Coming to America (film series)

Coming to America is an American romantic comedy franchise that consists of two films, as well as a couple of foreign remakes and a singular television pilot. The film series star Eddie Murphy, who plays Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda. The films also co-star Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, and John Amos.

Coming to America
Created by	David Sheffield Barry W. Blaustein Eddie Murphy
Original work	Coming to America (1988)
Years	1988–present
Films and television
Film(s)	List of films
Television series	List of television

Films

Film	U.S. release date	Director(s)	Screenwriter(s)	Story by	Producer(s)
Coming to America	June 29, 1988	John Landis	David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein	Eddie Murphy	George Folsey, Jr. Robert D. Wachs
Coming 2 America	March 5, 2021	Craig Brewer	David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein, and Kenya Barris	Barry W. Blaustein, David Sheffield, and Justin Kanew	Kevin Misher Eddie Murphy

Coming to America (1988)

Coming to America reunited star Eddie Murphy with director John Landis. The two had previously worked together on the comedy hit Trading Places (1983). Landis recalled the differences in working with Murphy on the two movies: "The guy on Trading Places was young and full of energy and curious and funny and fresh and great. The guy on Coming to America was the pig of the world... But I still think he's wonderful in the movie."[1] Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy reprise their roles as Mortimer and Randolph Duke respectively from Trading Places.[2]

Coming 2 America (2021)

In January 2017, an announcement was publicized which addressed the impending production of a sequel to the original film, Coming to America. Kevin Misher was named as producer, and David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, the original screenwriters, were also attached to the project. However, a possible participation of lead actors Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall was left undefined.[3]

On January 11, 2019, it was announced that the sequel will be moving forward with Murphy reprising his role, and Craig Brewer as director (having previously worked with Murphy on the Netflix film Dolemite Is My Name).[4] Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley, John Amos, Paul Bates and James Earl Jones are expected to return for the sequel as well.[5]

Wesley Snipes signed on for a role in the film. Leslie Jones and rapper Rick Ross also joined the cast in an undisclosed role.[6][7][8] In August 2019, Nomzamo Mbatha, Garcelle Beauvais,[9] Jermaine Fowler,[10] Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Luenell, Rotimi, Teyana Taylor and Michael Blackson were added to the cast, alongside returning actors Louie Anderson and Vanessa Bell Calloway.[11][12]

The film was scheduled to be theatrically released on December 18, 2020,[13][14][15] but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon Studios bought the distribution rights and will release it digitally on Prime Video on March 5, 2021.[16]

Television

Series	Season	Episodes	First released	Last released	Director(s)	Showrunner(s)	Network(s)
Coming to America	1	1	July 4, 1989	July 4, 1989	Tony Singletary	Ken Hecht	CBS

Coming to America (1989)

A television pilot of a weekly sitcom version of the film was produced for CBS, following the film's success, starring Tommy Davidson as Prince Tariq, and Paul Bates reprising his role as Oha. The pilot went unsold, but was televised on July 4, 1989 as part of the CBS Summer Playhouse pilot anthology series.[17][18]

Cast and characters

Characters	Films		Television pilot
	Coming to America	Coming 2 America	Coming to America
	1988	2021	1989
Prince Akeem Joffer	Eddie Murphy		Tommy Davidson
Randy Watson
Saul
Clarence
Semmi	Arsenio Hall		A.J. Johnson
Reverend Brown
Morris the Barber
Extremely Ugly Girl
Oha	Paul Bates
Lisa McDowell	Shari Headley		Hattie Winston
Cleo McDowell	John Amos		John Hancock
Maurice	Louie Anderson		C. Darnell Rose
Imani Izzi	Vanessa Bell Calloway		Francis MacGuire
King Jaffe Joffer	James Earl Jones
Patrice McDowell	Allison Dean		Paris Vaughan
Queen Aoleon Joffer	Madge Sinclair
Darryl Jenks	Eriq La Salle
The Landlord	Frankie Faison
Lady-in-Waiting	Sheila Johnson
Cab Driver	Jake Steinfeld
Colonel Izzi	Calvin Lockhart
The Hold-Up Man	Samuel L. Jackson
Basketball Game Vendor	Vondie Curtis-Hall
Royal Rose Bearer	Garcelle Beauvais
Royal Rose Bearer 2	Stephanie Simon
Royal Personal Bather	Victoria Dillard
Street Hustler	Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Boy Getting a Haircut	Cuba Gooding Jr.
Mortimer Duke	Don Ameche
Randolph Duke	Ralph Bellamy
Lavelle's Mother	Unaccredited Actress	Leslie Jones
Lavelle		Jermaine Fowler
Meeka Joffer		KiKi Layne
Reem		Tracy Morgan
General Izzi		Wesley Snipes
Rick Ross		Himself
Davido		Himself
TBA		Nomzamo Mbatha
Rose		Garcelle Beauvais

See also

• Coming to America (The System song), a song written for the 1988 film, which played during the closing credits.[19][20]
• I'm a King (Bobby Sessions and Megan Thee Stallion song), a song written for the 2021 film.[21]
• A Tamil film, My Dear Marthandan, was produced based on the plot of Coming to America.[22]
• A Hong Kong film, The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon, was also produced based on the same plot.[23]

References

1. "The Collider Interview: John Landis, Part II". Collider. February 9, 2005. Archived from the original on October 17, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
2. Carlson, Daniel (May 5, 2009). "Is it Just Me, or Does Every Woman in New York Have a Severe Emotional Problem". Pajiba.com. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
3. Falcone, Dana Rose (April 14, 2017). "A 'Coming to America' Sequel Is in the Works With the Original Writers". Us Weekly. American Media, Inc. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
4. Fleming Jr., Mike (January 11, 2019). "Craig Brewer To Direct Eddie Murphy In 'Coming To America 2' For Paramount". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
5. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 7, 2019). "James Earl Jones & Paul Bates Returning For 'Coming To America' Sequel, Rick Ross Also Joining". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
6. Burwick, Kevin (January 11, 2019). "'Coming to America 2' Is Officially Happening with Eddie Murphy". MovieWeb. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
7. Jones, Monique (January 11, 2019). "'Coming to America 2' Is Officially In The Works As Sequel Gets A Director And Plot". Shadow and Act. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
8. D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 11, 2019). "'Coming To America 2' Adds Tracy Morgan". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
9. Anderton, Ethan (August 23, 2019). "Sequel Bits: 'Bill & Ted Face the Music', 'Ghostbusters 2020', 'LEGO Jurassic World' & More". /Film. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
10. Ramos, Dino-Ray (June 18, 2019). "Jermaine Fowler To Star In 'Coming 2 America'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
11. Ramos, Dino-Ray (August 22, 2019). "'Coming 2 America' Adds Nomzamo Mbatha and Garcelle Beauvais". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
12. Howard, Joseph (August 21, 2019). "'Coming to America 2' Release Date, Cast, Story and Everything to Know". Den of Geek. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
13. Kit, Borys (August 22, 2019). "Nomzamo Mbatha and Garcelle Beauvais Join Eddie Murphy in 'Coming 2 America' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
14. Burwick, Kevin (May 17, 2020). "Fake 'Coming 2 America' Poster Causes Huge Tiffany Haddish Debate on Twitter". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
15. Burwick, Kevin (September 25, 2020). "'Coming 2 America' Trailer Rumored to Be Arriving Very Soon". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
16. Ramachandran, Naman (November 20, 2020). "'Coming 2 America' Sets March 2021 Release Date on Amazon". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
17. "'Outtakes' - 'Coming To America' The TV Series". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. December 8, 1988. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
18. Fitzpatrick, Molly (April 11, 2015). "Reminder: A terrible 'Coming to America' TV pilot happened in 1989". Splinter News. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
19. "AMG: The System - Singles". All Music Guide, Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
20. Jancik, Wayne (1998). The Billboard book of one-hit wonders (2nd ed.). California, U.S.: Billboard Books, 1998, the University of California. p. 451. ISBN 0-8230-7622-9.
21. Bosselman, Haley (February 4, 2021). "'Coming 2 America' Soundtrack to Feature New Song by Bobby Sessions and Megan Thee Stallion". Variety. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
22. Krishnaswamy, N. (August 31, 1990). "My Dear Marthandan". The Indian Express. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
23. "Far East Films - Reviews - The Fun, The Luck And The Tycoon". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

External links

• Coming to America at IMDb
• Coming to America at Box Office Mojo
• Coming to America at Rotten Tomatoes
• Coming 2 America at IMDb