Next week, we’ll finally get to see what all of the Coming 2 America hype has been about. Thirty years after the release of the first classic film starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, and a cast of acclaimed performers, the world will receive the sequel. Making a second movie was something Murphy and Hall had promised each other would never happen, but they couldn’t pass up the possibility all these years later. Rick Ross even rented out his palacious estate for production and it’s said that he landed himself a bit part in the movie, as well.
As the March 5 premiere date looms, Eddie Murphy shared that there was another Coming to America sequel pitched by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler. Unfortunately, Coogler’s vision didn’t mesh well with what Murphy had in mind and ultimately, he rejected the idea. “[Coogler] had an idea for Michael B. Jordan to play my son and he would be looking for a wife,” Murphy told The New York Times. “I was like, then the movie would be about the son, it’s not our characters, we already did that. It didn’t come together.”
Social media culture has often been criticized for its mass hysteria, Cancel Culture, and mob mentality, but Murphy admits it was seeing Coming to America tributes online that made him give the idea of a sequel a second thought. “The way the story ended was kind of like, ‘And they lived happily ever after,’” Murphy said. “Then all this time passed and the movie became this cult thing.”
“Catchphrases from the movie start working their way into the culture,” the actor continued. “Stores turning themselves into McDowell’s [where Prince Akeem worked.] I see Beyoncé and Jay-Z dressed up like the Zamunda characters for Halloween.” Do you think they should have had a film with Michael B. Jordan? Make sure to stream Coming 2 America on Amazon Prime Video on March 5 and check out the trailer below.
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