Eddie Murphys headed back to Detroit in the upcoming fourth installment of theBeverly Hills Copfranchise. According tothe Associated Press, the state of Michigan approved $13.5 million in film incentives, based on an estimated $56.6 million of filmmaker spending in the state. The film will be shot in and around Detroit, creating jobs for an estimated 352 workers, the Michigan Film Office announced on Thursday.
Murphy Going Family Friendly and 9 More Annoying Movie Star Behaviors
Beverly Hills Cop 4 the first in the series since 1994 will find Murphy reprising his role as police detective Axel Foley. Describing the plot, the film office says the character leaves his position in Beverly Hillsduring the coldest winter on record to navigate the new rules and old enemies in one of Americas most tenacious cities.
The film will be directed by Brett Ratner (who worked with Murphy on 2011sTower Heist) and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (who produced the original 1984 Beverly Hills Cop), based on a script co-written by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec (Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol). A tentative release date is set for March 2016. (No word yet on whether the classic theme song is being revived.)
In recent years, Murphys mostly kept busy in family friendly projects (including his voice work as Donkey in theShrekfranchise). But in a 2011Rolling Stonecover story promoting Tower Heist, the comedy legend spoke about reviving his trademark edge which will hopefully come into play for Beverly Hills Cop 4.I havent done a streety guy, working class, blue-collar character in ages, he said. So maybe its like, Oh, wow, I didnt remember he was able to do that.'
And the man behind the 1985 novelty pop jam Party All the Time has also gotten back into the music game. In September of 2013, he released the reggae-styled Red Light, which features the Artist Formerly Known as Snoop Lion.