The attempt to craft a sequel to 1988's Eddie Murphy comedy Coming To America has been quietly underway for a while, slogging through development hell. It has picked up a fresh head of steam now, with The Night Before's Jonathan Levine stepping aboard to direct and Black-ish sitcom creator/Girls Trip co-writer Kenya Barris taking a crack at the script.
Murphy, who of course starred as Prince Akeem, who travels from his wealthy African home to New York with faithful sidekick Semmi (Arsenio Hall) to avoid an arranged marriage and find a wife he loves for her brains and wit instead of her family connections, is involved, but has yet to actually agree to star. We suppose he's waiting to see what Barris and Levine come up with before he commits.
John Landis directed the original, written by Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield, who wrote their own draft of the sequel, which Barris will work from.