The Beverly Hills Cop Films Ranked

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The Beverly Hills Cop film series saw its first film released in 1984 but the project had been in development since the mid-70s and would have originally been very different. As it neared production, it was set to be a Sylvester Stallone vehicle in the same vein as his other ’80s output until he dropped out due to the amount of comedy that had made its way into a script that had been pasted together from many different drafts. In stepped Eddie Murphy, fresh of the success of 48 Hrs., as the charismatic and street-smart Detroit detective Axel Foley, who proceeded to improvise his adventures as he navigates the glamorous and unfamiliar world of Beverly Hills to bring down the local crime kingpin. Directed by Martin Brest, it was a massive success, becoming the highest-grossing film released in 1984 at the US box office. Its seamless blend of action and comedy, powered by Eddie Murphy’s magnetic performance, solidified its status as a beloved classic.

Following the triumph of the original film, two sequels were released in 1987 and 1994, continuing the story of Axel Foley as he tackles crime on return visits to Beverly Hills. Although the sequels saw a drop off in quality, due to Eddie Murphy’s career-defining role, the franchise remains an iconic part of film history. Now, 40 years later in 2024 and after many failed attempts to keep the franchise going which even includes a shot but unaired TV pilot, all of the main surviving cast return for a third sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F which is available now on Netflix.

Here are our rankings of the Beverly Hills Cop films.

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