‘Beverly Hills Cop 4’: 5 Other ‘80s Movie Sequels We Don’t Want, And One We Desperately Need

Stephanie Holland
·3 min read
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Bria Murphy as Officer Renee Minnick and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
Bria Murphy as Officer Renee Minnick and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
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Bria Murphy as Officer Renee Minnick and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

With “The Color Purple” receiving awards buzz, a “Back to the Future” musical on Broadway and the teaser trailer debut for “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F”—the fourth film in the franchise—it seems like ‘80s nostalgia is sweeping through Hollywood.

Premiering on Netflix in summer 2024, the film features Eddie Murphy returning as Detroit police detective Axel Foley. He heads back to Beverly Hills to help protect his daughter Jane, played by Taylour Paige. The first trailer feels like a greatest hits collection, as Murphy reunites with franchise vets Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood, John Ashton as Taggart, Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Friedman and Bronson Pinchot as Serge.

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Widely considered one of the best movies of all time, “Do the Right Thing” captures a particular moment in time brilliantly. There’s a magic in it that can’t be recreated. From Spike Lee’s pitch perfect writing and directing, to Giancarlo Esposito’s powerful performance, to the genius casting, it’s pure art that can’t be remade.

‘Harlem Nights’

No matter how star-studded a new cast is, it cannot replicate the pure genius of Murphy, Richard Pryor, Della Reese and Redd Foxx. That’s the definition of a dream team. Seriously, who else could possibly recreate that iconic scene between Quick and Vera?

‘The Last Dragon’

There’s something so intrinsically ‘80s about “The Last Dragon,” it feels like it should remain a gloriously cheesy 1985 time capsule. Taimak as Leroy, Vanity as Laura, and of course, Julius Carry as Sho’Nuff, can’t be recast. Trying to make this make 2023 sense just doesn’t work. Sometimes you just have to enjoy what you have, as it is.

‘Glory’

“Glory” is such a riveting story, there’s absolutely a world where someone would try to remake it into a prestige limited series. I’m not saying it can’t work, because with the right creative team and cast, it definitely can. The question is: should you? Does any actor really want to be the one to follow Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman or Andre Braugher? No.

‘Soul Man’

In case you aren’t familiar with the 1986 abomination “Soul Man,” let me refresh your memory. Eighties heartthrob C. Thomas Howell stars as a rich white kid who gets cut off by his parents. His logical next step is to pretend to be Black so he can get a scholarship to Harvard. It’s meant to be some thought-provoking story on race and class, but it’s just offensive and silly. I’d like to think no one would try to bring this back, but you know there’s some naive, yet well-meaning writer/director who thinks they can make this “the right way” for a modern audience. Listen up: No one wants that. Keep this as just another inappropriate comedy stuck in the ‘80s.

And the one we want to see…

‘Hollywood Shuffle’

Robert Townsend’s classic comedy about Black actors struggling against Hollywood’s stereotypes and systemic discrimination is more spot on than it’s ever been. There’s been a lot of discussion in recent years about telling Black stories without always relying on portraying our pain and trauma. Plus, the popularity of superhero movies would provide endless fodder for the man behind “The Meteor Man. A new “Hollywood Shuffle” touching on the issues facing current day actors would be hilarious and impactful.

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