Axel Foley is back! Variety is reporting that Eddie Murphy will don his badge for a fourth time in "Beverly Hills Cop IV" for Paramount Pictures. Mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer helped guide the series for its first three installments but his busy schedule has allowed Lorenzo di Bonaventura ("Constantine," "Transformers") to step in and resurrect Murphy's first big-screen franchise. The first two "Beverly Hills Cop" movies made $234 million and $153 million in the United States in 1984 and 1987 respectively. The series seemed to have run its course when the third flick bombed in 1994 with only $44 million in receipts. Can Murphy's resurgent star power bring "Cop" back to life? The comedian is getting rave reviews for his role in "Dreamgirls," and his upcoming comedy "Norbit" features him playing multiple roles in the same manner that made "The Nutty Professor" movies such big hits. Murphy will be integrally involved in this fourth "Cop" installment, which is currently out to screenwriters. A 12-year-break might give Detective Foley a whole new city to riff on -- at least the celebrities have changed. One thing is for sure, Judge Reinhold, who played his bumbling sidekick Billy Rosewood is probably salivating at the thought of a new paycheck.

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