Eddie Murphy’s highly anticipated Coming 2 America will launch globally in more than 240 countries on Amazon Prime Video on 5 March 2021.
Image credit: Paramount
Amazon Studios has acquired worldwide rights to Coming 2 America from Paramount Pictures. The original classic comedy, which came out 32 years ago, achieved more than $288 million in total worldwide box office sales.
The long-awaited sequel is set in the fictional lush and royal country of Zamunda, where a newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.
“I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out…”
Fans will be pleased to see original cast favourites from Coming to America making a return including King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones), Queen Lisa (Shari Headley), Cleo McDowell (John Amos), Maurice (Louie Anderson) and the motley barbershop crew.
New additions to this star-studded ensemble are Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Jermaine Fowler, Bella Murphy, Rotimi, KiKi Layne, Nomzamo Mbatha and Teyana Taylor, making Coming 2 America the most anticipated comedy film of the year.
Speaking on the Ellen show last year about the upcoming film, Eddie Murphy talked about the responsibility of not messing up the legacy of the classic film. He said: “I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. Because that movie more than any picture that I’ve done — I don’t know what it is in the culture where, like on Halloween, some people get dressed up as characters from the movie. So, a lot of people had this expectation. People would say to me when they found out I was doing it, ‘Don’t f*ck that movie up. Don’t mess with it.’ I would say, ‘What?’ So, we’ve gone above and beyond what anybody would think. I’m really, really happy with it.”
Image credit: Paramount
Beyond its financial success, the film was a cultural zeitgeist that was not only timeless but also a proudly celebrated American comedy, making the film a go-to classic across generations. The memorable characters and relatable story of a fish-out-of-water connected audiences around the world, which is why fans have made it a repeat-viewing over the years.
“Coming to America was a cultural phenomenon that is one of the most loved and celebrated comedies of all time…”
Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, said: “Coming to America was a cultural phenomenon that is one of the most loved and celebrated comedies of all time… Thanks to Eddie Murphy’s comedic genius along with the brilliant filmmakers, writers and fabulous cast, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this new adventure. We know audiences around the world will fall in love with this hilarious, joyful movie that will surely become a timeless favourite.”
Coming 2 America is directed by Craig Brewer, from Paramount Pictures in association with New Republic Pictures, and produced by Eddie Murphy Productions and Misher Films. The screenplay is written by Kenya Barris, Barry W. Blaustein and David Sheffield, with story by Barry W. Blaustein, David Sheffield and Justin Kanew, based on characters created by Eddie Murphy.
