Looking back at the history of Beverly Hills Cop’s production, the choice of the lead actor is a huge pivot point that could have delivered a way different movie. If the original plans had panned out, Eddie Murphy wouldn’t have been the lead in director Martin Brest’s action-comedy hit, which may have robbed the film of its iconic status as a huge ‘80s hit. Thankfully, Brest had a rationale that worked with the project’s producers and execs, despite some interesting reasons for trying to stymy Murphy’s casting.
In a retrospective interview with Variety, the Meet Joe Black director spoke more about securing the SNL veteran for his 1984 classic. The next step in the genesis of Paramount’s blockbuster hit came after original star Sylvester Stallone left the project to make Cobra. With Eddie Murphy now in the cards, Martin Brest laid out this story about why his collaborators were so gun-shy about the matter:
As a matter of fact, when we decided we wanted Eddie and we had to make our case in front of the powers at Paramount, there was some concern as to whether or not he could carry a movie on his own, because he had been, I put this in air quotes, 'second banana.' For certain people, the idea of him being the lead was a leap for them. To me, it was clear as a bell. In fact, I told Walter Hill this, the scene in '48 Hrs.' where Eddie’s in the bar and he uses Nick Nolte’s badge, when the notion of getting Eddie for the movie came up, I said to Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, 'Oh my God, we could have a full-length version of the bar scene.' We didn’t even know the movie we were making three weeks ahead of time. Once we had Eddie, it just changed what we could do tonally..
At that moment, the Beverly Hills Cop we know and love was just starting to take shape. As noted by Martin in this interview, the popularity it would eventually find in its theatrical release wasn’t something anyone anticipated. This makes absolute sense since the concept that was originally sold with Sly Stallone as its public face drastically changed into the surprising hit that helped further cement Eddie Murphy’s career.
Looking at the Shrek icon’s resume at the time, that “second banana” label sounds pretty hurtful. This is after Murphy not only landed 48 Hrs as a Paramount hit in 1982, but also gave that same studio the golden goose known as Trading Places in 1983. Both are not only key early wins for the comedian’s career, they’re also two of the best Eddie Murphy movies that people think of whenever he comes into conversation.
So Martin Brest's offer of more of that magic, but extended through an entire movie, should have been something that was met with open arms from day one. Thankfully, Beverly Hills Cop saw Murphy cast in its lead, leading to box office history being made as a result.
If it weren’t for Eddie Murphy, Beverly Hills Cop may not have gotten past its first installment. It may not have even been made at all, depending on who else was in the mix. But history took its course, giving the world two more sequels, as well as putting what we know about Beverly Hills Cop 4 into play. While we don’t know when that new follow-up should be expected, anyone who wants to go back to the beginning of Axel Foley’s adventures can use their Paramount+ subscription to grant that wish.
