Coming 2 America - What We Know So Far

Director John Landis' 1988 effort Coming to America was a smash hit — a rom-com with a genuinely sweet love story at its center that still managed to lean heavily in favor of the "com" part of the equation. Harnessing Eddie Murphy's star power and comedic chops at the height of both, the flick featured the beloved comedian as Prince Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of the fictional African country of Zamunda, whose father King Jaffe (James Earl Jones) insists that his son take part in an arranged marriage shortly after his twenty-first birthday. 

Akeem, though, has other ideas. He taps his loyal servant and friend Semmi (Arsenio Hall) to accompany him to the one place on the globe he reckons one might find a woman fit for a future King: Queens, New York, of course. Presenting himself as a humble African student, Akeem sets out to find a woman who will love him for who he is, and not because of his royal lineage — and he finds the endeavor to be a bit more complicated than he had imagined.

The movie ended with Akeem overcoming a series of misunderstandings and the objections of his parents to marry his true love, Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), the daughter of the kindly fast food chain owner (John Amos) who had given Akeem a job. Three decades later, we'll finally get to see what's been happening with all of these fondly-remembered characters in the belated sequel Coming 2 America. The flick will reunite Murphy with director Craig Brewer, who recently helmed the star's fantastic Netflix original film Dolemite is My Name; he worked from a screenplay by the writing trio of David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein, and Kenya Barris, who all collaborated on the original. Here's everything we know so far about Coming 2 America, which should serve as an excellent feel-good flick to conclude a long, challenging year.

Coming 2 America will feature a nice mix of returning players and new cast members, with virtually all of the first flick's main cast — plus a key supporting player or two — returning for round two. In addition to Murphy, Hall, Jones, Headley, and Amos will also reprise their roles as Semmi, King Jaffe, Lisa, and Mr. McDowell, respectively. Also appearing are Madge Sinclair, returning to showbiz after a 25 year absence, as Queen Aoleon Joffer; Garcelle Beauvais (Spider-Man: Homecoming) as a Zamundan priestess; Vanessa Bell Calloway as Imani, Akeem's intended arranged bride; and comedian Louie Anderson as Maurice, an employee at McDowell's restaurant.

Joining the cast this time around are Jermaine Fowler (Sorry to Bother You) as Lavelle, Akeem's long-lost son; former Saturday Night Live cast member Leslie Jones as Lavelle's mother; Tracy Morgan (The Last O.G.) as Reem, Lavelle's uncle; Murphy's Dolemite is My Name co-star Wesley Snipes as Izzi, a Zamundan General and Imani's brother; and KiKi Layne (The Old Guard) as Meeka, Akeem's daughter.