‘Coming 2 America’ review including poster, cast and trailer content

3/5 stars

The highly anticipated film Coming 2 America features a great line-up including Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones and Shari Headley plus all the favourite stars from the original movie besides some fabulous stars for the sequel.

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.

More than 30 years on, Prince Akeem returns to New York to claim his son in this about-turn sequel with its heart, and politics, in the right place. His sidekick Semmi (Arsenio Hall) returning, briefly, to Queens to retrieve Akeem’s secret “bastard son” Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler). The sequel comedy doesn’t work quite as well this way around, though Fowler is extremely likable as a sweet-natured slacker, channelling the endearing guilelessness of Murphy’s original Prince Akeem.

Many scenes are amusing just not as funny as the original. A flashback involving Lavelle’s mum Mary (Ghostbusters’ Leslie Jones) and a pumpkin spice scented candle made me bark with laughter.

Coming 2 America was scheduled to be released in theaters in August 2020, but Paramount Pictures decided to sell the film to Amazon for $125 million when the pandemic shut down the movie theaters around the country.

 

 

Keep scrolling to meet the sequel’s new stars.

Jermaine Fowler plays Lavelle Junson, the bastard son of Prince Akeem who he learns about 30 years after his birth.

Jermaine is an actor and comedian who is best known for starring on the CBS comedy series Superior Donuts and the HBO series Crashing.

Leslie Jones plays Mary Junson, a woman who slept with Prince Akeem during his trip to America 30 years ago and is the mother of his child.

Leslie is best known for her work on Saturday Night Live, in the movie Ghostbusters, and now as the host of Supermarket Sweep.

KiKi Layne plays Princess Meeka Joffer, the oldest daughter of Prince Akeem.

KiKi is best known for her acclaimed work in the movie If Beale Street Could Talk and in the new Netflix action film The Old Guard.

Bella Murphy plays Princess Omma Joffer, the second child of Prince Akeem.

In real life, Bella is actually the daughter of Eddie Murphy and she made her acting debut in this movie.

Akiley Love plays Princess Tinashe Joffer, the youngest child of Prince Akeem.

This marks Akiley‘s acting debut!

Wesley Snipes plays General Izzi, the brother of the woman who was supposed to marry Prince Akeem in the first movie. He now wants one of his children to be married to one of Akeem’s children.

Wesley is a legendary actor known for movies like Blade, New Jack City, and White Men Can’t Jump.

Teyana Taylor plays Bopoto Izzi, the daughter of General Izzi who is promised to marry Lavelle.

Teyana is a successful recording artist and she previously acted in shows like Hit the Floor and Star.

Nomzamo Mbatha plays Mirembe, the personal groomer to Lavelle who forms a connection with him.

Nomzamo has appeared in some films in South Africa, but this is her first big U.S. project.

Tracy Morgan plays Reem Junson, Lavelle’s uncle and Mary’s brother.

Tracy is a beloved actor and comedian who is best known for his work on Saturday Night Live and on 30 Rock.

Rotimi plays Idi Izzi, General Izzi’s son and the Prince of Nextdoria and is best known for playing Darius Morrison on the Starz series Boss and Andre Coleman on Power.

Trevor Noah makes a fun appearance as the Zamunda News Network anchor.

Trevor is best known as the host of The Daily Show.

Coming 2 America is on Amazon Prime