It is official. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brett Ratner is definitely going to direct the next big screen outing of everyone's favorite barbarian Conan. While he preps for that film, he will also continue to push forward on a forth installment of the hugely popular Eddie Murphy franchise Beverly Hills Cop.

Beverly Hills Cop IV is nearing a set start date at Paramount, where Ratner has recently set up shop. It looks like that film will more than likely head into actual production before Conan gets a chance to start shooting.

The current Conan script has been written by Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Dean Donnelly. The writers are doing a quick rewrite to incorporate some of Ratner's own ideas, with an eye toward releasing the film in 2010. Beverly Hills Cop IV will most likely debut in the summer of 2010, with Wanted scribes Michael Brandt and Derek Haas currently working hard on the screenplay.