Speaking at an Advertising Week conference today about brand integration, Brett Ratner kept the rumor mill regarding “Beverly Hills Cop 4” alive by mentioning that project is a “huge priority” for Paramount. While the studio execs are already counting the dollars dancing in their heads, it’s probably a huge priority for Eddie Murphy as well, whose coming off a double dose of terrible films – “Meet Dave” and “Imagine That” – and could probably use a smash hit that doesn’t involve him voicing a donkey.
The director went on to say that what kind of car Murphy drives in the film is very important, but said that rather doing a deal with a car maker he is going to work the other way around, trying to find an organic solution. “What car do I need that can become a character in the movie?,” he said. It’s good to be know he’s got the heart of the story in mind.
While Ratner is wondering about oh-so plot-important matters like what rim size Axel Foley would have on his car, we just hope that the script (is there one? if so, does someone want to send it to us?) is actually funny. Well, funnier than anything “Rush Hour” related. And oh yeah, if Ratner bud Chris Tucker is going to be shoehorned into some kind of sidekick role, you can count us out.
Ratner was at the conference to pimp his company, Brett Ratner Brands, who do commercial work including his recently directed ad for Guitar Hero 5 featuring Playboy bunnies in an oh so original riff on “Risky Business.” As for feature films, you can catch the auteur at work in the forthcoming compilation film “New York, I Love You,” opening on October 16th.
