Axel Foley is headed back to Detroit, it seems. Deadline is reporting today that Beverly Hills Cop 4 is officially back on again at Paramount, after electing new directors in Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.
It’s certainly the most promising news to emerge from the action-comedy sequel in some time, particularly after it was delayed indefinitely at the studio last year. Now, Paramount has pumped fresh blood into the dormant Beverly Hills Cop series, entrusting relative newcomers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah with the keys to the cult franchise.
And we do mean newcomers. As Deadline notes, the Belgian writer-directors broke onto the scene with Image and later edgy thriller Black, the latter of which bagged El Arbi and Fallah the Discovery Award at last year’s Toronto Film Festival.
It was enough to pique the attention of both Eddie Murphy and longtime producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who reportedly showered praise on Black when it premiered late last year. Despite some early apprehension, Murphy is on board to reprise his role as the gun-toting, irreverent Axel Foley, and by plucking El Arbi and Fallah, the actor has ensured the up-and-coming Belgian filmmakers are headed straight into big-budget production with Beverly Hills Cop 4. But will it prove to be a gamble that pays off?
So, there you have it: Beverly Hills Cop 4 has recruited new Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to pump a healthy dose of “youthful energy” into its dormant actioner. There’s currently no mention of when the sequel will step before the cameras, but we’ll let you know when we hear more.