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It looks like the highly-anticipated sequel to Eddie Murphy‘s comedic masterpiece Coming to America has finally gotten a release date.
According to Shadow & Act, the film which will see Murphy reprising his iconic role as Prince Akeem, will hit theaters August 7, 2020.
The script was written by industry vet and Black-ish creator Kenya Barris along with original Coming to America writers, David Sheffield and Barry Blaustein. Craig Brewer has also been tapped to direct.
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The idea of a sequel for Coming to America was first floated by Murphy himself in 2017 when he posted a picture of Vanessa Bell Calloway along with the caption, “Coming to America sequel?”
Even though the tweet was later deleted, the internet has a long memory and fans wouldn’t let the possibility go until it was ultimately confirmed a few months later.
The original film was centered around Prince Akeem, who traveled from his wealthy African country to a modest neighborhood in Queens in order to escape an arranged marriage and find a wife who will love him in spite of his wealth and nobility. Arsenio Hall brilliantly co-starred as the prince’s loyal handler, while James Earl Jones, Shari Headley and John Amos were also featured in the hit.
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"Coming to America" Sequel Gets a Release Date #Trending #Paramount pic.twitter.com/5Otp11MTX7
— Melissa Knowles (@Knowlesitall) February 12, 2019
Now that the date for the sequel has been announced, hopefully an official production start date and cast reveal shouldn’t be too awful far behind.
Reportedly, the plot for the second installment will follow Akeem as he learns about a long-lost son in America, so he returns to meet the unlikely heir to the throne of Zamunda. Given the recent international, blockbuster success of Black Panther there’s no doubt that Paramount is feeling confident about revisiting their beloved cult classic and appealing not just to long time fans but also to a younger audience that may not have even been alive when the first movie hit theaters.
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Paramount's #ComingToAmerica sequel is coming to theaters in Summer 2020. See that you put on some decent attire. https://t.co/KAntuTLXyD
— Collider (@Collider) February 11, 2019