It’s not often that returning to a classic film, in the form of a sequel done many years later, turns out for the best. Amazon is hoping things work out differently for Coming 2 America, a long-awaited sequel to Eddie Murphy’s beloved 1988 film in which he plays Prince Akeem, of the fictional African nation of Zumunda. I wonder if they’ve ever had dealings with the people of Wakanda?
In Coming to America, the focus was on Akeem as he journeyed to America to find a suitable wife, along the way learning to acclimate himself to an unfamiliar country and its customers. The sequel will pull a 180, and have Akeem return to America to find the son he didn’t know about for 30 years. Afterward, the boy and his family journey to Zumunda and try to fit in with becoming royalty.
Akeem’s son Lavelle is played by Jermaine Fowler, with Leslie Jones as his mother, and Tracy Morgan as his uncle. With fam like that you already know they’re going to act like fools up in the royal abode.
Also in the cast are a mix of new and returning faces, including Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Kiki Layne, Wesley Snipes, Shari Headley, John Amos and Vanessa Bell Calloway.
Murphy has been on a roll lately, and this looks like it could be funny enough to be worth the wait. There are a lot of knotty family dynamics here that could lead to some big laugh, especially since everyone’s exes seem to be hanging around. There’s no need to bring back Calloway as Akeem’s intended first bride unless she’s going to blow up the spot.
Directed by Craig Brewer, Coming 2 America hits Amazon Prime on March 5th.
Set after the events of the first film, former Prince Akeem Joffer (Eddie Murphy) is set to become King of Zamunda when he discovers he has a son he never knew about in America – a street savvy Queens native named Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler). Honoring his royal father’s (James Earl Jones) dying wish to groom this son as the crown prince, Akeem and Semmi (Arsenio Hall) set off to America once again
