Just this February, there came
word that 1988 Paramount Pictures romantic comedy “Coming to America” was
getting a sequel over three decades since its premiere. This distant follow-up
is being produced by the original star Eddie Murphy, who is also reprising his
role as the older Prince Akeem of Zamunda, who briefly lived in and found love
in New York. While already being conceptualized since 2017, it was not until
this year that “Coming 2 America” was confirmed as a thing. With the latest
announcement that filming will soon begin are some new and old names added to
the cast.
The Hollywood Reporter has it that the cast of characters for
Paramount’s “Coming 2 America” has grown to include both reprising characters
and new additions to the distant sequel of one of Eddie Murphy’s most memorable
comedy films. Notable newcomers to the project include the likes of Wesley
Snipes, Leslie Jones, Kiki Layne and rapper Rick Ross. As for Murphy’s fellow
returnees from the original, it is confirmed that Arsenio Hall, Paul Bates and
James Earl Jones are also back on board as, respectively, Prince Akeem’s best
friend Semmi, the silent royal manservant Oha, and King Jaffe Joffer of
Zamunda.
Initial plot points revealed
about “Coming 2” reveal that it takes place just as King Jaffe is dying, with
Akeem (Murphy) soon to be crowned after him. However, word comes out of a son
he never knew during his time in America, and on his father’s last wishes he
must return to bring back his unknown son to be raised as a Prince.
Complicating matters are his own royal child, a daughter (thus cannot be named
king), as well as the involvement of General Izzi (Snipes), the dictator of
Zamunda’s neighboring nation, in the succession issue. The roles of Jones and
Ross were not disclosed.
Handling directing duties for the
movie is Craig Brewer, who has past collaboration experience on the upcoming
Rudy Ray Moore biopic “Dolemite is My Name” alongside Eddie Murphy and Wesley
Snipes. Kiki Layne looks to expand her acting genre portfolio from drama (2018’s
“If Beale Street Could Talk”) and crime thrillers to more humorous fare. Leslie
Jones on the other hand will be heard as part of the voice cast for Sony
Animation’s “Angry Birds 2,” premiering this week. Eddie Murphy’s co-producers
for “Coming 2 America” include Kevin Misher and “black-ish” creator Kenya
Barris. The film itself starts photography in September, to premiere December
2020.
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