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Tag: paul-reiser

  • ‘The Problem with People’ Interview: Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney

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    Opening in theaters on October 4th is the new comedy ‘The Problem with People‘ which was directed by Chris Cottam (‘The Lives of the Saints’), written by Paul Reiser (‘Aliens’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’) and Wally Marzano-Lesnevich (‘Almost Paris’), and stars Reiser, Colm Meaney (‘Layer Cake’), and Jane Levy (‘Evil Dead’).

    Related Article: Eddie Murphy is More His Old, Entertaining Self in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’

    (L to R) Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney about their work on ‘The Problem with People’, Reiser’s work developing the screenplay, the relationship between the two characters and their conflict, shooting in Ireland, and working with each other, as well as actress Jane Levy and director Chris Cottam.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Paul, can you talk about developing the screenplay and the themes you wanted to explore with this family comedy?

    Paul Reiser: Good question. The inception was I always wanted to go to Ireland. I had been to Ireland years ago and loved it and was hungering to make a movie there and just be in that kind of environment. So, for many years, I would play with the idea, and I never found a story that, why is this American going to Ireland and what would be funny? So, we needed a conflict. Then I met my co-writer, Wally, because it felt like I had been sitting with it long enough. I should probably bounce it off with somebody else. It’s always helpful. Then we came upon this story, and I wondered if it’s a family feud and the goal, so now there’s a reason for this. He’s going, he’s invited. It wasn’t even his idea. I’ve been invited by the long-lost cousin I’d never heard of to settle this silly generational fight. So I go, “That’s interesting. That’s fun to write and you know it’s going to go bad.” So, the idea that there’s two guys, good people, well-intended, very noble intentions who just can’t stop tripping over themselves and falling to their worst instincts. That’s a fun thing to write. Then getting to play opposite Colm Meaney to do it, well, that was a dream. So, every family, I don’t know any family that doesn’t have some crap that they’re going through. This sister doesn’t talk to that brother. It’s like, “Why? I don’t even remember.” It’s just been nine years. I remember I’ve had stuff in my family, and I thought, let me see if I can get together. I remember I once planned a family trip and it blew up on me. It was like, “Well, that was bad. We aren’t doing that again.” So, I’ve always been fascinated by why do people cross each other? Why is there such suspicion and how could we possibly make it otherwise? Hopefully this movie is a fun, funny example of people trying to resolve conflicts to the best of their limited abilities.

    MF: Colm, what was your first reaction to Paul’s screenplay and the relationship between these two cousins?

    Colm Meaney: I loved it. I absolutely loved it. It kind of came out of the blue. I mean, I was a fan of Paul’s. I admired his work for years, but I thought, “Oh, he wrote a script set in Ireland?” I didn’t know he was a writer. I’ve said a few times before, as an Irish actor, you tend to approach scripts written by Americans set in Ireland with a little bit of trepidation because of past faux pas. It’s a very outdated and kind of strange view of Ireland as this kind of stuck in the Middle Ages or something. Ireland is a modern country. When I read the script, it was thrilling to read a script that captured the kind of Ireland of today, so accurately and so well, and yet was able to incorporate into that in many ways, Irish humor, in terms of people’s attitudes to each other and the exchanges they might have. I thought Paul had spent years in Ireland for some reason and I thought, “This is great. This is just so good.” The dialogue was wonderful. It made me laugh. I told Paul the other night, I saw the film for the first time the other night. It made me cry in three or four places, which is quite an achievement. I don’t do that. That was my reaction to the script, and it just got better and better from there. It became a real joy to do, and it’s a real tribute to Paul’s soul, for want of a better word, that he was able to achieve this in this script.

    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Paul, why was Chris Cottam the right person to direct this movie and tell this story?

    PR: He’s British, but he’s shot and worked a lot in Ireland and done a lot of, almost mostly comedy, and a great visual sense. He’s a very successful commercial director, and we hit it off and he really got the script in all the best ways. I know when somebody says, “Oh, I read the script and I liked this scene,” I went, “Well, okay.” If somebody goes, “You know that little thing that doesn’t look like it’s anything, I love that.” I went, “Okay, this is the guy for me.” But he was very committed to doing everything authentically. He said, “If nothing else, I want the audience in Ireland to go, ‘yes, that’s factual. That’s not too cutesy. It’s not too romanticized.’” Other than Jane Levy and I, the cast is entirely Irish. All the actors and all the background actors. The sets, we didn’t build any sets, those were real places. But you know, it’s funny, you talk about a sense of humor. The first scene, and I remember we had this idea right off the top, when Colm’s character picks me up at the train station, and we’re driving and there’s that awkwardness of like, “Oh, we’ve never met, but we are both friendly.” What was written in the script, it’s like they should be friends. They almost have the same sense of humor, but it’s not locking. They’re just, “What’s wrong with him? What’s wrong with him?” It’s like, that’s where it starts. It’s like, “Okay, I made a joke. He didn’t get the joke.” He’s going, “He didn’t get my joke either.” I’m like, that’s the beginning of trouble right there because he didn’t get the joke.

    MF: Colm, can you talk about the dying wish Ciáran’s father makes and what happens when he meets Barry?

    CM: Well, it’s an imposition. My dad is a pain in the ass. He’s been dying for the last 35 years. I mean, I take care of him, and I look after him. I had been married previously, so I lived out of the house. But since my divorce, I’ve come back to take care of him and I’m doing it, but it’s a pain in the ass. He really is. Now this, “Go find this cousin in New York,” for God’s sake, you know.

    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Paul, can you talk about Barry’s reaction to receiving a call from his long-lost cousin, and how things begin to go wrong between them?

    PR: Yeah. He goes, “I want you to do something.” “No, I want you to go find a guy that you never heard of and don’t know where to look.” But what was from the get-go and was always in my mind for the first scene, we meet Colm, who is just over it. We meet him and there’s a beautiful rainbow. He goes, “Yeah, I’ve seen it. I don’t care. You’re not impressing me.” Colm, personally, is a force. I mean, he’s just a big strong personality. To see him, his character bullied and beaten down by his frail father. It’s like, that’s funny to see this guy and you see, “Go find him.” You see Colm and it’s like, “Oh, this poor guy.” He’s been in this unglamorous business running the funeral parlor, taking care of his father, and he just wants to get out of there and he wants to see the world. Here’s me in the thick of the action in New York like, “I would just love to sit by a cottage by a lake.” So, we’re just in the wrong place, is all it is. Then we hopefully get closer to our intended goals. But that from the beginning of him being obligated, you also are right away like this guy, like he’s taking care of his old man, for God’s sake. He must be a good fella. To me, the shorthand is when the phone rings and anybody calls on a landline, it isn’t for you. So, I literally, I answer the phone, “I’m not interested.” “Do I have the right number?” “I doubt it.” It’s like there’s just a huge veneer of skepticism and impatience. Then he says the right thing. He went, “Was your father’s name Joseph? Do you by chance have relatives in Ireland?” I’m like, “Oh, actually, I don’t know who you are, but that’s not untrue.” He slowly gets under my skin and the skepticism is there and Jane Levy goes, “You didn’t think it was a scam?” “Oh, I thought it was a scam, believe me, of course. But no, he said some right things.” Even then it takes my daughter to say, “I think you should go. I got things under control. You can stop worrying. Go take it easy.” That’s how I go places by the way. It’s never my own choice. It’s like, “We can’t say no to this invitation.” All right. That’s the only way I go anywhere.

    MF: Paul, can you talk about Barry’s relationship with his daughter and working with Jane Levy?

    PR: She doesn’t have that much screen time, but she’s just so powerful and great. I was saying the other night at the screening, there’s a scene where she gets a call and she gets teary-eyed, and there’s no dialogue. I just start watering every time I see her face, I go, “Wow, I don’t even know what that is. Is that acting?” She’s just so powerful and good. As it turns out, I grew up with her dad. Her dad is an old buddy of mine. That’s not how she got the job. I knew her as an actress. Then way later (I realized) I grew up with (her dad), we were in a band. I played keyboards. He was a guitar player. We were a very bad band in 1969 and 1970. We made over $300 in over seven years. But to play her father was instinctive. It’s like, she is my friend’s daughter, so it’s close enough. But we were the only Americans. Everybody else, it was a purely Irish cast and crew.

    (L to R) Jane Levy and Paul Reiser in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Jane Levy and Paul Reiser in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Colm, as an Irishman yourself, what was it like shooting a movie in Ireland with a predominantly Irish cast?

    CM: It was wonderful there, but that again came from the nature of the project and the joy and all that. I mean, I’ve been on some tough shoots in Ireland, as well. But I always enjoyed working in Ireland. As time goes on and the older I get, I feel very drawn to our work in Ireland to be there. But yeah, I really enjoy working and now there’s good facilities and terrific crews, and it’s not a hardship to go and work in Ireland anymore like it used to be.

    MF: Colm, what was your experience like working with Paul?

    CM: We only met the week we started shooting. We’d spoken to each other and texted each other over the three years that Paul had spoken about, trying to get the thing up and running. We kept in touch intermittently and we got on as you do to the extent that you can on the phone. But then we first met in Dublin just the week we started shooting and had a pint. I think we just hit it off and we enjoyed each other’s company. Then when the actual work started, it just clicked. He is a wonderful man to spend time with, wonderful company.

    (L to R) Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Finally, Paul, what was your experience like working with Colm?

    PR: It was lovely. I was reminded, somewhere in the middle of the shoot, Colm says, “How’s it all going, producing?” I went, “Yeah, it’s good.” He goes, “Everything’s okay?” I went, “Yeah, did I miss a meeting? ” He goes, “No, you seem like very calm.” I went, “I don’t know. It’s all going well.” There was something very blessed about the whole production. We have beautiful weather. A lot of it is, again, to do with our director Chris who has a great sense of humor and a great lightness of touch and great preparation. There’s usually chaos, trauma and drama. As far as we know, that didn’t happen. I’m happy to say and report that people do see it on the film. They go, “You guys look like you were having fun.” I go. “We really did.” It was really a lovely experience, and we hope everybody goes see it.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Problem with People’?

    Two distant cousins (Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney) who’ve never met – one in NYC, the other in the smallest town there is in Ireland – come together to finally put an end to a generations-long family feud. It doesn’t go well. ‘The Problem with People’, set in beautifully lush Irish countryside, is a heartwarming comedy about family, world peace … and sheep.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Problem with People’?

    • Colm Meaney as Ciáran’
    • Paul Reiser as Barry
    • Jane Levy as Natalya
    • Lucianne McEvoy as Fiona
    Paul Reiser stars in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    Paul Reiser stars in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    Other Paul Reiser Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Paul Reiser Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Friedman in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    (L to R) Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Friedman in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

    Premiering on Netflix July 3rd, ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ is the realization of the long-in-development new sequel for the ‘Cop’ franchise. After more false starts than a car with a banana in its tailpipe (including a failed TV pilot), Paramount sold off the rights to the movie series starring Eddie Murphy as wisecracking detective Axel Foley.

    Related Article: The 30 Best Eddie Murphy Movies of All Time!

    Initial Thoughts

    Bria Murphy as Officer Renee Minnick and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    (L to R) Bria Murphy as Officer Renee Minnick and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix ©2023.

    Feeling in some ways like fellow legacy sequel ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (it even starts with Murphy’s Foley still in action, still breaking rules and managing to stay on the job thanks to leverage from a friend in high places much like Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell), yet never quite rising to the heights of that box office barnstormer, ‘Axel F’ nevertheless manages to walk the nostalgia beat without relying on it so heavily as to be overused.

    It’s certainly good to see Murphy back actually enjoying himself in the role (which certainly didn’t seem to be the case for a lot of 1994’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop III’), and the movie around him, though it can’t compete with Martin Brest’s 1984 original or Tony Scott’s 1987 sequel, should easily slip into third place in most fans’ lists, which is more than can be said for some legacy sequels such as the recent ‘Exorcist’ release or ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’.

    Script and Direction

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, Taylour Paige as Jane Saunders, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Detective Bobby Abbott, and Bronson Pinchot as Serge in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    (L to R) Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, Taylour Paige as Jane Saunders, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Detective Bobby Abbott, and Bronson Pinchot as Serge in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

    Written by Will Beall and Tom Gormican, the script manages to bring back many of the stalwarts of the franchise, yet also combines them with a story that acknowledges where they would be now and some modern attitudes to policing from characters including Joseph Gordon–Levitt’s Bobby Abbott. And even more welcome, it lets Murphy be funny again, giving the season performer room to improvise and feel like the Axel that fans remember. It also smartly comments on the franchise’s past, including a slightly snarky (but entirely earned) shot at the third movie, and a moment where Axel considers putting on a voice and playing a character to get what he wants, but ditches it, tired of the same old routine.

    Mark Molloy is a commercial director making his feature debut here, and the style he’s chosen certainly fits with the look of the original trilogy (nodding more towards Scott’s perhaps). It doesn’t announce itself too much and he also lets Murphy breathe as the main character, while finding solid work for the whole cast.

    Performances:

    ‘Axel F’ has a solid ensemble supporting Murphy, and both the returning veterans and new franchise faces have a good role to play.

    Eddie Murphy as Detective Axel Foley

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

    One of Murphy’s most famous characters, and the one that made him a star, Axel Foley is clearly a place that the actor feels comfortable in (even if he hasn’t always shown that). For ‘Axel F’, he’s on good form, wrangling the motor-mouthed Axel from the original two movies with the more laidback, mature version.

    Here he’s faced with old friends in a story that services both him, and them, well.

    Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood

    Though Judge Reinhold’s Billy (the only other person besides Murphy to appear in all the movies) is somewhat sidelined for a chunk of the storyline, he’s also recognizably Billy –– a littler greyer, a little more wizened, but still the enthusiastic friend and handy with a gun.

    John Ashton as Chief John Taggart, Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    (L to R) John Ashton as Chief John Taggart, Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix ©2024.

    John Ashton as John Taggart

    Now a Chief in the Beverly Hills police force (despite, er, being mentioned as retired when John Ashton couldn’t reprise the role in the third movie, though that is addressed here in dialogue), Ashton’s Taggart is still the old grump, even more so now he can actually count as an old grump.

    Neither Ashton nor Reinhold have lots to do, but they’re used as much as they were in the original films –– solid support for the leading man, with entertaining stories of their own.

    Taylour Paige as Jane Saunders

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Taylour Paige as Jane Saunders in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    (L to R) Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley and Taylour Paige as Jane Saunders in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix © 2024.

    Axel’s estranged daughter is now a hotshot but empathetic lawyer, and in some ways more a chip off the old block than she’d care to admit. Taylour Paige plays well off of Murphy and leans into the role of the daughter who harbors anger towards the man who hasn’t been in touch with her but warms up to the idea of having Axel back in her life. It’s a well-used plotline but doesn’t feel tired.

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Detective Bobby Abbott

    Joseph Gordon Levitt as Detective Bobby Abbott and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    (L to R) Joseph Gordon Levitt as Detective Bobby Abbott and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix © 2024.

    Gordon-Levitt, like Paige, has a fun energy in Murphy’s company, and stands as a watchable character in his own right.

    Final Thoughts

    Kevin Bacon as Captain Grant and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.'
    (L to R) Kevin Bacon as Captain Grant and Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

    There can be a real risk sticking to the playbook with a legacy sequel –– you can be seen as reheating old bits in a desperate attempt to entertain fans of the franchise while trying to attract new ones.

    But the formula functions at an entertaining level with ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’, which targets what works about the franchise and finds organic ways to insert new characters and plot angles. Most importantly, it feels like a ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movie made by people who respect the previous outings.

    ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What’s the Plot of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’?

    Detroit Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his estranged daughter Jane’s (Taylour Paige) life is threatened, she and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.

    Who is in the Cast of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’?

    • Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley
    • Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Detective Bobby Abbott
    • Kevin Bacon as Captain Cade Grant
    • Taylour Paige as Jane Saunders
    • Judge Reinhold as Lieutenant William “Billy” Rosewood
    • John Ashton as John Taggart
    • Paul Reiser as Jeffrey Friedman
    • Bronson Pinchot as Serge
    Judge Reinhold, Eddie Murphy and John Ashton attend the 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F' World Premiere at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
    (L to R) Judge Reinhold, Eddie Murphy and John Ashton attend the ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ World Premiere at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for Netflix.

    Movies in the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Movies On Amazon

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  • First Picture of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’

    Eddie Murphy in 'Beverly Hills Cop 4.'
    Eddie Murphy in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley.’ Photo: Empire Magazine.

    Preview:

    • The first image of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’ has landed.
    • Eddie Murphy stars alongside Taylour Paige and some returning veterans.
    • Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has praised his star and the film itself.

    For a long time there, it looked like a fourth ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movie might never happen (and some hoped it wouldn’t, given how the third turned into a disappointment for many fans).

    But happen it has, with Netflix backing the latest installment. Eddie Murphy returns to play maverick cop Axel Foley in a new movie named ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley,’ and a planned return for some veteran actors from the franchise.

    And the first image from the movie is now online via Empire magazine’s site.

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    What’s the story of ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’?

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop.'
    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Joining the current trend of “legacy sequels” (think ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ or David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween’ and ‘Exorcist’ movies, which follow the same character years later), ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’ will pick up the story of Murphy’s officer Foley, whom in his original film, swapped the tough streets of Detroit for the sunnier climes of Los Angeles –– but still found plenty of challenges and a serious law enforcement culture clash.

    These days, we’d expect Axel to be a little more low-key, though we doubt he’ll have lost his smarts and wit. And with some veteran cast members also returning, it’ll be a shot of nostalgia for ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ fans, even if some will worry it can’t live up to the first film in particular.

    Taylour Paige is playing Foley’s criminal defense attorney daughter, who pulls her dad into a California-based case –– where he’ll cause issues for Kevin Bacon’s LAPD special-unit officer, and team up with a new partner, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

    According to producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Gordon-Levitt’s character essentially being stuck with Axel, and they are “hilarious” together.

    Who else in in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’?

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, John Ashton as John Taggart and Judge Reinhold as William "Billy" Rosewood in 'Beverly Hills Cop II.'
    (L to R) Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, John Ashton as John Taggart and Judge Reinhold as William “Billy” Rosewood in ‘Beverly Hills Cop II.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    In addition to the people mentioned above, the cast includes the returning likes of Judge Reinhold, Paul Reiser, John Ashton and Bronson Pinchot.

    Also aboard? New faces Patricia Belcher, James Preston Rogers and Suzanne Ford.

    Related Article: Beverly Hill Cop 4: Mark Molloy to Direct Eddie Murphy in Long-Gestating Sequel

    What has happened with the new ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movie so far?

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop II.'
    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop II.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    The fourth movie is something that originated back in the 1990s when Murphy set up a version at original studio home Paramount via his production company. It never got past the development stage but pinged the radar again in 2006 when Jerry Bruckheimer –– who produced the first three –– announced that he was trying to get the fourth made.

    Fellow super-producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura stepped in after that, and the project went through a variety of script re-writes, including work from Michael Brandt and Derek Haas.

    Yet nothing seemed to be solved on the writing side, and in 2011, the announcement came that the movie was being thrust back into development jail in favor of a spin-off TV series for CBS that would have seen ‘Percy Jackson’ actor Brandon T. Jackson play Axel Foley’s son, Aaron.

    ‘The Shield’s Shawn Ryan came aboard to produce the show, which cast Kevin Pollak and David Denman, with Barry Sonnenfeld agreeing to direct the pilot.

    Sadly, for the small screen version, CBS passed on the pilot, and it returned to the ether.

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, Lisa Eilbacher as Jeanette "Jenny" Summers and Judge Reinhold as William "Billy" Rosewood in 'Beverly Hills Cop.'
    (L to R) Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, Lisa Eilbacher as Jeanette “Jenny” Summers and Judge Reinhold as William “Billy” Rosewood in ‘Beverly Hills Cop.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    After that flame-out, Paramount pushed ahead with the movie again, bringing Brett Ratner back in and having Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec write a new script draft. Though it got as close as securing tax credits for shooting in Detroit and landing a March 25, 2016, release date, it was shut down because of script concerns and Ratner left it like a sinking ship.

    But Paramount remained committed, hiring ‘Bad Boys for Life’ co-directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (though this was on the back of their indie movie work and before they made the latest ‘Bad Boys’), pushing the movie back into pre-production.

    Murphy announced that the movie would shoot once he finished work on ‘Coming 2 America’, but it never materialized.

    In 2019, Paramount licensed the movie to Netflix, intending to have the streaming service make the fourth and a potential fifth entry. El Arbi and Fallah left post-‘Bad Boys’ to focus on ‘Batgirl’ (and we all know what happened there) and the potential movie sat on the shelf once more.

    And then, in April of last year, it was revealed that director Mark Malloy would make his feature directorial debut after cutting his teeth on commercials.

    Producer Jerry Bruckheimer on Eddie Murphy’s return and the movie itself

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop.'
    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Here’s Bruckheimer talking up his star to Empire:

    “Anytime he walks on set, you never know what you’re going to get. And it’s always pretty brilliant. Every day he’s there throws you back to the ‘80s.”

    And here’s the producer discussing the film’s tone:

    “It’s about the emotion,” he states. “No matter how funny it is, how much great action it has, it’s all about the heartstrings.”

    When will ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’ be on Netflix?

    The movie doesn’t have a set release date yet, but we’re told it’ll be on the streaming service in 2024.

    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop II.'
    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in ‘Beverly Hills Cop II.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’:

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  • Kevin Bacon Joins the New ‘Beverly Hills Cop’

    Kevin Bacon as Fred Snr. in 'One Way.'
    Kevin Bacon as Fred Snr. in ‘One Way.’

    After years in a development holding cell, the latest ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movie, known as ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’, is finally in production. And, according to Deadline, Kevin Bacon is the latest recruit for the ensemble.

    The cameras have been rolling for a while now, with Mark Molloy directing, working from the most recent draft of the script by Will Beall. Details on the story at this point are unknown right now, but you’ve got to figure it’ll see Eddie Murphy’s back in action, still pissing off people in power while getting the job done, even if he is a little more senior himself these days.

    We’ve a feeling that, even if he has been promoted up the ranks, he’s the same old Axel. And use of the character’s name in the title has us wondering if, like Tom Cruise’s Maverick, he’ll be sticking to his same old rank, but able to offer the benefit of his wisdom to others.

    The cast for the long-anticipated fourth ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movie is a mixture of veterans and new franchise faces, of which Bacon falls into the latter camp, alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Taylour Paige.

    On the veterans side, mainstay Murphy will see some actors from past ‘Cop’ movies returning here.

    Judge Reinhold is back as Detective Billy Rosewood, while John Ashton returns to play Sgt. Taggart, both of whom were sidekick cops to Murphy’s wisecracking Foley character. Paul Reiser was Foley’s Detroit cop partner, Jeffrey Friedman, in the first two movies. Bronson Pinchot, meanwhile, was sassy art gallery salesman Serge in the first and third.

    Bacon’s character has yet to be detailed, though how much fun would it be for him to play a villain opposite Murphy?

    Kevin Bacon in 'They/Them.'
    Kevin Bacon in ‘They/Them.’ Photo by: Josh Stringer/Blumhouse. Copyright © 2022 Blumhouse Productions, LLC All.

    It has been a busy time recently for Bacon, who has a regular gig on TV drama ‘City on a Hill’ while also finding time for work in movies ‘Space Oddity’, ‘They/Them’ and ‘One Way’.

    Netflix has yet to announce a launch date for the new ‘Beverly Hills Cop’.

    In other casting news, Dave Bautista is teaming back up with his ‘Hotel Artemis’ director Drew Pearce for action thriller ‘Cooler’.

    Again, according to Deadline, the movie will star Bautista as South Beach bouncer Ray Sagona, who is on the brink of finding redemption and getting his family back.

    But when a drug-filled safe is stolen from the super club he works at, Ray is blackmailed into finding it before the Miami PD narcotics bureau comes to retrieve it on Sunday night.

    Now, as his past and present collide in ever-more dangerous ways, Ray must survive an epic 36-hour odyssey across Miami Beach to get that safe back.

    Pearce aims to kick off shooting this one in summer next year.

    Eddie Murphy in 'Beverly Hills Cop III.'
    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 1994’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop III.’
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  • Classic Cast Returning For ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’

    Eddie Murphy as Detective Axel Foley in 1994's 'Beverly Hills Cop III.'
    Eddie Murphy as Detective Axel Foley in 1994’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop III.’

    Though paparazzi set pictures had already leaked their return, it’s good to be able to report that original ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ cast members Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot are all returning for the long-delayed latest entry, ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’.

    Reinhold is back as Detective Billy Rosewood, while Ashton returns to play Sgt. Taggart, both of whom were sidekick cops to Murphy’s wisecracking Foley character. Reiser was Foley’s Detroit cop partner, Jeffrey Friedman, in the first two movies. Pinchot, meanwhile, was sassy art gallery salesman Serge in the first and third.

    The fourth movie is something that originated back in the 1990s when Murphy set up a version at original studio home Paramount via his production company. It never got past the development stage but pinged the radar again in 2006 when Jerry Bruckheimer – who produced the first three – announced that he was trying to get the fourth made.

    Fellow super-producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura stepped in after that, and the project went through a variety of script re-writes, including work from Michael Brandt and Derek Haas.

    Yet nothing seemed to be solved on the writing side, and in 2011, the announcement came that the movie was being thrust back into development jail in favor of a spin-off TV series for CBS that would have seen ‘Percy Jackson’ actor Brandon T. Jackson play Axel Foley’s son, Aaron.

    ‘The Shield’s Shawn Ryan came aboard to produce the show, which cast Kevin Pollak and David Denman, with Barry Sonnenfeld agreeing to direct the pilot.

    Sadly, for the small screen version, CBS passed on the pilot, and it returned to the ether.

    Eddie Murphy in 'Beverly Hills Cop III.'
    Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley in 1994’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop III.’

    After that flame-out, Paramount pushed ahead with the movie again, bringing Brett Ratner back in and having Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec write a new script draft. Though it got as close as securing tax credits for shooting in Detroit and landing a March 25, 2016, release date, it was shut down because of script concerns and Ratner left.

    But Paramount remained committed, hiring ‘Bad Boys for Life’ co-directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (though this was on the back of their indie movie work and before they made the latest ‘Bad Boys’), pushing the movie back into pre-production.

    Murphy announced that the movie would shoot once he finished work on ‘Coming 2 America’, but it never materialized.

    In 2019, Paramount licensed the movie to Netflix, intending to have the streaming service make the fourth and a potential fifth entry. El Arbi and Fallah left post-‘Bad Boys’ to focus on ‘Batgirl’ and the potential movie sat on the shelf once more.

    Commercials director Mark Molloy came aboard in April this year, and the movie has progressed well since then, with cameras currently rolling and the cast expanding to include Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige and Michael Camp.

    The script for the film – which took a page from ‘Top Gun: Maverick’s playbook with its legacy-referencing title – comes from Will Beall, Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec.

    We don’t yet know the plot for this one, and ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley’ doesn’t have a release date (be it in theaters or straight to Netflix) just yet. At least it’s happening!

    Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop
    Eddie Murphy in 1984’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop.’
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  • Trailer for ‘Stranger Things’ 4 Volume 2

    Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven and Matthew Modine
    (L to R) Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven and Matthew Modine as Dr. Martin Brenner in ‘Stranger Things.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

    Just last week, we got new images from ‘Stranger Things’ super-sized Season 4 finale, which comprises two episodes known as ‘Volume 2’.

    Now here comes the trailer for the episodes, promising a lot of explosive action, fresh threats, and ominous warnings that our heroes are in over their heads even more than ever.

    Picking up a year or so after the explosive end of Season 3, the first volume’s episodes found Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and his family living in Southern California, having made the smart choice to move away from Hawkins, Indiana. While Eleven is having trouble fitting into a new school, she’s soon informed by Sam Owens (Paul Reiser) that her particular set of mysterious skills are needed back in Hawkins.

    There’s just one small problem with that plan: she doesn’t have them anymore. Yet back in Hawkins, things continue to be, well, strange. Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) are facing their own challenges, moving on up to Hawkins high school and all the potential bullying, hormonal issues and fashion challenges that presents.

    But possibly having an even harder time is Sadie Sink’s Max Mayfield, who is still grieving the death of brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery), who sacrificed himself in the big battle.

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    They’ll need real help, as something even more terrifying is on the way and a giant conflict is bubbling away, with some of it tied to the creepy new location of the Creel House. Then there’s poor old Jim Hopper (David Harbour), locked away in a prison in Kamchatka, Russia. At least he’s alive, but for how long?

    The end of Season 4’s first volume saw Mike’s sister Nancy (Natalia Dyer) trapped in the Upside Down by new big bad Vecna and friend Steve (Joe Keery) in a bad way after being attacked by bat creatures.

    With threatening voice-over from Vecna (who, spoiler alert, we learned is the son of the ill-fated Creel family, born with special abilities and eventually sent to the same facility that housed Eleven.) He went on to become a member of the staff (played in adult form by Jamie Campbell Bower) but has since embraced his inner darkness and is now hunting Hawkins townsfolk, killing them, and dragging them to the Upside Down.

    And now he and Matthew Modine’s Dr. Brenner are all about telling Eleven that even with her powers restored, she might not be enough to stop him.

    Is this the end for the Hawkins heroes? Well, we doubt it, given that Season 5 is in the works and planned to actually wrap up the series, but there’s every indication that not everyone will make it out of the season alive. Protect Steve’s hair at all costs!

    Promising to be the biggest episodes yet – the two finale entries have a combined running time of nearly four hours – ‘Stranger Things 4’ Volume 2 lands on Netflix on July 1st.

    Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, and Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield in 'Stranger Things.'
    (L to R) Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, and Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield in ‘Stranger Things.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

  • New ‘Stranger Things 4’ Trailer Promises War is Coming

    'Stranger Things' Season 4 kids
    (L to R) Eduardo Franco as Argyle, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, and Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4. Photo courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

    Just when the residents of Hawkins, Indiana (population: dwindling fast) thought that they’d finally put supernatural threats behind them following the traumatic events of the Battle of Starcourt, the new trailer for ‘Stranger Things’ fourth season suggests that their troubles are far from over. War is coming… and no-one is safe.

    And that includes those such as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and his family, who moved away to Southern California at the end of the last season. While Eleven is having trouble fitting into a new school, she’s soon informed by Sam Owens (Paul Reiser) that her particular set of mysterious skills are needed back in Hawkins.

    There’s just one small problem with that plan: she doesn’t have them anymore.

    Yet back in Hawkins, things continue to be, well, strange. Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) are facing their own challenges, moving on up to Hawkins high school and all the potential bullying, hormonal issues and fashion challenges that presents.

    But possibly having an even harder time is Sadie Sink’s Max Mayfield, who is still grieving the death of brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery), who sacrificed himself in the big battle. Not only is Max struggling with loss, but she also appears to have develop some interesting new abilities of her own, if the shot of her floating above the others is anything to go by.

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    Whether it’s her or someone else achieving that, they’ll need the help, as something even more terrifying is on the way and a giant conflict is bubbling away, with some of it tied to the creepy new location of the Creel House.

    Then there’s poor old Jim Hopper (David Harbour), locked away in a prison in Kamchatka, Russia, where life seems to be just as rough – what we must wonder now is how he gets free? We’ll get that answer, plus some flashbacks to fill in other story gaps in a season that promises to wrap the plot up.

    For those who might not have seen the announcement a couple of months ago, the new season is so epic and huge that the creators (and Netflix) have opted to split it in two.

    “With nine scripts, over eight-hundred pages, almost two years of filming, thousands of visual effects shots, and a runtime nearly twice the length of any previous season, ‘Stranger Things 4’ was the most challenging season yet, but also the most rewarding one,” wrote the Duffer brothers. “Everyone involved is incredibly proud of the results, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Given the unprecedented length, and to get it to you as soon as possible, Season 4 will be released in two volumes.”

    Expect the first batch of episodes on May 27th, with the second haul following on July 1st. Bad news for those who were looking forward to their latest ‘Things’ binge, but good news in that the season will be able to contain more of the sprawling story.

    David Harbour in 'Stranger Things' Season 4.
    David Harbour as Jim Hopper in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4. Photo courtesy of Netflix © 2022.
  • Michael Douglas talks about the final season of ‘The Kominsky Method’

    Michael Douglas talks about the final season of ‘The Kominsky Method’

    In this exclusive interview with ‘Made in Hollywood,’ the stars of ‘The Kominsky Method’ talk about the third and final season of the Netflix hit comedy.

    Michael Douglas and co-star Paul Reiser talk about bringing the series to a satisfying close, even though they could have continued. Then Douglas and Kathleen Turner discuss their on-screen chemistry, and co-star Sarah Baker shares what it was like to work with them.

    ‘The Kominsky Method’ is now streaming on Netflix.

  • ‘Mad About You’ Revival Lands at Spectrum Originals (Not NBC)

    ‘Mad About You’ Revival Lands at Spectrum Originals (Not NBC)

    NBC

    The revival of “Mad About You” has found a home.

    The limited series with original stars Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt has landed on Charter’s upcoming premium content platform Spectrum Originals. It is expected to launch in late 2019.

    Peter Tolan is returning as showrunner, while Hunt will direct the first episode.

    The original “Mad About You” ran for seven seasons, from 1992 to 1999. Hunt won four Best Actress Emmys in a row for the show, including the year she won an Oscar for “As Good as It Gets.”

    The revival experienced a much bumpier road than “Will and Grace,” “Roseanne,” and “Murphy Brown.” Sony Pictures Television first began putting the project together last year, but talks with various networks didn’t lead anywhere.

    Then, Spectrum stepped in with a deal for its forthcoming platform, which is availably only to Spectrum video subscribers, on-demand and ad-free. “Mad About You” joins the recently ordered “L.A.’s Finest,” starring Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba.

    “We are so excited to finally be doing this and thrilled to have Peter Tolan as our fearless captain,” said Reiser and Hunt in a joint statement. “We promise you the same funny and heartwarming show — as soon as we can remember what’s funny about being older. It’s going to be great!”

  • It’s Official: Helen Hunt & Paul Reiser Sign on for ‘Mad About You’ Revival

    Are you “mad” about this idea?

    The reboot and revival train just stopped at a new station: “Mad About You.” Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt had been negotiating for months for a possible return to the ’90s sitcom. Entertainment Weekly just reported that they closed those deals, so they’re officially on board.

    That said, “Mad About You” now needs a network.

    The show ran from 1992 to 1999 on NBC, so NBC might want it back. They’re having success with the “Will & Grace” revival. ABC is doing quite well with its “Roseanne” revival, too, so they may want to snap up another nostalgia show.

    “Mad About You” was popular — with more than 20 million viewers most weeks throughout Season 3 — and won Helen Hunt four Emmys. But fans weren’t exactly clamoring for it to return, especially since the finale jumped ahead about 20 years in the future to show what happened to the Buchmans.

    But maybe that’s part of the revival pitch — if the show ended in 1999, 2019 is 20 years later, so it could pick up from where those flash-forwards left off.

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