'Coming To America' Sequel Happening After 30 Years; Will Eddie Murphy Return?

By Rachel Cruz, Christian Post Contributor Saturday, September 30, 2017

The sequel to "Coming to America" is finally moving forward. Nearly 30 years after the original movie ran in theaters, pre-production for the movie has started rolling with "Black-ish" creator Kenya Barris boarding the project.

Barris will team up with director Jonathan Levine for the "Coming to America" sequel. He will rewrite the new script, which has been sitting in Paramount's vault for years.

The studio originally hired Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield for the follow-up film. The scribes also wrote the 1988 movie that starred Eddie Murphy and made him a box office star.

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Talks are that Murphy is also involved in the sequel in some capacity but whether he will return to star in the movie is still unclear. Paramount has not yet made any deals with the actor.

Murphy played the African Prince Akeem in the first "Coming to America" who lived like a pauper in New York without his parents knowing he signed up as a fast-food crew worker. Prince Akeem fell in love with an ordinary American woman. His royal parents followed him to the Big Apple and were horrified to learn that he's been pretending to be an ordinary citizen.

The film became a cult classic and a source of pride for New Yorkers. For years, the McDowell site where Murphy's Prince Akeem worked became a tourist attraction in Queens.

"Coming to America" also starred James Earl Jones as the king and Arsenio Hall as Prince Akeem's servant. Eric LaSalle played Prince Akeem's romantic rival.

Two years ago, Murphy allegedly dished the plot to the sequel. He told Extra that his character's marriage to his American wife (Shari Headley) might have fallen apart after three decades in the new film.

"We [then] have to go back to America. We lose the kingdom in the divorce settlement," Murphy said, although Extra host AJ Calloway did not buy the actor's story.

The sequel to "Coming to America" has no confirmed theater date for now.