Sylvester Stallone’s Departure from Mega-Movie Deal Sparks Chaos in Production

In the wake of the triumph of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, it's almost impossible to envision anyone but Eddie Murphy playing Alex Foley.

Surprisingly, Sylvester Stallone, a major star of the time, was initially associated with the project.

Stallone, not only renowned for his acting but also as a distinguished writer with an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for Rocky, found himself at odds with the studios over the film's tone.

This disagreement ultimately led to Stallone's departure from the production.

During the 1980s, Stallone had risen to fame with iconic films like Rocky and First Blood, making him a highly sought-after talent in Hollywood.

Paramount Studios, impressed by his success, approached Stallone to star in one of their prominent projects.

Before Eddie Murphy entered the scene, Stallone was offered the role of Alex Foley in 1984's Beverly Hills Cop.

Although initially agreeing to the project, Stallone was apprehensive about the comedic element and sought to infuse more action into the script.

Despite attempts at a compromise by adding a touch of humor to the character, the studios were dissatisfied with the alterations made by Stallone.

Consequently, just prior to production commencement, Stallone was dismissed from the movie, leading to the recruitment of Eddie Murphy.

Stallone's departure from Beverly Hills Cop prompted him to repurpose his script by integrating elements from Paula Gosling's novel Fair Game, resulting in the creation of Cobra in 1986.

While Cobra did not earn critical acclaim, the action-packed film proved to be a moderate success at the global box office, accumulating around $160 million.

This incident is not the first instance of Stallone exiting a project due to creative disparities.

More recently, the Rambo star opted out of the Rocky series owing to disagreements over the trajectory of Creed 3.

For fans interested in revisiting the classic Beverly Hills Cop, the film is now available for streaming on Paramount Plus.