Summary
It has been 30 long years sinceBeverly Hills Cop 3was released, yet despite three decades having passed, many fans are still wondering why Taggart wasn’t involved in the sequel. With a fourth film,Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, finding success, the franchise has had something of a revival.Beverly Hills Cop 3, however, remains largely marginalized and is absent from Netflix – despite the presence of the other movies on the service. The first two films are cult classics and have endured, largely because ofEddie Murphy’s iconic performances, butBeverly Hills Cop 3is generally regarded as the worst movie in the franchise.
There are a handful of reasons whyBeverly Hills Cop 3failed to receive the plaudits of its two predecessors, and a key factor is thatthe film didn’t include a few of its prior characters. The most notable absence was that of Detective Sergeant John Taggart (John Ashton), who wasone of the main characters in the first two films. He, alongside Axel Foley (Murphy) and Detective William “Billy” Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), comprised the focal point of the franchise’s initial success. WhyBeverly Hills Cop 3would continue on without him is something of a mystery, but there are some interesting explanations as to why it occurred.
The First Two Films Were Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, But He, Too, Wasn’t Involved in Beverly Hills Cop 3
Without Bruckheimer, Ashton Worried About the Third Film’s Chances
Ashton’s Taggart was the perfect foil for Murphy’s Foley. However, while both Murphy and Aston were crucial in front of the camera,Beverly Hills Copalso relied on some behind-the-scenes personnel. The most notable name missing fromBeverly Hills Cop 3was Jerry Bruckheimer. The legendary producer’s presence was pivotal for theBeverly Hills Copfilms' initial acclaim. Ashton was a beneficiary of this; in fact,thefirstBeverly Hills Copfilm was one of Ashton’s first bona fide silver screen opportunities.
Without Bruckheimer’s involvement,Beverly Hills Cop 3was delayed multiple times, and changes were made to the script. The role initially planned for Taggart was reworked into a new character, and the lines were altered to account for this change. Taggart’s only appearance is in a picture frame on Foley’s desk, and his absence was explained away, in fiction, as retirement.Ashton ultimately dropped out of the projectto pursue better, more stable alternatives, despite a continued gratefulness for and appreciation of his role as Taggart, and he never truly stepped away from the role.
For Ashton, There Were Scheduling Conflicts Between Beverly Hills Cop 3 and Little Big League
Despite a Lesser Role in the Baseball Classic, Ashton Enjoyed Being in Little Big League
In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, baseball movies were particularly popular.Ashton capitalized on this momentumby taking on the role of the team’s pitching coach, Mac Macnally, in the beloved baseball movieLittle Big League. The film succeeded at the time, and it remains a favorite of both sports fans and movie-goers alike. However, a consequence of his commitment to this project was that he could not be involved inBeverly Hills Cop3. Taggart’s absence fromBeverly Hills Cop 3hurt the franchise, and it is not a coincidence that it took 30 years for another film,Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, to be made.
There were genuine reasons as to why Ashton was unable to reprise his role inBeverly Hills Cop 3, andthere were legitimate criticisms of the film’s production and quality.Nevertheless, it’s telling that Ashton never ruled out a return. Now that he has returned, in his 70s and at Bruckheimer’s request, fans are hopeful that he could appear for a fifth film. The success of the fourth film has opened the door fora sequel toBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F, and time will tell if Taggart plays a role in it.
