Jul 2 2008 'Beverly Hills Cop IV' Will Be Hard R, Obviously Much Better Than 'Beverly Hills Cop III'
Earlier this month, some concern was raised about Bret Ratner's plans to make Beverly Hills Cop IV. Strangely, these concerns had nothing to do with stretching the franchise into a fourth unnecessary film, or that Mr. Rush Hour himself would be the one doing the stretching. They were instead related to a statement made by Ratner that some thought implied the film would be going for a PG rating. How was Axel Foley going to say "fuck," or arbitrarily pull his penis out?
Now Ratner has come forward to address the rumors, explaining to Latino Review that apparently everything on the internet is not factual:
"Dont believe everything you read on the internet. Believe me, this is going to be a hard core 'R' Beverly Hills Cop. I start shooting next year"
Norbit also spoke up, telling MTV why he has committing to the fourth film:
"Because the third 'Beverly Hills Cop' was horrible!" the once and future Detective Axel Foley laughed. "I didn't want to leave it like that. The first two were cool and the third one was sh---y. [Let's] get the franchise fixed again, clean up this old mess and do a good movie.
Ohhhhhh! Because the third one was bad, you want to make a fourth. That plan will definitely work, because fourth films in a series are always the redeeming ones. I can remember, after hating Superman III, being so glad that Superman IV: The Quest for Peace reclaimed the quality of the series with the clumsy Cold War overtones and the introduction of an evil, solar-powered clone. And when Batman and Robin came out, how I was like, "After the mess that was Batman Forever, Batman and Robin has really picked it up, filling in all the holes of the third film with nipple armor, the girl from Clueless, and Arnold Schwartzenegger 'freeze' puns." And I don't think I even need to explain how the fourth Indiana Jones movie completely washed my mouth of the foul taste of that terrible Holy Grail whatever one that I can't even look at because it's so much worse than the new one.
What I'm saying is, Eddie Murphy's logic is impeccable and the fourth Beverly Hills Cop will definitely be much better than the third.
May 30 2008 Reinhold the Phone! Another 'Beverly Hills' Cop!?
Eddie Murphy isn't about to let Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone have all the fun in reviving their old roles and publicly strangling the life out of them. According to Variety, he's attached to again star as Axel Foley in a fourth Beverly Hills Cop! And Brett Ratner, of such eye-rolling sequels as Rush Hour 3 and X-Men 3, is probably directing!
Eddie Murphy is attached to reprise his role as Detroit detective Axel Foley, and Brett Ratner is negotiating to direct.Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce. Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the original "Beverly Hills Cop" trilogy with late partner Don Simpson, won't be actively involved in the new film.
If I cared at all about whatever remaining credibility the Beverly Hills Cops series has, I would be so pissed right now. As it stands, I'm mostly just curious why Ratner isn't remaking it from scratch with Chris Tucker. Since Judge Reinhold's name isn't mentioned, I'm already assuming Murphy will be doing that role in white-face, as well as the role of Mini-Axel (an even edgier, smaller than normal Axel, thanks to computers) and Axel's visiting cousin, Norbit Foley.
Eddie Murphy back in 'Beverly Hills' [Variety]
Jun 26 2007 Beverly Hills Cop 4 - No New Movies Ever!
Eddie Murphy visiting Spike Lee on the set of The Blackest Eskimo
Lorenzo Di Bonaventura reportedly wants to do another Beverly Hills Cop movie (since the last one was such a masturpiece), but the studios aren't sold on the idea of Eddie Murphy going back to R-rated stuff. Says Di Bonaventura:
I think it's going to be a really interesting debate and it's one we're going to have for a while. That's what I want [an R rating]. Will you guys call Paramount and tell them that? The studios says their research is telling them PG. I'm with you. I won't do it if it's PG-13.
One wonders if this "research" also decided Norbit was a good idea. "Well, our studies show that Eddie Murphy + fat suit = money. This idea can't fail." But regardless of how they feel, I have a solution. The studios don't want to jeopardize Eddie Murphy's family friendly status, but no one wants to see an emasculated Beverly Hills Cop. Fine. Solution? Charlie Murphy.
See that, morons? That's why you have to wear a suit to work and I don't even have to wear pants. Masturbating at our desks is the one thing we seem to agree on.
