Eddie Murphy on ‘Hard’ “Beverly Hills Cop 4” Shoot: ‘I’m Not in My Twenties Anymore’ (Exclusive)

“It was a rough one, but we got through it,” Murphy tells PEOPLE of filming 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley'

For Eddie Murphy, stepping back into Axel Foley’s shoes after decades away was a bit of an ordeal.

The actor, 62, tells PEOPLE shooting Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley, the fourth installment of the action-comedy franchise that Murphy first filmed 40 years ago, was more difficult this time.

“It was a hard one,” he tells PEOPLE. “I did Axel Foley when I was in my 20s. I am not in my 20s anymore.”

“It was an action movie. So it was a rough one. But we got through it,” he continues.

In the original 1984 film — which was a box office smash and shot Murphy to international stardom — the Saturday Night Live alum’s character is a Detroit detective who goes rogue and heads to southern California to solve the murder of his childhood friend (James Russo).

His unorthodox ways initially grate on local lawmen Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton), but the men bond and bring down the bad guys.

Related: Eddie Murphy Wears His Character's Signature Jacket on Set of 'Beverly Hills Cop' Sequel

He reprised the role in 1987’s Beverly Hills Cop II and 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III. The fourth installment has been in the works for several years. At one point, Murphy was even set to reprise his role in a now-scrapped TV series which would have focused on Foley’s son.

While promoting the comedy You People earlier this year, Murphy talked about his the long road back to Beverly Hills Cop.

“Jerry Bruckheimer, the original producer, when he got involved and he started developing the script, and he knew what Beverly Hills Cop is supposed to be, when he got back involved that’s when it all started to come together,” Murphy told Complex.

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“We tried for years and years, maybe 10, 12 years —and I must have read five or six different scripts, and it was never right, and the studio was [like], ‘Let’s go! Here it is!’” he continued.

“Jerry Bruckheimer got back in there and he knows his s--t. And he put it together…. He put all the pieces in place that were required for us to make a great movie. I’m really excited for people to see it,” Murphy added.

Related: Eddie Murphy Reveals Film Role He Regrets Rejecting: 'Every Time I See It I Feel Like an Idiot'

“It’s a really physical movie and I had to do some physical stuff…. I like to be on the couch, I don’t like to be jumping over and shooting and running,” he quipped. “And I had to do some jumping and shooting and running. And as a result… at the end of the movie, I had a knee brace and my back is messed up. But the movie is gonna be special.”

Netflix, which will distribute the film, announced in 2022 that original cast members Reinhold, Ashton, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot are all returning.

New cast members include Kevin Bacon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zola actress Taylour Paige.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley has no official release date.

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