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CBS has snagged the rights to Shawn Ryan and Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop pilot. Yes, that Beverly Hills Cop. The hour-long potential series was pitched as a procedural drama with comedic elements.
According to various reports, the number one television network has given a commitment to a pilot, which is being described as a “continuation of the iconic Beverly Hills Cop universe.” The sort-of-kind-of-a-sequel will follow Axel Foley’s son, Aaron, a young cop working to establish a career of his own, outside of the shadow of his famous father. Murphy is set to reprise the role he played in the films in the series’ pilot, and may recur if the series is greenlit according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Shawn Ryan (The Shield, The Chicago Code), executive producer of the upcoming ABC series The Last Resort, will serve as executive producer with Marney Hochman (of MiddKid Productions) and Murphy. Sony Pictures Television will distribute.
The rumor mill is spinning with suggestions for actors to tackle the role of Aaron. On the top of many lists is Saturday Night Live’s Jay Pharoah. The 24-year old star not only favors Murphy’s looks, but does a spot on impression of the comedy legend that could have you doing a double take (check out his skits on YouTube).
The first film of the trilogy opened in 1984 and earned $234,760,478 at the box office, officially turning Eddie Murphy into a household name. Two more sequels were released, and a rumored “fourth” shipped around, but was canceled due to poor scripts.
Murphy hinted at the possibility of a television series last fall during an interview with Rolling Stone. The pilot makes Murphy the latest in a string of box-office stars venturing into television.
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