According to The Hollywood Reporter, Emmy-nominated actress Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live, 2016’s Ghostbusters) and Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk, The Old Guard) have been tapped to star opposite Eddie Murphy in Paramount Pictures’ upcoming comedy sequel to Coming to America. Layne will be portraying the role of Akeem’s daughter, who is burdened with the feeling like she is the son her father never had.
In addition, Collider also reports that singer Teyana Taylor and comedian Michael Blackson have also been cast for the sequel with Emmy winner Louie Anderson (Baskets) set to reprise his role as Maurice. They will be joining previously announced Wesley Snipes, newcomer Jermaine Fowler, and Rick Ross along with returning cast members Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, and Paul Bates.
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Coming 2 America will follow Akeem, now set to become king, discovering he has a son he never knew about, a street-savvy Queens native named Lavelle. Honoring his father’s dying wish to groom his son as a new crowned prince, Akeem must once again return to America. The film will be directed by Craig Brewer, who previously worked with Paramount Pictures on Hustle & Flow, Blake Snake Moan and the 2011 Footloose remake. black-ish creator Kenya Barris penned the script.
Purchase the first Coming To America film here.
The original film was directed by John Landis and starred Murphy as a wealthy African prince who comes to Queens, New York posing as a poor man to search for a bride. The film co-starred James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, John Amos, Eriq La Salle, and Louie Anderson.
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Murphy has kept a low profile over the last five years, only starring in one film, the dramatic 2016 dud Mr. Church. He’s been attached to several non-starter projects, including Beverly Hills Cop IV, a Twins sequel titled Triplets, and a Richard Pryor biopic from Lee Daniels. The upcoming sequel will mark the second collaboration between Brewer and Murphy, who directed the upcoming biographical comedy Dolemite is My Name last year which is expected to hit Netflix sometime this year.
The follow-up to the acclaimed 1988 comedy has landed a December 18, 2020 release date.
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