Coming 2 America - Film/Online

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Coming 2 America - Film/Streaming

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Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

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Coming 2 America

 

      Not many hit films can wait a daunting thirty-three years to make a sequel and successfully pull it off. In the case of “Coming 2 America,” the task at hand was not only well accomplished but has out done it predecessor. The combination of Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall playing multiple characters along with an all-star cast was a mixed salad of exquisite talent that delivered the absolute best of a tasty cinematic viewing experience. 

Arsenio Hall (Semmi) and Eddie Murphy (King Akeem)

Garcelle Beauvais Rose Bearer Prietess

      The costumes were breath takingly beautiful and authentically Afrikan inspired. Of course, what else would you expect from the film’s Oscar© winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter. The cast was an explosion of major stars including principals Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Jermaine Fowler, Shari Headley, Bella Murphy, Rotini, KiKi Layne, Nomzamo Mbatha, Teyana Tayler, Luenell, Garcelle Beauvais, Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, John Amos, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Louie Anderson, Tracy Morgan, and Rick Ross, among others.

KiKi Lane (Meeka) Eddie Murphy (King Akeem)

      When Murphy was asked about the five year journey that it took to get this project to come to fruition thirty years after the first film, he responded saying, “It was maybe about three drafts of the script in, we kind of got it to where the structure and the narrative thread was strong enough to where we said, we have a movie here. Now we just have to bring a younger writer in and put that modern spin on it.” “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris was the man tapped for the job.

Teyana Taylor (Bopoto, Izzi's, daughter), Wesley Snipes (General Izzi)

   

Snipes (Gen Izzi), Murphy (King Akeem) bitter foes

  The film featured basically all of the original cast. Murphy stressed, “We wanted to bring everybody back from the original. Actually, we had to bring back from where the story left off. Who would make the most sense and how can we connect the dots the best? That’s how we picked who would be in the movie.” With so many of the originals returning to the set, it had to be a special sense of déjà vu for everybody. 

     Arsenio had a particular story and described it saying, “There was a night where Eddie did a scene with John Amos at the McDows. And it was the first time I walked into a room and saw John Amos and Louie Anderson. It was a real special kind of feeling. Especially for John. I love John. What John has done for Black people in Hollywood when I was growing up, with the dignity that he displayed as a man, I love him forever. And seeing him really warmed my heart.”

 

Hall and Murphy playing multiple characters

    Both Hall and Murphy reprised their original roles portraying multiple characters. Each character required hours spent in the makeup chair. Some beginning at 4 AM to complete on time for shooting.

   

Jermaine Fowler (Prince Lavalle), Nomzamo Mbatha (Mirembe Royal Barber)

      Now that Prince Akeem (Murphy) has become king, his prince played by Jermaine Fowler falls in love with the palace royal barber Mirembe played by South Afrikan actress Nomzamo Mbatha who makes her Hollywood debut in this film. Then here we go with round two of a prince falling in love with someone deemed unworthy.

Murphy King Akeem, Shari Headley (Queen Lisa)

      With all of the major talent in this film, it is loaded with laughs and nice plot twists which makes it even better than the original. Don’t miss its debut airdate on Amazon on Friday, March 5^th.

   

  The film was made under strict COVID-19 pandemic protocol at the fabulous Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. It was directed by Craig Brewer. The story was by Barry W. Blaustein, Justin Kanew and David Sheffield based on the characters created by Eddie Murphy. The screenplay was written by David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein and Kenya Barris. 

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