The Big Picture

In this interview, Collider’s Steve Weintraub sits down with Eddie Murphy for Netflix’s
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
.
Murphy returns as Axel Foley after a 30-year hiatus, attracted by a character-driven plot focusing on Foley’s estranged daughter.
During their chat, Murphy discusses what brought him back to the franchise, a potential return to stand-up,
Shrek 5
‘s development, and a Donkey spin-off movie.

In 1984, Eddie Murphy helped launch the action comedy as Axel Foley, the Beverly Hills Cop who could hold his own in gunfights, explosions, and car chases while effortlessly splitting your sides. It was a very particular formula he perfected that inspired films like Lethal Weapon, Running Scared, and more. After his third turn as Foley, it took 30 years for “everything to [fall] together,” and for the right story to emerge that would indicate to the legendary comedian it was time to return in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

Not long after Jerry Bruckheimer signed on, things began to take shape. Up until that point, Murphy tells Collider’s Steve Weintraub, he now knows how to spot problems with production before the process even begins. What brought Murphy back to the franchise wasn’t necessarily getting to reunite with John Ahston and Judge Reinhold or welcome new faces like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon, but the return to a character-driven plot with a story about Foley’s estranged daughter, Jane, played by Taylour Paige.

During this interview, Murphy discusses his return to this beloved character, but he also talks about a return to his comedic roots and whether stand-up is written in the stars for him again. He shares his hopes for future projects like a stand-up we’ve never seen before and his documentary that’s been in limbo for five years. Murphy also reveals the big Shrek 5 news, where he’s at in recording for the DreamWorks Animation franchise, and a bright future for Donkey.

You can watch the full conversation in the video above or read the transcript below.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Axel Foley returns to Beverly Hills after his daughter’s life’s threatened. Includes old pals John Taggart and Billy Rosewood to uncover a conspiracy.Release Date July 3, 2024 Director Mark Molloy Writers Will Beall , Daniel Petrie Jr. , Tom Gormican , Kevin Etten Studio Paramount Pictures Expand

Eddie Murphy’s Daughter Convinced Him to Return to ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ (Sort Of)

COLLIDER: I really want to say congratulations on this movie. You guys didn’t fuck it up.

EDDIE MURPHY: Thank you. Amen.

You don’t know when you go in.

MURPHY: Absolutely. Actually, I know now if you don’t have it on paper, it could be a problem going down the line.

One of the things you’ve told me in the past is how you enjoy sitting on your couch, being with your family, and just chilling out. How did you finally say yes to Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F? I know they’ve been talking about doing it for a while. What was it that finally said, “Oh, I’ll do this?”

MURPHY: The script came together. We had developed at least eight scripts over the years and nothing was right. They just kept staying on it. We got Jerry Bruckheimer back involved, and then it came together. What happened in the script was when they wrote that Axel and his daughter are estranged. The movie, on the surface, is cops and robbers, but the real movie is about Axel’s being estranged from his daughter and reconciling with his daughter. Once we added that to it, everything just fell together.

If Eddie Murphy Hits the Stage Again, He Isn’t Just Doing Stand-Up

The last time I spoke to you, you talked about the documentary that you’re working on. What’s the status?

MURPHY: You know, I’m the same way. I’m always asking, and they say, “Very soon.” We started working on this thing before I hosted Saturday Night Live, right? So, how long have they been doing it? Five years or something. Easily. I don’t know. I’ll be like, “Hey, where is that?” They’ll be like, “Oh, yeah, we’re doing a little tweakin’.” I’m like, “Really? For five years? Goddamn!” [Laughs]

Something you told me in the past was that you were gonna do some more stand-up and that maybe the doc would tie into the stand-up.

MURPHY: Exactly. This started before the pandemic and all that stuff, we started doing this documentary. Right before the pandemic, I was thinking about doing stand-up again, and then the pandemic hit, and the world changed and shut down for two years. In those two years, I developed a bunch of movie stuff. So when the pandemic ended, I went off and did Coming 2 America and went off and did all this different stuff.

Now, I don’t know if I will ever just go by myself on the stage and do stand-up. Now, when I think about doing a live show, I think if I’m gonna get on the stage again, I wanna do everything — I wanna do music, I wanna tell some stories, and I wanna do some stand-up and have more of a Broadway show, as opposed to just me coming out and getting on the mic and going, “What is wrong with Donald Trump?” [Laughs] I want to do something else.

Related Eddie Murphy Shares His First Encounter With Comedy Legend Rodney Dangerfield “I was crestfallen. My mind was blown. And I was like, ‘Rodney didn’t like me.'”

I actually think I would love to see you on stage telling stories because the last time I spoke to you, I was wearing a Rodney Dangerfield shirt and you told a great story about Rodney. I know you’re loaded with amazing stories.

MURPHY: I have great stories. I have great stories about so many stars. [Laughs]

That’s what I mean.

It’s Official, ‘Shrek’s Donkey Is Getting His Own Movie
Image via DreamWorks Pictures

One other thing before I run out of time. Recently, Kung Fu Panda 4 and the new Puss in Boots did very, very well, and it’s led to people saying, “Well, when is Shrek gonna be back on the screen?”

MURPHY: We started doing Shrek four or five months ago. I recorded the first act. We’ll be doing it this year. We finished it up. Another Shrek is coming out, and Donkey’s gonna have his own movie. We’re gonna do a Donkey, as well. So we’re gonna do a Shrek and we’re doing a Donkey. [Laughs]

Are you recording both right now?

MURPHY: No, not at the same time. I started recording Shrek, and I think it’s coming out in 2025. We’re doing a Donkey [movie] next.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is available to stream on Netflix beginning July 3.

Watch on Netflix