Brandon T. Jackson is the new Eddie Murphy.
The “Tropic Thunder” star has nabbed the lead role in CBS’s TV reboot of “Beverly Hills Cop,” which will function as a small-screen sequel to the film trilogy that helped rocket Murphy to stardom in the 1980s.
Jackson will play Aaron Foley – son of Murphy’s Axel Foley – who works as a police officer in the eponymous L.A. burg. Through his work exposing the illicit activities of the city’s rich and famous, he attempts to escape the shadow of his renowned father.
Murphy, who is executive-producing the Sony TV project with Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”), is slated to reprise his role in the pilot episode and may recur if it goes to series.
The news was broken by Deadline.
Jackson last appeared on the big-screen in “Big Mommas: Like Father Like Son” opposite Martin Lawrence. He’ll next be seen reprising his role as Grover Underwood in the forthcoming fantasy sequel “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters,” which is slated for release on August 18, 2013.
The “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise grossed over $700 million worldwide over three films, the last of which was released to diminishing returns in 1994.
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