on set.

You would think a star of Murphy’s caliber is reserved and closed-off. But the Coming 2 America star didn’t mind sharing his time with his co-stars as they film the anticipated sequel. Gordon-Levitt seemed more than ready to hear what the Oscar-nominated actor had to say. So, joining Beverly Hills Cop 4 was a dream turned reality for the 500 Days of Summer star.

Eddie Murphy isn’t the only BHC alum Joseph Gordon-Levitt will interact with on the sequel. Original cast members, including Judge Reinhold and Bronson Pinchot, are returning to the franchise after last being seen in Beverly Hills Cop 2.  The Looper star isn’t the only newcomer to the cop franchise as Kevin Bacon joined in on the fun for Axel Foley’s new visit to the California city. Get more information on the much-delayed sequel before Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley arrives on Netflix at an unknown release date. Don’t forget new movies are still set to arrive at movie theaters and streaming platforms in 2022.

Are you ready for the return of a comedic franchise that literally shaped my childhood? Because I am.

Beverly Hills Cop 4 – otherwise known as Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F – is finally on the way, after we were left wondering for a time if it was even still happening. It is the long-awaited sequel to the franchise that further cemented actor Eddie Murphy's career when the first Beverly Hills Cop released in 1984.  

It’s been forever since we’ve seen the star reprise his role of Axel Foley in this funny franchise, and now, we’re actually going to be getting another film. Here is what you need to know. 

What Is The Beverly Hills Cop 4 Release Date?

As of this update, in May 2024, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F will release on July 3rd, 2024, just in time for the July 4th weekend. This means that it will be released as part of our 2024 movie schedule. 

While this franchise, in the past, has been released by Paramount Pictures, Netflix will be the one to release the fourth film, while Paramount is still one of the production companies behind it. 

Check Out The Trailer For Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

We finally have a trailer! It’s a miracle. Just in time for us to get hyped on Memorial Day weekend, the trailer for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F has finally dropped, and gives fans a taste of the crazy amount of action, hilariousness and so much more that we can expect in this upcoming film. All I know is that I need this movie, like, right now. Check it out above. 

The Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Cast

So who’s coming back for this new movie, huh? And who is new to the cast? For all your questions about who’s starring in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, here is who you can expect:

Eddie Murphy As Axel Foley

It wouldn’t quite be Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F without its lead character, and thankfully, it’s been confirmed that Murphy returned for the fourth film. 

He has had a bit of a career resurgence in the last few years. While he took a break from acting for a while, he came back strong with his performance in another Netflix original film, Dolemite Is My Name, and in 2021 released the Amazon Original movie, Coming 2 America, a sequel to his 1988 hit, so it’s super great to see him back in action and working on roles that we all know him for. 

Murphy even spoke about his time filming the upcoming movie in an interview with People in November 2023, where he said that it was “hard” for him because he is older now, but they got through it:

Murphy admitted that he didn’t even think another film in the franchise was going to happen due to the script not being right, but in an interview with Collider in January 2023, he revealed that the moment Jerry Bruckheimer signed on for the film, he had to do it:

This just makes me want to see this film even more. Can July 2024 get here sooner?

Taylour Paige as Jane

Deadline announced that both Taylour Paige and Joseph Gordon-Levitt signed on to star in the film opposite Murphy. Let’s start with Taylour Paige.

She is going to play Axel’s daughter, Jane, and director Mark Molloy spoke about the actress in a Tudum article, saying that she had that same “glint” in her eye that Axel’s character has: 

Paige was in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Boogie, and in the series Hit the Floor as well as various other projects. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Detective Abbott

Additionally, Levitt will play Detective Abbott, a new partner of Axel’s. Gordon-Levitt has appeared in a variety of shows and fantastic movies, such as Pinocchio and Super Pumped, as well as The Dark Knight Rises, Don Jon, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Looper and many other films. 

Gordon-Levitt even got to talk about the upcoming role in an interview with Empire in May 2024, saying that it was a “crazy opportunity” and that in this role, he got to do some “crazy fun stuff:”

Ugh, I want to see this movie so badly now. 

Kevin Bacon as Captain Cade Grant

Also confirmed to have joined the movie is Kevin Bacon, according to Deadline. Bacon will play Captain Cade Grant, according to Tudum.  

Kevin Bacon is primarily known for his role in Footloose, as well as several other movies like JFK, Tremors, Crazy, Stupid Love, Loverboy, and many more. 

Previous Beverly Hills Cop Cast Members Returning

I mean, of course there are going to be some people coming back for the fourth film. According to Deadline, here is who you can expect to return in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F: 

• Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood
• John Ashton as John Taggart
• Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Friedman
• Bronson Pinchot as Serge

They’ve all gone on to appear in several other projects, but it’s exciting to see characters from the previous films come back for something as big as this, and I can’t wait to see what kind of story they tell. 

The Fourth Film Will Follow Axel Foley Investigating Corruption Within The Police Force

Plot details have been kept pretty much on the downlow for Beverly Hills Cop 4, but thankfully we do have some sort of idea of what the movie is going to entail – including the premise. 

According to Tudum, we know that Axel F will follow Axel working once again in Beverly Hills, but this time, he needs to team up with a new partner and his old buddies to uncover a conspiracy within the police force that connects him to his daughter after her life is threatened.  

There’s also some suggestion that the movie might involve a lot of action – some of which Murphy was not eager to do in his older years. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight after the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, Murphy commented on the upcoming film, talking about how there were times he thought he was “gonna die” while filming the movie. 

Poor guy; but at least we can also expect a lot of action in this upcoming film, and I can’t wait to see what they have planned. 

The director, Mark Molloy, also commented in the Tudum article that the contrast between Detroit and Beverly Hills is still so “vivid” to this day, which made it the perfect plot device to use for this film:

Molloy also said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in May 2024 that they see a “different side” to Axel in this upcoming film, and that he’s excited for fans to see it – but the director also states that some of the funniest moments of the movie are often because of Murphy’s hilarious improv:

Yeah, I can totally see that. 

Mark Molloy Directed The Movie

As mentioned above, Mark Molloy directed Beverly Hills Cop 4, according to Deadline. Though this is Molloy’s first directing credit for a feature-length film, he has directed several film shorts before, such as the Apple at Work – The Underdogs short, as well as video shorts for businesses such as GoDaddy, Nissan, and another short for Apple. 

Also reported in the Deadline article is that Will Beale (who has written shows and movies such as Aquaman, Castle, Deputy and more) wrote the script.

Beverly Hills Cop 4 is something that I’m sure we are all looking forward to, and now I’m just hoping for the time to go by quicker so I get the chance to watch this film sooner. Are you as excited as I am?  

I grew up knowing Paul Reiser, mainly, as “that one guy from Mad About You” and, sometime later, knew him as “that guy who was also in Aliens.” It was not until I was pleasantly surprised to see him join the Stranger Things cast that I began to really appreciate him as an actor, which is why also seeing him show up on The Boys Season 3 as “The Legend” was quite a treat.

Now that the Emmy-nominated comedian is becoming even more well-known to this generation for the aforementioned roles, it makes me want to explore some of the moments in his career that I (and, I assume, other audience members) have unfortunately missed. If this describes you, too, then check out these picks for the best Paul Reiser movies and TV shows on streaming or elsewhere. However, we will start with his most popular credit at the moment.

Stranger Things (2017-Present)

A group of ordinary, close-knit people of varying ages from a small, Midwestern town all make an extraordinary, otherworldly discovery — involving a young girl with psychokinetic abilities (Millie Bobby Brown) and an alternate dimension where slimy, malevolent creatures exist — that irrevocably changes their lives in the 1980s.

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: Considering how creators and executive producers The Duffer Brothers cited Aliens as an influence on Stranger Things Season 2, it is appropriate that one of its stars, Paul Reiser, was brought onto the cast of Netflix’s nostalgic hit sci-fi series that year as Hawkins Lab’s Director of Operations, Dr. Sam Owens, who later appeared briefly in Season 3 before returning as a Season 4 regular.

Stream Stranger Things on Netflix.

Aliens (1986)

Years after becoming the sole survivor of a bloodthirsty creature’s attack on a commercial space craft, a woman (Academy Award nominee Sigourney Weaver) and a crew of Marines must face off against hordes of beasts overrunning a colonized planet.

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: Speaking of Aliens, Paul Reiser played Weyland-Yutani junior executive Carter J. Burke — essentially the human antagonist of the story — in writer and director James Cameron’s action-packed and cleverly constructed sequel to Ridley Scott’s terrifying 1979 creature feature (and one of the best space movies ever), Alien.

Stream Aliens on Starz.
Rent/buy Aliens digitally on Amazon.
Buy Aliens on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Mad About You (1992-2019)

The life and times of a loving, but frequently bickering, couple from Manhattan made up of a filmmaker (Paul Reiser) and a public relations worker (Academy Award winner Helen Hunt).

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: As I hinted at above, my introduction to Reiser was through Mad About You — the witty, romantic NBC sitcom that he also co-created and later revived for an eighth season as a Spectrum original in 2019.

Stream Mad About You on Amazon Prime.
Buy Mad About You on DVD on Amazon.

My Two Dads (1987-1990)

Following the tragic death of her mother, a teenage girl (Staci Keanan) is left in the care of two of her mom’s former boyfriends who could not be more different from each other — a straight-laced businessman (Paul Reiser) and a more liberally minded artist (Greg Evigan) — but attempt to put aside their differences and combine efforts for the sake of her upbringing.

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: Before co-creating and starring on Mad About You, Reiser’s first lead role on a sitcom was as the prim and proper Michael Taylor on My Two Dads — co-creators Danielle Alexandra and Michael Jacobs’ NBC sitcom with a concept that is not so unconventional these days as it would have been in the late 1980s.

Stream My Two Dads on Tubi.
Stream My Two Dads on Crackle.

Diner (1982)

A group of men in their early twenties (Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Daniel Stern, Tim Daly, and Paul Reiser) spend their free time together at a local eatery where they swap stories about their personal struggles with adulthood in late 1950s Baltimore.

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: Paul Reiser made his screen acting debut in the apt role of a stand-up comedian named Modell in Diner — also one of the best Kevin Bacon movies, which earned writer and director Barry Levinson an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Rent/buy Diner digitally on Amazon.
Buy Diner on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Beverly Hills Cop And Beverly Hills Cop II (1984, 1987)

A rebellious Detroit detective (Eddie Murphy) travels to the Golden State to track down his childhood friends’ killer, leading to the discovery of a huge drug ring, and, years later, returns to help two local cops he befriended (Judge Reinhold and John Ashton) investigate their chief’s attempted murder, leading to the discovery of an international arms trafficking scheme. 

Why they are some of Paul Reiser’s best: For his first major film role following Diner, Paul Reiser starred in the smash hit action comedy Beverly Hills Cop as Jeffrey Friedman — a hip fellow detective from Detroit who often takes heat for the sake of his friend, Axel Foley — whom he would also reprise in the first sequel from director Tony Scott, Beverly Hills Cop II.

Stream the Beverly Hills Cop movies on Paramount+.

Rent/buy Beverly Hills Cop digitally on Amazon.
Rent/buy Beverly Hills Cop II digitally on Amazon.

Buy the Beverly Hills Cop movies on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Bye Bye Love (1995)

Three adult friends (Paul Reiser, Matthew Modine, and Randy Quaid) each try to help one another cope with the trials and tribulations of being a divorced father, while also running into complex situations that might threaten to put them at odds with one another.

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: In his first collaboration with his Stranger Things co-star Modine (Dr. Martin “Papa” Brenner), Reiser gives one of his most heartfelt and hilarious performances in Bye Bye Love — a heartfelt and hilarious comedy from director Sam Weisman.

Stream Bye Bye Love on Starz.

Whiplash (2014)

A young, aspiring jazz drummer (Miles Teller) pushes himself to his breaking point in the hope of living up to the unattainable expectations of his abusive, domineering instructor (J.K. Simmons) at a prestigious music conservatory. 

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: In what might be his all-time best movie and certainly one of the best movies of the 21st Century so far, Paul Reiser plays Jim, the supportive and protective father of Teller’s Andrew Neimann, in Whiplash — the stunning feature-length debut of writer and director Damien Chazelle that earned three Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Simmons’ unflinchingly brutal performance.

Stream Whiplash on Showtime.
Rent/buy Whiplash digitally on Amazon.
Buy Whiplash on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Horse Girl (2020) 

A socially awkward young woman (Alison Brie) who works in an arts and crafts store and has a self-described overactive imagination begins to struggle with determining what is real and what is fantasy in her own life.

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: In one of the most visually unique and dramatically intense films of his career, Paul Reiser plays Gary, the concerned, widowed father of Brie’s Sarah, in Horse Girl — a mesmerizing Netflix original thriller that offers a disturbing first-person view of the main character’s experience with mental illness from director Jeff Baena, who also co-wrote the script with Brie.

Stream Horse Girl on Netflix.

The Kominsky Method (2019-2021)

A cynical, fallen Hollywood star who now makes a living as an acting instructor (Academy Award winner Michael Douglas) and his longtime agent and best friend (Academy Award winner Alan Arkin) struggle to come to terms with the challenges of getting older.

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: Paul Reiser is nearly unrecognizable in his Emmy-nominated role as the balding, beer-bellied, cigar-chomping Martin Schnieder, who eventually becomes the son-in-law of Douglas’ title character in the third and final season of The Kominsky Method — an honest and endearing, Emmy-nominated Netflix original dramedy from The Big Bang Theory and Mom co-creator Chuck Lorre

Stream The Kominsky Method on Netflix.

Red Oaks (2014-2017)

As he prepares for his future, a 20-year-old college student and aspiring videographer (Craig Roberts) makes new friends, strikes up a potential new romance, and encounters other life-changing experiences while working as a tennis pro at a suburban New Jersey country club during the summer of 1985.

Why it is one of Paul Reiser’s best: Paul Reiser gives a scene-stealing performance as Doug Getty, the father of the young woman the main character falls in love with and his boss at the titular country club on Red Oaks — a fun, nostaglia-fueled, Amazon Prime original coming-of-age dramedy from co-creators Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs.

Stream Red Oaks on Amazon Prime.

As for the next chapter of the “Reiser-sance,” Paul Reiser is currently in pre-production on the upcoming comedy film The Problem with People, which Deadline reports that he both co-wrote and stars in. He will also appear on the Hulu original series, Reboot, in which the dysfunctional cast of a hit sitcom from the early 2000s struggle to get along as they film a revival of their old show. 

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has done more than his fair share of movies over the years. The actor has delivered some fun moments for moviegoers, from his face-off with Vin Diesel in Fast Five to his musical and humorous turn in Moana (which he had to convince his daughter of). But in his spare time, he also enjoys taking in a good film like many of us. This was clear when he checked out the Beverly Hills Cop flicks and, no big deal, took the time to shout out Eddie Murphy for his work. 

Fans of NBC’s Young Rock are more than likely aware that Dwayne Johnson is a child of the ‘80s and greatly indulged in the pop culture of the time. So it’s no surprise that he’d want to revisit one of the biggest film franchises of that decade. In a Twitter post, Johnson mentioned that he had the first two Beverly Hills Cop installments playing while he was doing “homework.” Check out the post down below:

Eddie Murphy was indeed one of the biggest celebrities of the 1980s, as he quickly became a superstar through his work on Saturday Night Live. From there, he starred in his first feature film, 48 Hrs., in 1982 and followed that up with 1983’s Trading Places, with both becoming successes. But it was arguably the first Cop movie that solidified his position as a big-screen staple. 

Beverly Hills Cop, directed by Martin (who’d go on to direct features like Midnight Run), hit theaters in December 1984. The action comedy saw Eddie Murphy play the role of street-savvy, yet reckless, police officer Axel Foley. After his visiting friend is killed, the young cop travels from his native Detroit to Beverly Hills to solve the murder. While there, he teams up with local cops, played by Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, and excitement and hilarity ensue. The movie was a critical and financial hit, spawning the 1987 sequel and a 1994 threequel (which was poorly received by fans and critics alike). 

Still, the franchise as a whole was successful, and The Rock can certainly appreciate it.  One has to wonder if he viewed the Coming to America star’s career as something to aspire to during his formative years. If that was the case, then I’d say that he more than succeeded. He’s starred in established franchises like Fast and the Furious and Jumanji as well as his own original IPs such as San Andreas and Red Notice. And now, he’s finally set to make his big-screen debut as Black Adam.

As for Eddie Murphy and the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, the long-awaited fourth installment is finally moving forward. The project experienced a behind-the-scenes shakeup in April when Mark Malloy boarded as director. A release window has yet to be announced, though it’s been confirmed that the movie will be available to watch with a Netflix subscription. And based on his enthusiastic social media post, I think it’s a safe bet that Dwayne Johnson will be one of the many to check out the film when it drops. 

Both The Rock and Eddie Murphy have upcoming movies that will arrive by the end of the year. And if you’re feeling nostalgic, you can stream the Beverly Hills Cop movies with a Hulu subscription.

While plans to release Beverly Hills Cop 4 just a few years after Beverly Hills Cop III obviously never came to fruition, the prospect of having Eddie Murphy reprise Axel Foley has never entirely gone away. In fact, the project has had new life breathed into it over the last several years, with Murphy saying in March 2021 that he wouldn’t move forward with Beverly Hills Cop 4 until “the script is right.” After a long stretch without any major updates on the upcoming movie, today brings word that Beverly Hills Cop 4 has gone through a major behind-the-scenes shakeup, as there’s a new director leading the charge.

Back in 2016, directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were tapped to helm Beverly Hills Cop 4, and since that time they’ve gone on to direct Bad Boys for Life and the upcoming HBO Max movie Batgirl, which stars In the Heights’ Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon. As it turns out, Arbi and Fallah deciding to work on Batgirl led to them exiting Beverly Hills Cop 4, and Deadline reports that Mark Molloy has now been handed the directorial reins. The project is also still listed as being in development, with no production start date being jotted into the calendar.

Beverly Hills Cop 4 will serve as Mark Molloy’s feature directorial debut, but you may be familiar with his work on commercials, most notably the Apple at Work - The Underdogs video short. Back in 2019, Paramount Pictures licensed Netflix to distribute Beverly Hills Cop 4, and evidently the platform’s bigwigs are confident that Molloy is the right person to finally take the long-awaited sequel to the next stage.

The original Beverly Hills Cop introduced Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley to the world, with the Detroit police detective heading to the title California location to investigate the murder of his best friend. The supporting cast included Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher and Steven Berkoff, and along with the 1984 movie being met with a lot of positive reviews, it made $316 million worldwide. Beverly Hills Cop II and Beverly Hills Cop III followed in 1987 and 1994, respectively, but neither sequel came close to reaching the first entry’s critical and commercial heights. Since Beverly Hills Cop 4 will be available with a Netflix subscription, it won’t have to worry about making splash on the big screen outside of a possible limited theatrical run, but Murphy has still been careful with making sure the project is the best it can be before cameras start rolling.

No plot details for Beverly Hills Cop 4 have been shared with the public, though in 2017, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were still attached to it, they expressed interest in having either Channing Tatum or Tom Hardy play the movie’s main villain. I’m suspicious about if such castings could still happen, but a little extra star power alongside Eddie Murphy certainly couldn’t hurt. Beverly Hills Cop 4 will mark Murphy’s second time reprising a movie character he’d first played decades earlier, having already reprised Akeem Joffer in Coming 2 America, which a lot of people watched during its first weekend on Amazon.

Hopefully now that Mark Molloy is aboard Beverly Hills Cop 4, it can finally make more meaningful progress forward, leading to casting announcements, a launch date for principal photography and more. For now, you can look through the 2022 Netflix movie schedule to learn what the streaming service will deliver later this year.

The list of the best ‘80s movies is a massive and diverse list of everything from iconic action movies to Best Picture winners, and so much more. With so many great movies having come out in the penultimate decade of the 20th century, keeping track of all those rom-coms, sci-fi thrillers, horror flicks, and tear-jerking dramas is no easy task.

Looking for a way to revisit your favorites from the ‘80s while waiting for those new releases on the 2025 movie schedule? Well, come with us as we explore the best the ‘80s had to offer and how to watch those movies on some of the best streaming services. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s go back to the ‘80s with these great movies…

The Big Chill (1983)

The Director: Lawrence Kasdan

The Cast: Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, William Hurt

What It’s About: A group of college friends reunite to bury one of their own who has committed suicide. Together for the first time in years, the once close-knit gang examine their college experience and what has changed.

What To Expect: With one of the best movie soundtracks ever assembled, incredible performances by some of the biggest ‘80s stars, and an unflinching story about friendship and identity, The Big Chill has it all.

• Stream The Big Chill on Max.
  Rent/Buy The Big Chill on Amazon.
• Get The Big Chill on DVD on Amazon.

Major League (1989)

The Director: David S. Ward

The Cast: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Wesley Snipes

What It’s About: After discovering that their team’s new owner is planning on tanking the team to relocate to sunny Florida, the ragtag group of misfits that make up the Cleveland Indians take matters into their own hands and attempt to pull off the impossible.

What To Expect: One of the best baseball movies of all time, Major League hits the triple crown of a sports flick: comedy, drama, and all kinds of web gems.

• Rent/Buy Major League on Amazon.
• Get Major League on DVD on Amazon.

Clue (1985)

The Director: Jonathan Lynn

The Cast: Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean

What It’s About: Six seemingly random strangers, who appear to have nothing in common with one another, are summoned to a mansion for dinner, only to discover they are in the middle of a murder mystery where no one can be trusted, not even the staff.

What To Expect: With its multiple endings, hilarious gags, and unforgettable performances by some of the funniest people in Hollywood, Clue takes a classic board game and turns it into a classic whodunit comedy.

• Rent/Buy Clue on Amazon.
• Get Clue on DVD on Amazon.

Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)

The Director: Joe Johnston

The Cast: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Amy O’Neill

What It’s About: After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a group of teenagers are turned into a fraction of their normal size and are forced to survive the dangerous hellscape that is their backyard.

What To Expect: One of the most hilarious Rick Moranis movies, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, is full of great practical effects, a wild story, and some of the most iconic movie moments of the ‘80s.

• Stream Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on Amazon.
• Get Honey, I Shrunk the Kids on DVD on Amazon.

Field Of Dreams (1989)

The Director: Phil Alden Robinson

The Cast: Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta

What It’s About: Ray Kinsella’s (Kevin Costner) life is forever changed after hearing a mysterious voice whisper “If you build it, he will come” while out in his cornfield.

What To Expect: What follows is one man’s journey to “ease the pain” of his hero, an odyssey that concludes with one of the most emotional scenes in any sports movie.

• Rent/Buy Field of Dreams on Amazon.
• Get Field of Dreams on DVD on Amazon.

Raising Arizona (1987)

The Director: The Coen Brothers

The Cast: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman

What It’s About: A down-on-their-luck couple goes to extreme lengths to have a baby of their own, even if that means kidnapping one from a wealthy family.

What To Expect: One of the Coen Brothers’ best movies, Raising Arizona has a perfect blend of comedy and crime, as well as no shortage of iconic and unforgettable characters.

• Rent/Buy Raising Arizona on Amazon.
• Get Raising Arizona on Blu-ray on Amazon.

9 to 5 (1980)

The Director: Colin Higgins

The Cast: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton

What It’s About: A trio of fed-up secretaries team up to get even with their sexist boss, but things get out of hand when they learn their dream may have come true.

What To Expect: In addition to having one of the best movie songs of all time, 9 to 5 also has one of the best premises of the ‘80s and a cast that is untouchable.

• Rent 9 to 5 on Amazon.
• Get 9 to 5 on DVD on Amazon.

A Christmas Story (1983)

The Director: Bob Clark

The Cast: Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon

What It’s About: A young boy named Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) tries to convince everyone from his parents to his teacher and even Santa Claus himself to bring him a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

What To Expect: Made up of a series of vignettes showcasing life in 1940s Indiana, A Christmas Story perfectly captures childhood obsession and what happens when reality brings your dreams crashing down.

• Rent/Buy A Christmas Story on Amazon.
• Get A Christmas Story on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Adventures In Babysitting (1987)

The Director: Chris Columbus

The Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Anthony Rapp, George Newbern

What It’s About: After being stood up by her boyfriend, high school senior Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) decides to spend the night watching a group of young siblings. What at first seems like a quiet night and easy money quickly turns into anything but.

What To Expect: Adventures in Babysitting, one of the best movies set in Chicago, is full of great and hilarious moments, all kinds of danger, and Elisabeth Shue in all her glory.

• Stream Adventures in Babysitting on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy Adventures in Babysitting on Amazon.
• Get Adventures in Babysitting on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Airplane! (1980)

The Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

The Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen

What It’s About: With the crew and passengers incapacitated and no one else left to land the plane, a nervous pilot has to rise to the occasion and save the day.

What To Expect: The 1980 disaster film spoof, Airplane!, answers the question: what happens when a man who’s afraid to fly is the only one who can prevent a jumbo-jet from crashing?

• Rent/Buy Airplane on Amazon.
• Get Airplane! on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Aliens (1986)

The Director: James Cameron

The Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Lance Henriksen, Michael Biehn

What It’s About: After spending decades floating through space, Ellen Ripley is awoken and sent with a group of highly-trained space Marines to investigate a mining colony that has gone dark.

What To Expect: Ripley is back with a vengeance in James Cameron’s 1986 sci-fi action flick, Aliens, and she isn’t stopping until the final Xenomorph is launched into outer space.

• Rent/Buy Aliens on Amazon.
• Get Aliens on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Back To The Future (1985)

The Director: Robert Zemeckis

The Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Llyod, Lea Thompson

What It’s About: When Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) steps into a DeLorean time machine and is transported back to 1955, he must avoid high school bullies and a younger version of his own mom if he wants to get back to 1985.

What To Expect: With great time-traveling scenes, Michael J. Fox at his best, and some hilarious scenarios (both in the past and the present), Back to the Future has everything you’d want in an ‘80s movie.

• Rent/Buy Back to the Future on Amazon.
• Get Back to the Future on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Batman (1989)

The Director: Tim Burton

The Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger

What It’s About: After falling into a vat of toxic chemicals, one of Gotham’s most ambitious and dangerous criminals is transformed into the prince of crime, and only Batman can stop him.

What To Expect: Tim Burton’s dark and moody 1989 unconventional superhero film, Batman, forever changed the face of comic book movies and gave audiences one of the best representations of the iconic character.

• Stream Batman on Max.
• Rent/Buy Batman on Amazon.
• Get Batman on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Beetlejuice (1988)

The Director: Tim Burton
The Cast: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin

What It’s About: When the efforts by a ghostly couple (played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) to scare away the new owners of their country home are fruitless, they turn to a spirit by the name of Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to regain control.
What To Expect: More than 35 years after its release, Beetlejuice remains one of the most inventive, iconic, and hilarious additions to Tim Burton’s massive library of movies.

• Stream Beetlejuice on Max.
• Rent/Buy Beetlejuice on Amazon.
• Get Beetlejuice on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

The Director: Martin Brest

The Cast: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton

What It’s About: A wise-cracking and rebellious Detroit police officer comes to Los Angeles to track down those responsible for his best friend’s murder.

What To Expect: Expect to laugh, like a lot, because this Eddie Murphy classic starts and doesn’t stop until the credits roll.

• Stream Beverly Hills Cop on Paramount+.
• Rent/Buy Beverly Hills Cop on Amazon.
• Get Beverly Hills Cop on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Big (1988)

The Director: Penny Marshall

The Cast: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia

What It’s About: When 12-year-old Josh Baskin (David Moscow) wishes he was a little bigger, he gets his wish and then more when he wakes up to find he has been transformed into a full-grown adult (Tom Hanks).

What To Expect: Penny Marshall’s timeless comedy sees Baskin navigate 1980s New York City, but as a child trapped in a man’s body and various situations.

• Stream Big on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy Big on Amazon.
• Get Big on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

The Director: Stephen Herek

The Cast: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin

What It’s About: Strange things are afoot at the Circle K in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure when two dopey high schoolers (played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves) are given access to a time-traveling phone booth to pass their history exam and keep their band together.

What To Expect: Looking for righteous time-traveling sequences, air guitar, and Napoleon going to a water park? Well, look no further.

• Rent/Buy Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure on Amazon.
• Get Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Blade Runner (1982)

The Director: Ridley Scott

The Cast: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young

What It’s About: Blade Runner follows replicant hunter Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) as he tracks down four escaped criminals who have returned to Earth from an off-world colony.

What To Expect: What starts off as a simple game of cat and mouse slowly turns into something much more complex.

• Rent/Buy Blade Runner on Amazon.
• Get Blade Runner on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Blue Velvet (1986)

The Director: David Lynch

The Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Isabella Rossellini

What It’s About: College student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) becomes involved with the dark and twisted world of his town’s criminal underbelly after finding a dismembered ear.

What To Expect: Come in expecting Lynchian twists and turns, unforgettable characters (that you’ll want to forget), and a great soundtrack.

• Rent/Buy Blue Velvet on Amazon.
• Get Blue Velvet on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Director: John Landis

The Cast: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Carrie Fisher

What It’s About: Two brothers attempt to get their old band back together to help save the orphanage in which they were raised.

What To Expect: In the mood for great music, even better characters, and quite possibly the best car chase of all time? Well, look no further than The Blues Brothers.

• Stream The Blues Brothers on Prime Video.
• Rent/Buy The Blues Brothers on Amazon.
• Get The Blues Brothers on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Broadcast News (1987)

The Director: James L. Brooks

The Cast: Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks, William Hurt

What It’s About: In addition to presenting the news day in and day out, a news producer finds herself in the middle of a love triangle with her longtime best friend and a dreamy yet under-qualified anchorman.

What To Expect: James L. Brooks’ romantic comedy, Broadcast News, finds the perfect balance between drama and comedy, composure and awkwardness, and so much more.

• Stream Broadcast News on Starz.
• Rent/Buy Broadcast News on Amazon.
• Get Broadcast News on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Caddyshack (1980)

The Director: Harold Ramis

The Cast: Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase

What It’s About: Set at the Bushwood Country Club, which is infested with rodents and yuppies alike, Harold Ramis’ 1980 sports comedy, Caddyshack, follows caddies (led by Michael O’Keefe), grounds crew (led by Bill Murray), and all other sorts of characters who spend a summer at the prestigious club.

What To Expect: Considered one of the best sports comedies ever made, Caddyshack has some of the subgenre’s most quotable scenes and one of Hollywood’s most hatable villains.

• Rent/Buy Caddyshack on Amazon.
• Get Caddyshack on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Coming To America (1988)

The Director: John Landis

The Cast: Eddie Murphy, James Earl Jones, Arsenio Hall

What It’s About: John Landis’ 1988 comedy, Coming to America, follows Prince Akeem Joffer (Eddie Murphy) as he travels to Queens to find a wife to bring back to the African nation of Zamunda.

What To Expect: If you’re in the mood for classic Eddie Murphy moments, some outrageous characters, and a great look at ‘80s NYC, this will do the trick.

• Rent/Buy Coming to America on Amazon.
• Get Coming to America on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

The Director: Peter Weir

The Cast: Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke

What It’s About: Set in a prestigious college prep academy, the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society follows newly arrived English teacher John Keating (Robin Williams) as he spends a semester opening the eyes and changing the lives of his students, for better or for worse.

What To Expect: Dead Poets Society, one of the great coming-of-age stories of all time, is at times incredibly hopeful while at others utterly heartbreaking.

• Rent/Buy Dead Poets Society on Amazon.
• Get Dead Poets Society on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Die Hard (1988)

The Director: John McTiernan

The Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia

What It’s About: NYPD officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) finds himself in the right place at the right time in Die Hard when his wife’s holiday Christmas party is overtaken by a group of international terrorists who hold them hostage in hopes of securing unfathomable wealth.

What To Expect: Bruce Willis’ wisecracks, explosive action scenes, and one of Alan Rickman’s great villains all make Die Hard an unforgettable classic.

• Stream Die Hard on Hulu.
• Rent/Buy Die Hard on Amazon.
• Get Die Hard on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Dirty Dancing (1987)

The Director: Emile Ardolino

The Cast: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Jerry Orbach

What It’s About: Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) goes to spend a summer in the Catskills with her family in Dirty Dancing. Thinking she’ll spend the time bored out of her mind, Baby quickly finds herself learning what it means to dance, love, and stand up for herself, thanks to her dance instructor-turned-lover Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze).

What To Expect: There is no short order of romance, drama, dancing, and legendary ‘50s music in this decorated classic.

• Rent/Buy Dirty Dancing on Amazon.
• Get Dirty Dancing on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Do The Right Thing (1989)

The Director: Spike Lee

The Cast: Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis

What It’s About: What initially starts out as a disagreement over which actors should or shouldn’t be included on the wall of a Brooklyn pizzeria quickly escalates into a full-blown riot in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing.

What To Expect: If you’re looking for comedy, drama, and a large dose of social commentary, give Do the Right Thing a shot.

• Stream Do the Right Thing on Prime Video.
• Rent/Buy Do the Right Thing on Amazon.
• Get Do the Right Thing on Blu-ray on Amazon.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The Director: Steven Spielberg

The Cast: Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore

What It’s About: Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi adventure E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial follows a young boy (Henry Thomas) as he forms an unbreakable bond with a gentle alien who is trapped on Earth and just wants to go home.

What To Expect: This 1982 sci-fi classic is full of wonder, adventure, and quite possibly one of the best John Williams scores of all time.

• Rent/Buy E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial on Amazon.
• Get E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray on Amazon.

Escape From New York (1981)

The Director: John Carpenter

The Cast: Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine

What It’s About: John Carpenter’s 1981 dystopian thriller, Escape From New York, sees Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) attempt to save the U.S. President from a group of fanatical criminals who run the streets of Manhattan, which has been turned into a prison colony.

What To Expect: With one of Kurt Russell’s most badass characters, some great practical effects by James Cameron, and a legendary John Carpenter score, there’s a lot to love here.

• Stream Escape from New York on Prime Video.
• Rent/Buy Escape from New York on Amazon.
• Get Escape from New York on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

The Director: Amy Heckering
The Cast: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold
What It’s About: The school lives, social lives, and love lives of several teenagers are explored both in and outside their California high school.
What To Expect: If you’re looking for a movie that captures the heart and soul of the ‘80s high school experience, look no further than Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Yes, that includes the good, the bad, and the unbearingly uncomfortable.

• Rent/Buy Fast Times at Ridgemont High on Amazon.
• Get Fast Times at Ridgemont High on DVD on Amazon.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

The Director: John Hughes
The Cast: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara

What It’s About: John Hughes’ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off follows the charismatic titular high school senior (Matthew Broderick) as he convinces his girlfriend and best friend to skip class and have an epic adventure in Chicago.

What To Expect: A quintessential ‘80s movie, and one of John Hughes’ best cinematic experiences, there are few teenage comedies that hit as hard (or as often) as this one.

• Rent/Buy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on Amazon.
• Get Ferris Bueller’s Day Off on DVD on Amazon.

Footloose (1984)

The Director: Herbert Ross

The Cast: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow

What It’s About: When Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), a dance-obsessed high schooler, moves to a small town that has banned all forms of music and dancing, he does what any teenager would do in his position: rebels with loads and loads of dancing, in Footloose.

What To Expect: If you’re in the mood for angry dancing, John Lithgow villains, and great movie songs, look no further than Footloose.

• Rent/Buy Footloose on Amazon.
• Get Footloose on DVD on Amazon.

Friday The 13th (1980)

The Director: Sean S. Cunningham

The Cast: Betsy Palmer, Kevin Bacon, Adrienne King

What It’s About: The slasher film Friday the 13th follows a group of counselors as they are picked off one by one by a sadistic killer with one hell of a backstory involving Camp Crystal Lake.

What To Expect: You won’t see Jason Voorhees tracking down and killing teenagers this time around, but the killer in this iconic slasher is just as brutal and perhaps even more unhinged.

• Rent/Buy Friday the 13th on Amazon.
• Get Friday the 13th on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Ghostbusters (1984)

The Director: Ivan Reitman

The Cast: Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson

What It’s About: Who ya gonna call? Well, Ghostbusters if you’re looking for a fun supernatural comedy involving college professors who use their knowledge to rid New York City of ghostly threats.

What To Expect: Want to go back and see how the Ghostbusters got started? Want to see the Marshmallow Man walk through NYC again? Want to experience one of the best ‘80s movies? Here’s your chance!

• Rent/Buy Ghostbusters on Amazon.
• Get Ghostbusters on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Gremlins (1984)

The Director: Joe Dante

The Cast: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton

What It’s About: Written by Chris Columbus and directed by Joe Dante, the 1984 horror flick Gremlins answers the question: What’s the worst that could happen when you spill water on your new pet and feed them after midnight?

What to expect? Well, you’ll find out what happens when you feed a gremlin after midnight. That’s for sure!

• Rent/Buy Gremlins on Amazon.
• Get Gremlins on DVD on Amazon.

Lethal Weapon (1987)

The Director: Richard Donner

The Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey

What It’s About: Los Angeles police detectives Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are forced to look past their differences and opposing lifestyles to uncover a massive drug-trafficking ring in Richard Donner’s Lethal Weapon.

What To Expect: If you want to see one of the premier buddy action movies, Lethal Weapon is going to do the trick, and then some.

• Rent/Buy Lethal Weapon on Amazon.
• Get Lethal Weapon on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Midnight Run (1988)

The Director: Martin Brest

The Cast: Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, John Ashton

What It’s About: Bounty hunter Jack Walsh (Robert De Niro) sets out to capture mob accountant Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas (Charles Grodin), who has skipped out on his bail.

What To Expect: What follows is a cross-country adventure involving two personalities that mix like oil and water. But with mobsters, bounty hunters, and the FBI hot on their tail, they’ll have to work together.

• Rent/Buy Midnight Run on Amazon.
• Get Midnight Run on Blu-ray on Amazon.

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

The Director: Harold Ramis

The Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Anthony Michael Hall

What It’s About: Bumbling father, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase), takes his wife and two children on what is supposed to be two weeks of family bonding but quickly devolves into a trip from hell in National Lampoon’s Vacation.

What To Expect: Expect chaos. Pure chaos!

• Rent/Buy National Lampoon’s Vacation on Amazon.
• Get National Lampoon’s Vacation on Blu-ray on Amazon.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

The Director: Wes Craven

The Cast: Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp

What It’s About: Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street follows a group of teenagers who are being terrorized by the undead killer Freddy Krueger, who attacks them when most vulnerable: while they sleep.

What To Expect: If you came looking for an iconic horror villain to be both unbelievably brutal yet undeniably hilarious, as well as terrifying dream sequences, this franchise starter will do the trick.

• Rent/Buy A Nightmare on Elm Street on Amazon
• Get A Nightmare on Elm Street on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Platoon (1986)

The Director: Oliver Stone

The Cast: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe

What It’s About: Oliver Stone’s 1986 Academy Award-winning military drama, Platoon, follows a group of American soldiers in the Vietnam War who are pushed to the brink of losing what little humanity they have left.

What To Expect: Don’t go into Platoon looking for a happy-go-lucky or romantic view of war, because this brutal, realistic, and unflinching military drama doesn’t hold back.

• Rent/Buy Platoon on Amazon.
• Get Platoon on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Raging Bull (1980)

The Director: Martin Scorsese

The Cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty

What It’s About: Robert De Niro plays Jake LaMotta, a former heavyweight champ whose life is falling apart in Martin Scorsese’s 1980 acclaimed, all-time great boxing movie, Raging Bull.

What To Expect: You won’t find likable or redeemable characters, but you will find one of the most engaging and hard-hitting stories ever told in and out of the boxing ring.

• Rent/Buy Raging Bull on Amazon.
• Get Raging Bull on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

The Director: Steven Spielberg
The Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies
What It’s About: The world is introduced to Harrison Ford’s iconic archeologist in Steven Spielberg’s 1981 adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark, which kicked off the Indiana Jones franchise with a story about the mysterious Ark of the Covenant.
What To Expect. You can expect legendary movie sequences, Nazis losing their faces, and Harrison Ford being charming as all hell.

• Stream Raiders of the Lost Ark on Disney+.
• Stream Raiders of the Lost Ark on Paramount+.
• Rent/Buy Raiders of the Lost Ark on Amazon.
• Get Raiders of the Lost Ark on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Rain Man (1988)

The Director: Barry Levinson
The Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino

What It’s About: Barry Levinson’s 1988 drama, Rain Man, netted Dustin Hoffman an Academy Award for his portrayal of Raymond Babbitt, an autistic man who has a knack for counting cards and the game of blackjack.

What To Expect: Rain Man features what could be one of Hoffman’s best performances as well as a story that is both heartwarming and incredibly maddening at times.

• Get Rain Man on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Scarface (1983)

The Director: Brian De Palma
The Cast: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer

What It’s About: Brian De Palma’s sprawling 1983 crime epic, Scarface, follows Cuban immigrant Tony Montana (Al Pacino) as he climbs from the bottom of the food chain to the top of Miami’s booming cocaine market.
What To Expect: Though being a remake itself, Scarface would go on to become one of the most influential crime films of the ‘80s and of all time, thanks to its electric tone, over-the-top violence, and one of Al Pacino’s most unhinged characters.

• Rent/Buy Scarface on Amazon.
• Get Scarface on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Spaceballs (1987)

The Director: Mel Brooks
The Cast: Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, John Candy

What It’s About: Mel Brooks’ 1987 sci-fi spoof Spaceballs takes plot points from the likes of Star Wars and other classic adventures and creates a farcical race to save the galaxy from the evil President Skroob (Brooks) and Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis).

What To Expect: Spaceballs has some of the most hilarious spoof movie gags, great comedic moments, and one of the wildest villains of the decade.

• Rent/Buy Spaceballs on Amazon.
• Get Spaceballs on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Stand By Me (1986)

The Director: Rob Reiner
The Cast: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell

What It’s About: Based on a story by Stephen King, Rob Reiner’s 1986 coming-of-age story, Stand By Me, follows a group of childhood friends as they spend the final days of their summer break looking for the dead body of a missing boy.

What To Expect: This is perhaps the best “end of childhood” movie ever released, as well as a drama that never gets old no matter how many times you watch it.

• Rent/Buy Stand By Me on Amazon.
• Get Stand By Me on DVD on Amazon.

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (1982)

The Director: Nicholas Meyer
The Cast: William Shatner, Ricardo Montalban, Leonard Nimoy
What It’s About: The 1982 sci-fi adventure film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan sees Enterprise commander Captain James Kirk (William Shatner) cross paths with the villainous Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán), a genetically enhanced superhuman he never thought he’d have to see again.
What To Expect: In the mood for one of the best Star Trek movies as well as an iconic space film, look no further.

• Stream Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Paramount+.
• Rent/Buy Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Amazon.
• Get Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Steel Magnolias (1989)

The Director: Herbert Ross

The Cast: Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton

What It’s About: The 1989 Golden Globe winner, Steel Magnolias, follows a tight-knit group of women in northwestern Louisiana who stand together through thick and thin.

What To Expect: Expect to laugh, cry, and then cry some more. Seriously, try watching this movie without crying.

• Stream Steel Magnolias on Max.
• Rent/Buy Steel Magnolias on Amazon.
• Get Steel Magnolias on DVD on Amazon.

The Abyss (1989)

The Director: James Cameron

The Cast: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn

What It’s About: James Cameron’s 1989 sci-fi thriller, The Abyss, follows a group of Navy Seals and petroleum engineers as they go to the bottom of the ocean to make a remarkable discovery, one that could destroy or save humanity.

What To Expect: If you want to see state-of-the-art visuals from the late ‘80s that stand up 36 years later, an engaging story, and one of Ed Harris’ best performances, check out The Abyss.

• Rent/Buy The Abyss on Amazon.
• Buy The Abyss on DVD on Amazon.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

The Director: John Hughes

The Cast: Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson

What It’s About: John Hughes’ 1985 “Brat Pack” classic, The Breakfast Club, follows five high school students from different walks of life who are brought together during Saturday detention, forever changing their lives.

What To Expect: This is one of the best “Brat Pack” films and a movie that everyone needs to watch at least once.

• Stream The Breakfast Club on Peacock.
• Rent/Buy The Breakfast Club on Amazon.
• Get The Breakfast Club on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Goonies (1985)

The Director: Richard Donner

The Cast: Josh Brolin, Sean Astin, Corey Feldman

What It’s About: Richard Donner’s 1985 coming-of-age film, The Goonies, centers on a group of friends who set out for one more adventure together before their neighborhood is demolished and turned into a multi-million-dollar development.

What To Expect: An adventure like no other, The Goonies is all of your childhood dreams (and nightmares) come to life. Pirate ships, mobsters, a “monster” who’s actually a hero, and so much more.

• Rent/Buy The Goonies on Amazon.
  Get The Goonies on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Director: Irvin Kershner

The Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher

What It’s About: The best Star Wars movie, 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back starts off with an epic battle on the ice planet of Hoth and only picks up from there as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) uncovers a dark secret about his past.

What To Expect: Seriously, this is the greatest sequel ever made.

• Stream The Empire Strikes Back on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy The Empire Strikes Back on Amazon.
• Get The Empire Strikes Back on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Director: John G. Avildsen

The Cast: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue

What It’s About: When high schooler Daniel LaRusso is forced to pack up his life and leave the East Coast, he lands in Southern California, where he finds himself the target of the evil Cobra Kai dojo. That is, until he learns a few tricks of his own in The Karate Kid.

What To Expect: You want karate? You want drama? You want evil dojo owners willing to do anything and everything to win? Time to watch The Karate Kid.

• Stream The Karate Kid on Netflix.
• Rent/Buy The Karate Kid on Amazon.
• Buy The Karate Kid on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

The Director: Ron Clements, John Musker

The Cast: Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Samuel E. Wright

What It’s About: The 1989 Disney animated film The Little Mermaid follows the rebellious Ariel (Jodi Benson) as she tries to chart her own course in life, even if that means sacrificing everything.

What To Expect: There’s a reason why people say The Little Mermaid helped start the Disney renaissance that would follow in the early ‘90s. Simply put, this movie is a masterpiece of animation.

• Stream The Little Mermaid on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy The Little Mermaid on Amazon.
• Get The Little Mermaid on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Princess Bride (1987)

The Director: Rob Reiner

The Cast: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin

What It’s About: Rob Reiner’s 1987 fantasy comedy, The Princess Bride, offers a new spin on the classic fairy tale setup with an epic and hilarious story about a man who would go to the end of the Earth to save the woman he loves.

What To Expect: The Princess Bride is a great movie that literally anyone in the family can enjoy, which isn’t something you can say too often.

• Stream The Princess Bride on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy The Princess Bride on Amazon.
• Get The Princess Bride on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Shining (1980)

The Director: Stanley Kubrick

The Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd

What It’s About: Stanley Kubrick’s controversial 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining follows writer/caretaker Jack Torrance as he descends into madness while isolated with his family in the Overlook Hotel in Colorado one winter.

What To Expect: The Shining slowly builds the tension until the movie reaches a tipping point and we’re given one of the most unsettling yet exciting chase sequences ever captured on film.

• Rent/Buy The Shining on Amazon.
• Get The Shining on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Terminator (1984)

The Director: James Cameron

The Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn

What It’s About: James Cameron’s iconic sci-fi thriller, The Terminator, centers on Sarah Conner (Linda Hamilton) as she is hunted down by a cyborg assassin from the future who has been sent to the past to kill the young waitress before she can give birth to John Connor, humanity’s last hope.

What To Expect: Want to see an emotionless silent killer stalk his prey through 1980s Los Angeles, as well as one of the best sci-fi thrillers of all time? Well, time to start watching The Terminator.

• Rent/Buy The Terminator on Amazon.
• Get The Terminator on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Thing (1982)

The Director: John Carpenter

The Cast: Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley

What It’s About: The crew of a remote research facility in Antarctica is torn apart when a shapeshifting alien finds its way into the complex in John Carpenter’s The Thing.

What To Expect: Please know that this movie will make you twist and turn in your chair, leave you with trust issues, and will leave you traumatized (especially when it comes to that dog sequence).

• Rent/Buy The Thing on Amazon.
• Get The Thing on Blu-ray on Amazon.

They Live (1988)

The Director: John Carpenter

The Cast: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster

What It’s About: Wrestler-turned-actor Roddy Piper plays a drifter armed with a pair of sunglasses that give him the ability to see behind the illusions of an alien race that has invaded the planet in They Live.

What To Expect: Come for the sunglasses scene, stay for the best fight ever recorded on film.

• Rent/Buy They Live on Amazon.
• Get They Live on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Tootsie (1982)

The Director: Sydney Pollack

The Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr

What It’s About: Fed up with not being able to get a job, struggling actor Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) does the unthinkable in Tootsie and reinvents himself as Dorothy Michaels, a female actor who quickly lands a starring role on a popular daytime soap opera. It only gets more complicated from there.

What To Expect: Tootsie has just about everything you’d want in an ‘80s movie, plus one of the best “walking through NYC” shots of all time.

• Rent/Buy Tootsie on Amazon.
• Get Tootsie on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Top Gun (1986)

The Director: Tony Scott

The Cast: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis

What It’s About: Tom Cruise plays Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Tony Scott’s 1986 action thriller Top Gun. Upon being invited to a specialized fighter pilot school, Maverick’s skills, as well as his attitude, are put to the ultimate test.

What To Expect: Beach volleyball, epic dogfights, and multiple iconic ‘80s tracks are on full display here.

• Stream Top Gun on Paramount+.
• Rent/Buy Top Gun on Amazon.
• Get Top Gun on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Trading Places (1983)

The Director: John Landis

The Cast: Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis

What It’s About: In John Landis’ 1983 comedy, Trading Places, Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy play two men who find their positions reversed as part of a sick game by a duo of villainous millionaires.

What To Expect: A young Eddie Murphy steals the show in this 1983 comedy classic.

• Rent/Buy Trading Places on Amazon.
• Get Trading Places on Blu-ray on Amazon.

WarGames (1983)

The Director: John Badham
The Cast: Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman, Ally Sheedy

What It’s About: The 1983 thriller WarGames follows high school student David Lightman (Broderick) as he begins to play what he believes to be a high-tech arcade game but what is actually a supercomputer that could bring on the destruction of the planet through nuclear war.

What To Expect: If you’re looking for a chess match between a teenager and a supercomputer, here ya go!

• Stream WarGames on Max.
• Rent/Buy WarGames on Amazon.
• Get WarGames on DVD on Amazon.

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

The Director: Rob Reiner

The Cast: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher

What It’s About: Written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner, the all-time great romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally, follows the titular characters played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as they try to prove that a man and woman can have a relationship that doesn’t involve sex.

What To Expect: Seriously, this movie is perfect. No notes.

• Rent/Buy When Harry Met Sally on Amazon.
• Get When Harry Met Sally on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

The Director: Robert Zemeckis

The Cast: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Fleischer

What It’s About: Robert Zemeckis’ 1988 live-action/animation hybrid, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, follows Hoskins’ hardened private investigator who is tasked with proving the titular rabbit has been framed with the murder of a high-profile figure.

What To Expect: Here is what can best be described as the ultimate animation/live-action hybrid and a tremendous example of competing movie studios working together to create an unprecedented cinematic experience.

• Stream Who Framed Roger Rabbit on Disney+.
• Rent/Buy Who Framed Roger Rabbit on Amazon.
• Get Who Framed Roger Rabbit on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Well, that was a comprehensive list of the best ‘80s movies streaming. Now that you know where and how to watch all these classics, all you have to do is start watching (but hopefully not all in one big marathon).

Eddie Murphy is one of the most recognizable stars in all of Hollywood, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given his body of work. The actor and comedian jumped onto the scene in the early ‘80s as a star on Saturday Night Live before going on to lead massive films like 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop. After decades of being a constant presence at the box office, the actor took a break for a while before re-emerging in the critically acclaimed Dolemite Is My Name. Murphy is now feeling a bit nostalgic, having revisited SNL and reprised his signature roles in Coming 2 America. However, after working on that film, the beloved performer may want to consider sticking to newer roles like his turn in Dolemite.

It’s true Eddie Murphy has given us a number of notable roles over the years. And let’s be honest, how many people aren’t even the least bit curious about what a fourth Beverly Hills Cop film would look like? The same goes for another Nutty Professor film starring the lovable Sherman Klump. Yet Murphy may want to shy away from playing the hits at this point in his career and opt for fresher material. So why don’t we lay out some reasons for why he should head in this direction:

Eddie Murphy’s Sequels Have Proven To Be Risky… And Time-Consuming

As mentioned, Eddie Murphy has been a part of some iconic franchises, and many have spawned sequels, which received varied reception from the general public. While movies like Shrek 2 and Beverly Hills Cop II managed to be critically and/or financially successful, features like Another 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop III didn’t do well in either category. Even the recent Coming 2 America, which received plenty of buzz, couldn’t quite recapture the magic of the original film. Sequels are difficult to pull off and, unfortunately, many of Murphy’s suffer for a number of reasons.

The quality of the sequels is the only reason Eddie Murphy may want to seek out new material, though. Some of these films have proven to be incredibly time-consuming due to production stalls or other issues. Coming 2 America has been in development for the last six years, while Beverly Hills Cop IV has been in development hell for over a decade -- and Murphy is still setting his sights on it. The actor intentionally doesn’t work as much as he used to, so it would be nice to see him fill out his lighter workload with new roles. Dolemite Is My Name took some time to get made, but it was a different kind of role that ultimately paid off for Murphy in the end.

New Movies Give Eddie Murphy A Chance To Flex His Many Talents And Increase His Resume

One of the reasons Eddie Murphy became a star in the first place is that he’s incredibly multitalented. He writes, produces and sings but, as an actor, he can be both funny and dramatic, something Dolemite Is My Name allowed him to do. And as history has shown, new movies provide him with an outlet to showcase his abilities. Viewers no doubt remember his show-stopping performance as James “Thunder” Early in Dreamgirls, which truly allowed him to show off his acting range and use his musical abilities as well. Of course, this doesn’t stop at dramatic features, as he can also do well with original (non-family) comedies. One needn’t look any further than Bowfinger or Tower Heist to prove how great new roles look on Murphy.

A common problem found in many of Eddie Murphy’s sequels is that many of the films tend to retread old ground in one way or another. More specifically, they sometimes recycle sequences or past jokes. This severely limits a talent like Murphy, who’s capable of doing so much more. Yes, many of his movies could play to his comedic sensibilities but, with a more complex role, the chances of him redoing an old bit greatly decrease. Most actors, ideally, want to branch out and add to their resumes as the years go on, and many Eddie Murphy fans likely want to see this for him. The actor and comedian has more than proven that he has plenty left in the tank, and it would be best served by unexpected material that allows him to use every tool he possesses.

Eddie Murphy Has Scored Awards Buzz When Taking On New Kinds Of Roles

Now, awards certainly aren’t everything. Most actors don’t seem to focus much on accolades, as they simply enjoy expressing themselves through their art. Still, it’s rarely ever a bad thing when an actor is either nominated for an award or is inserted into major awards conversations. Eddie Murphy himself has even admitted that it “never sucks to be nominated for an Oscar,” and he’s certainly experienced awards buzz. The actor has scored different nods and wins over the years, his most packed awards campaign came after his role in 2006’s Dreamgirls, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. And while he unfortunately didn’t earn an Oscar nod for Dolemite Is My Name, he remained in the conversation for most of awards season.

Eddie Murphy may not be in it for the awards (even though many of his comedic performances are Oscar-worthy), but the fact remains that he could earn serious nods by varying things up. The public (and awards voters) seem to love Eddie Murphy and, as history shows, they really get a kick out of him stretching his legs a bit and trying new things. While a Dolemite or Dreamgirls-esque role doesn’t necessarily guarantee awards buzz, the combination Murphy’s talents paired and fresh material put him in a prime position to succeed.

One can’t deny that it’s fun to see Eddie Murphy revisit some of his classic roles, and there’s a good chance Coming 2 America won’t be the last time he does it. But moving forward, it would definitely serve him well to seek out original comedies or dramas that keep audiences on their toes. As a fan of Eddie Murphy, I’d love to see him continue to work for years to come, and he deserves the opportunity to experiment more during this phase of his career.

And for those who still haven’t seen Dolemite Is My Name, it’s currently available to stream on Netflix.

Eddie Murphy has had a bit of a renaissance over the past few years. After taking a break for several years, the actor jumped back onto the Hollywood scene in a big way through his leading role in Dolemite Is My Name before making his long-awaited return to Saturday Night Live. More recently, the actor reprised his iconic role as Prince Akeem in Coming 2 America, much to the delight of many fans. However, many are also still waiting to see if Murphy will reprise his role as detective Axel Foley in a Beverly Hills Cop 4. Now, the actor and comedian has provided an update on the project.

At this point, it’s safe to say that Beverly Hills Cop 4 is just as (if not more) anticipated as Coming 2 America was before its release this year. Eddie Murphy recently appeared on DESUS & MERO and, during the interview, he was asked about the status of the film, and it sounds like the project isn’t completely dead:

Eddie Murphy likely feels incredibly ownership over the Beverly Hills Cop franchise and the character of Axel Foley. That, combined with his desire to churn out quality content, makes it understandable why he doesn’t want to just dive into just any version of the long-gestating fourth installment.

The road to Beverly Hills Cop 4 has been a long one, to say the least. Talks initially began shortly after the release of 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III, which received poor reviews from critics. Talks eventually fizzled out but were reignited in the early 2000s when Brett Ratner was signed to direct for Paramount Pictures. Nothing ultimately materialized and, by the early 2010s, the film had been scrapped in favor of a TV show centered on Axel Foley’s son. But the pilot, which was produced for CBS, was not picked up for a series order.

By 2016, it was reported that Beverly Hills Cop 4 would be helmed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the pair that eventually went on to direct Bad Boys for Life. And last summer, they confirmed that they were indeed still attached to the film and that a screenwriter was working on a treatment.

It’s hard to say whether or not Beverly Hills Cop 4 will become a reality, though it’s encouraging that Eddie Murphy seems to be open to it if the screenplay comes together. The chances of the film happening certainly aren’t slim. After all, there was a time when a Coming to America sequel was only a pipe dream.

The Beverly Hills Cop trilogy is available to stream on HBO Max.

When moviegoers think of the buddy cop genre, one of the first films that comes to mind is sure to be Beverly Hills Cop. The classic comedy-drama made a serious splash when it opened in theaters back in 1984, in large part due to Eddie Murphy’s flawless performance in the lead role of Axel Foley. The film’s success would spawn to sequels, though both would fail to reach the heights of their predecessor. Regardless, many still see potential in the franchise, which is why Beverly Hills Cop 4 has been in development hell for the past few decades. So what’s happening with the film now?

There has been quite a bit of passion behind the project, and Eddie Murphy still seems enthusiastic about reprising one of his most beloved characters. That still hasn’t prevented Beverly Hills Cop 4 from experiencing its share of starts and stops. This includes a change in directors and a plethora of screenplay rewrites. So as we anticipate the planned fourth installment, let’s take a look at how things have come along for the project over the years.

Beverly Hills Cop 4 Was First Put In Development In The '90s

The third installment in the comedic franchise, Beverly Hills Cop 3 was released in 1994, seven years after the previous film. By this point, Eddie Murphy was bonafide mega star and had already proven to be a box office draw. Unfortunately for him, director John Landis and Paramount, these variables didn’t work in Beverly Hills Cop 3’s favor. The film was panned by critics and general moviegoers and, years later, even Murphy would refer to the film as “garbage.” Beverly Hills Cop 3 was also a financial failure, only grossing $42.6 million domestically and ending its run with a worldwide total of $119.2 million on a $70 million budget.

Despite all of that, sometime during the decade, Beverly Hills Cop 4 was announced to be in development under Eddie Murphy Productions. Plans for the film would eventually simmer down though, and the movie would sit on the shelf until the new millennium.

The 2000s Gave The Film A New Purpose, New Creative Forces And New Problems

Movement on Beverly Hills Cop 4 was quiet for over a decade. but in 2006 the project was re-announced, complete with a new producer. Franchise veteran Jerry Bruckheimer wanted to revive the franchise but ultimately passed the reins to Transformers and G.I. Joe producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. By 2008, Rush Hour director Brett Ratner was tapped to helm the film and intended to make it an R-rated feature.

Numerous versions of the script were also in development, with the most notable being written by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. The screenplay, entitled Beverly Hills Cop 2009, was completed in 2008 and centered on Axel Foley returning to Beverly Hills to probe the mysterious death of his friend, Billy Rosewood. Ratner would ultimately run into problems with securing other actors from the series like Judge Reinhold, and Brandt and Haas’ script was tossed in favor of a total rewrite. Ratner would end up teaming with Eddie Murphy for 2011’s Tower Heist but, ahead of filming that movie, the director gave a cautiously optimistic update to MTV on whether Cop 4 would happen:

By the fall of 2011, the movie was scrapped yet again, but Eddie Murphy had other plans in mind for Beverly Hills Cop.

Beverly Hills Cop Moves From The Big Screen To The Small Screen

Unsatisfied with the scripts he’d seen for the fourth film, Eddie Murphy revealed in October 2011 that he was developing a Beverly Hills Cop TV series. The show would center on Axel Foley’s son, Aaron, who was played by Brandon T. Jackson, while Eddie Murphy’s Axel (now the chief of police in Detroit) would recur on the show. The pilot was written by The Shield’s Shawn Ryan and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. After the pilot was shot and screened for execs, the network decided to pass on it.

There have been varying reasons given for the pilot’s failure, with Jackson claiming it was “too edgy” for CBS and Ryan blaming politics within the network. In a 2015 chat with IndieWire, Murphy would actually attribute it to his desire not to appear on the show regularly, which is what he says the network would’ve preferred:

Having had setbacks in two mediums, the Beverly Hills Cop franchise seemed set to stay dormant. Of course, rarely anything goes away forever in Hollywood.

Paramount Wants To Give A Fourth Movie Another Shot

In the fall of 2013, it was reported that Jerry Bruckheimer had signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures and that one of the films under that agreement was Beverly Hills Cop 4. Eddie Murphy was also reported to be reprising his role as Foley, and Brett Ratner was once again on board to direct. The screenplay, written by Josh Appelbaum and Andrew Nemec, involved Axel, now working in Beverly Hills, returning to his hometown of Detroit in the heart of winter and taking on criminals. The plan was to shoot the film in and Detroit. The film was given a March 2016 release date yet, in the fall of 2015, Paramount would pull it from its release schedule yet again.

Beverly Hills Cop 4 Is Currently Set With Eddie Murphy And Bad Boys for Life’s Directors