Eddie Murphy is winning.
Seriously, I could end the article there and it would be accurate, but let’s specifically celebrate his latest win! According to Variety, Murphy is continuing his profitable relationship with Netflix (following the critic- and consumer-embraced Dolemite Is My Name) and will be starring in a Beverly Hills Cop sequel set to be released exclusively on the popular streaming platform.
No, I’m not trying to make you “fall for the banana in the tailpipe” ruse; it’s really happening!
Variety adds:
The film will see him reprise his role as Axel Foley, a street-smart Detroit cop who finds himself transplanted to the tony streets of Beverly Hills. The first two films in the series were huge hits, though 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III was a commercial and critical disappointment. Paramount released all three previous films, but is licensing the rights to Netflix.
Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount’s parent company Viacom, confirmed the move during a call with analysts on Thursday. The studio is still in the Eddie Murphy business. It will release Coming 2 America, a sequel to the 1988 hit Coming to America, in 2020. Paramount had tried for years to get a follow-up to Beverly Hills Cop off the ground, at one point even considering launching a television series.
Along with Paramount retaining rights to the intellectual property, producer Jerry Bruckheimer will be returning to the newest sequel in his same role. It’s a Hollywood family reunion!
No word on a release date yet, but we’ll certainly keep our eyes peeled.
With this news, Murphy continues to add promising projects to the table, which already includes Coming 2 America and his much-anticipated return to the stand-up comedy stage, the latter of which also comes from a deal with Netflix. Plus, he’ll be returning to the Saturday Night Live stage after 35 years away to host and revisit some of his most beloved sketch characters.
Like I said—winning.