Coming 2 America: Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall reunite for first look at the comedy sequel

It’s been thirty-two years since Coming To America made its theatrical debut.

And enthusiastic fans finally get their first glimpse of the upcoming sequel, in new images released by Amazon Studios on Thursday.

Coming 2 America arrives March 5, 2021 on Amazon Prime Video.

The footage shows an still juvenile Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall as the returning Prince Akeem and his staunch friend Semmi respectively.

We also see James Earl Jones, reprising his role as Jaffe Joffer, and the ageless Shari Headley as Lisa McDowell.

RHOBH actor Garcelle Beauvais is also back, playing Rose.

And in an interview with Entertainment Weekly on Thursday, director Craig Brewer opened up about managing fan expectations when making the sequel.

“ The conversations that Eddie and I had were pretty much, where does Coming To America fit in people’s hearts? Because it’s not just a movie, it’s a cultural touchstone for a lot of people.

“ You’re going to get everyone’s opinion on what it is, but we had to get to the point of what’s going to get people into this movie. ”

“It’s a celebration of nostalgia, especially for people our age.

The film is a sequel to the 1988 romantic comedy Coming to America, directed by John Landis and also starring Murphy, who made up the story.

The production was a smash hit, grossing $ 350 million worldwide on a budget of $ 36 million.

The next film will follow the soon-to-be crowned Prince Akeem and his trusted aide Semmi as they return to New York City in search of a son, played by Jermaine Fowler, whom the prince previously ignored.

Starring alongside the Beverly Hills Cop actor, the sequel will star Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, and John Amos in lead roles, all of whom appeared in the original film.

Casting the sequel are Tracy Morgan, Leslie Jones, Wesley Snipes, and Morgan Freeman, among others.

The screenplay will be written by former Saturday Night Live writers David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein with creator Black-ish Kenya Davis.

After the success of the initial film, a television pilot was produced but was not picked up as a show; it was eventually released in 1989 as part of the CBS Summer Playhouse pilot anthology series.