Today, just a few days after it was originally supposed to hit theaters, Eddie Murphy’s 33-years-in-the-making sequel to Coming To America has received its first trailer. Less of a story portrait than a bit of crowd-pleasing fluff for fans of the original, the clip finds Akeem (Murphy) and Semmi (Arsenio Hall) back in the Queens barbershop where their aged alter-egos riff with abandon.
That said, there are a few new details here. James Earl Jones’ King Jaffe Joffer, for example, reveals on his deathbed that Akeem has a son back in America, one he must prepare to become his royal heir. We also get a glimpse of the new cast, which includes Tracy Morgan, Leslie Jones, and KiKi Layne, as well as pop star Teyana Taylor and Wesley Snipes, who appears to be having a ball. Also, the great John Amos will reprise his role as the proprietor of McDowell’s.
Watch it below:
Coming 2 America, directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite Is My Name), premieres on Amazon Prime on March 5.
45 Comments
You’d think that 32 years after the original movie, Eddie and Arsenio wouldn’t need make-up to play old men. Woof! woof! woof! woof!
You got it wrong. Playing the barber shop guys is the only time they’re not in make-up.
I wish they’d lent that de-aging technology to the Star Wars people.
Eddie clearly does. He doesn’t seem to age.
Seriously – he looks immaculate.
Eddie said it himself: Money don’t crack
Me watching the trailer:“Eddie Murphy! Yes!Arsenio Hall! Yes!John Amos! Yes!Tracy Morgan! Yes!Teyana Taylor! Yes!KiKi Layne! Yes!Wesley Snipes! OH HELL YES!Leslie Jones! Urgh.”
Ya on yer own.
I’m entirely comfortable with that.
GOOD MORNING A.V. CLUB COMMENTERS!
Fuck you!
Yes! Yes! Fuck you too!
Excuse me…it’s HEY…FUCK YOU!
Hey…fuck you!
This is what I was afraid of when I first heard about this movie, no creativity, just go back to the well and dig up every single old character, rather than actually put them around new surroundings all the jokes will be about the nostalgia of the first movie which will get old after 5 minutes.
I look forward to the inevitable argument between Clarence and Sweets about whether or not Clarence ever met Barack Obama.“I met President Barack Obama in two thousand oh-nine in Washington, DC. I was at Kenny’s Smokehouse, eatin’ a plate of ribs, havin’ a real good day. Man comes up, drinks half my Sierra Mist! Without even asking! And I look up and it’s President Barack Obama. I said, “President Obama!” and he said, “Oops, I thought that was mine.”“Oh man, you lyin’! You ain’t never met Mister President Obama!”
FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU, AND FUCK YOU!
Who’s Next?
I’m happy to see Arsenio getting work.
Considering the year it’s coming out, it feels really weird that they needed to stress so hard that it needs to be a male heir. I’m assuming the implication in the film is going to be that either Eddie’s character already has daughters, but still felt so weird.Not an instant negative on the film, rather why not just make it that he doesn’t have kids before it turns out he has one in the US instead of making it so much about having a son in the US.
My guess is since the kid was conceived on his first trip to America, he would be Akeem’s first born child, which is why he would be important to the line of succession.
Which would be fine except the trailer has literally the line ‘The Throne must pass to a male heir’.
Again this isn’t a complaint, just surpised. Besides, it might very well be something they address in the movie.
Besides, it might very well be something they address in the movie. This was my take. The child will turn out to be a girl (while only thinking it was a boy based on the name) and the laws will be changed to allow her to rule./taking_bets
What, you think Zumunda is some progressive monarchy? What do you think this, Wakanda?
My money says the child is actually a daughter. It struck me as odd too, so I feel like it’s intentionally misleading.
My guess; the son turns out to be a total asshole or not really Eddie’s kid (his mom is played by Leslie Jones, so…yeah) and he ends up naming his daughter heir to the throne. Which would complete the trifecta of long-awaited comedy sequels (Bill & Ted, Borat, and now this) having “Rah-rah, girl power!” messages at the end.
bill and teds had a sequel 1 year after the first one
The supposed heir will turn out to be Semmi’s kid while he was pretending to be the prince and Akeem will then declare his daughter to be the heir.
After watching the Dolemite bio and seeing how fucking funny Eddie Murphy and Wesley Snipes can be with great material, I remain cautiously optimistic for this…
After watching My Name is Dolemite, I am convinced that Wesley Snipes next stage of his career is in comedy.
It’s too bad he was never really able to capitalize on this during his first stage, considering how funny he was in White Men Can’t Jump and Demolition Man, but better late than never!
He was great in his “What we do in the Shadows” cameo as well.
After he finishes filming Passenger 57: Return Ticket
I just need to know that this will continue to expand the TPCU (Trading Places Cinematic Universe). Perhaps a cameo from Louis Winthorpe III (or, more surreally, Billy Ray Valentine).
No Clarence Beeks, no deal.
Does Art Buchwald get a writing credit on the script?
The credits show “Based on Characters Created by Eddie Murphy”, so I’m sure Buchwald’s estate is watching closely.
If this is set in present day, how could it be that all the old-timers at the barber shop are still alive and in good health in like their late 90s? Am I overthinking this?
pfft, next you’ll be saying that there’s no place called zamunda.
Doesn’t it border Wakanda?
i dunno, i don’t live in the country of africa.
I think they drink the barbicide, and that somehow keeps them well-preserved.
I’m taken back to my local video store in the late 80s or early 90s, where a huge (or maybe huge to me) COMING TO AMERICA poster… the one with a giant Akeem standing proudly on 5th Avenue or something… was prominently displayed on the wall behind the counter, for months, if not years.
Great flick! And the sequel looks solid so far. Hope there’s at least ONE Black Panther reference. And always good to the see the namesake of my Twitter handle, SEXUAL CHOC’LATE! 😀
I’ll be honest: I thought John Amos died years ago.
You know I thought I remembered that being the case when I first heard this. I was pleasantly surprised.