Why Taggart Wasn't In Beverly Hills Cop 3

Summary Beverly Hills Cop 3's lack of success and absence from Netflix is partly due to the absence of the John Taggart character, played by John Ashton.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer's absence also contributed to the film's decline, with Ashton considering the third film's chances without him.

Scheduling conflicts with the baseball movie Little Big League prevented Ashton from participating in Beverly Hills Cop 3, further impacting the franchise.

It has been 30 long years since Beverly Hills Cop 3 was 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 of Eddie Murphy's iconic performances, but Beverly Hills Cop 3 is generally regarded as the worst movie in the franchise.

There are a handful of reasons why Beverly Hills Cop 3 failed to receive the plaudits of its two predecessors, and a key factor is that the film didn't include a few of its prior characters. The most notable absence was that of Detective Sergeant John Taggart (John Ashton), who was one 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. Why Beverly Hills Cop 3 would 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

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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 Cop also relied on some behind-the-scenes personnel. The most notable name missing from Beverly Hills Cop 3 was Jerry Bruckheimer. The legendary producer's presence was pivotal for the Beverly Hills Cop films' initial acclaim. Ashton was a beneficiary of this; in fact, the first Beverly Hills Cop film was one of Ashton's first bona fide silver screen opportunities.

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Without Bruckheimer's involvement, Beverly Hills Cop 3 was 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 project to 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 momentum by taking on the role of the team's pitching coach, Mac Macnally, in the beloved baseball movie Little 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 in Beverly Hills Cop 3. Taggart's absence from Beverly Hills Cop 3 hurt the franchise, and it is not a coincidence that it took 30 years for another film, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, to be made.

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There were genuine reasons as to why Ashton was unable to reprise his role in Beverly Hills Cop 3, and there 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 for a sequel to Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, and time will tell if Taggart plays a role in it.