Sadly, Beverly Hills Cop IV appears likely.

According to Variety, Eddie Murphy is planning on once again playing Detroit cop Axel Foley.
Murphy has played the character three times over the years, with varying success.

The original came out in 1984 and was the second biggest film of the year, having made 235 million. Three years later, Beverly Hills Cop II, which saw many of the supporting cast returning, was released, It got mixed review, but still did well and made 154 million.

But when Eddie returned a third time, neither the critics nor the audience welcomed him back. The film did a miserable 42.6 million and was brutally panned (and rightly so) by critics.

According the article, Murphy wants to take a more active role in the making of the film.

Brett Ratner is in negotiations to direct. Ratner is the man behind such classics as Money Talks, Rush Hour (I, II & III) and X-Men 3.

I will confess I am no fan of Ratner, but this sounds like a mistake.

Ratner spoke to MTV and said “10-year-old kids, 12-year-old kids don’t really know the old ‘Beverly Hills Cop.’ So it’s an opportunity to make it new for kids…The same way it felt for me watching ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ when I was a kid, that’s what I want to do for kids today.”

10-year-olds?? The first three BHC films were rated R, so it is a good bet that IV will be PG. Can anyone imagine Axel Foley not dropping F-bombs?

The plan is to film in 09, with a release in the summer of 2010.