We've been hearing about the slow forward movement of the Coming To America sequel off and on for several years now, but at last it looks like it's actually happening. And star Eddie Murphy has a new director in mind, as Hustle & Flow's Craig Brewer is attached to direct it for Paramount.
The pair has just worked together on biopic Dolemite Is My Name, and it went well enough that Murphy is eager to reunite with Brewer.
1988's John Landis-directed original found Murphy 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.
Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield, who wrote the original, took a few passes at the script, and it's now in the hands of Black-ish and Girls Trip writer Kenya Barris, who'll also produce. The new story would see Akeem learning of a long-lost son, and returning to the States to meet the unlikely heir to the throne of Zamunda. The aim is to bring back several of the original cast, including Hall, Shari Headley, John Amos and James Earl Jones.
"After many years of anticipation, I’m thrilled that Coming To America 2 is officially moving forward," Murphy says in a statement. "We’ve assembled a great team that will be led by Craig Brewer, who just did an amazing job on Dolemite, and I’m looking forward to bringing all these classic and beloved characters back to the big screen." The sequel doesn't have an official start date yet, but the studio is hoping the cameras will roll this year. Dolemite Is My Name, meanwhile, will arrive via Netflix, but has yet to announce a release slot.
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