EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures is setting Craig Brewer to direct Coming To America 2, finally bringing to the starting gate the sequel to the 1988 blockbuster comedy. Eddie Murphy is poised to reprise his role as Akeem, the pampered African prince who became bored of potential marriage partners in the kingdom too in awe of him, and who traveled to Queens to go undercover and find a woman with a strong will that he could respect. Brewer just directed Murphy in Dolemite Is My Name, and the star was eager to work with him again. The female empowerment theme of the original seems timely in today’s climate.

Kenya Barris is rewriting a script by original Coming to America writers Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield. Murphy is producing with Kevin Misher and Barris is exec producer.

In the sequel, Akeem learns about a long lost son, and must return to America to meet his unlikely heir to the throne of Zamunda. The intention is to bring back the original cast which includes Arsenio Hall, who played the prince’s aide Semmi, Shari Headley, who was courted by the prince when he went undercover as a fast food worker, John Amos, who played her father, and James Earl Jones, who played the king.

There is no start date, but the hope is that production begins in 2019.

“After many years of anticipation, I’m thrilled that Coming to America 2 is officially moving forward,” Murphy said in a statement. “We’ve assembled a great team that will be led by Craig Brewer, who just did an amazing job on Dolemite, and I’m looking forward to bringing all these classic and beloved characters back to the big screen.”

Said Kenya Barris: “Craig’s ability to create a distinct cinematic world with each of his films is not only impressive, but also what made him exactly the voice and vision we needed to bring this story to life. From Hustle and Flow to his work with Eddie on Dolemite Is My Name, he never fails to blow me away. He is a true auteur and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him on board.”

My Name Is Dolemite is wrapped, with script by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, and Murphy playing the self-made blaxploitation film star alongside Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Chris Rock, Craig Robinson and T.I. The picture will be released by Netflix.

Brewer is repped by WME and attorney Carlos Goodman, and Murphy is WME, ML Management and Ziffren Brittenham’s Matt Johnson and Skip Brittenham; Barris is CAA, Artists First and attorney Gregg Gellman.

Leslie Jones, Kiki Layne Joining Eddie Murphy in 'Coming to America' Sequel (Exclusive)
1:21 PM PDT 8/7/2019 by Borys Kit , Mia Galuppo

Wesley Snipes has already boarded the follow-up.
Saturday Night Live favorite Leslie Jones and If Beale Street Could Talk star Kiki Layne are boarding Paramount's sequel to Coming to America.

Jones is in negotiations, while Layne is set to join Eddie Murphy in the project, titled Coming 2 America.

Craig Brewer, who is currently working with Murphy on the Netflix movie Dolemite Is My Name, is helming the follow-up to the 1988 comedy, which is set to start shooting later this month.

The original film saw Murphy play Prince Akeem, a spoiled prince from the fictional African nation of Zamunda, who arrives in Queens, New York, and in undercover fashion gets a job at a McDonald’s knockoff while trying to find a wife.

The new story sees Akeem, now set to become king, discovering he has a son he never knew about, a street-savvy Queens native named Lavelle. Honoring his father's dying wish to groom his son as a new crowned prince, Akeem must once again return to America.

Wesley Snipes is already on board, while Arsenio Hall is returning as Akeem's right-hand man. Also returning is James Earl Jones as Akeem's father.

Jones' role is being kept secret, while Layne will play Akeem's daughter, burdened with feeling like she is the son her father never had.

Murphy is producing the pic, which is slated for an Dec. 18, 2020, release, along with Kevin Misher and Kenya Barris.

Jones, who is repped by CAA, Integral and Hansen Jacobson, will next be in theaters with The Angry Birds Movie 2, which is due out Aug. 16.

Since her breakthrough in Beale Street, Layne appeared in the sci-fi thriller Captive State and is shooting a leading role opposite Charlize Theron in The Old Guard, the adaptation of a Greg Rucka comic book from Skydance and Netflix. She is repped by WME, Anonymous Content and Sloane Offer.

Shari Headley rounds out core cast of the original Coming to America film set to return for Paramount’s sequel. She’ll reprise her role as Lisa McDowell, the love interest and eventual wife to Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem. Returning from the original in addition to Murphy and Headley are Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Paul Bates, and John Amos.

Wesley Snipes, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Rick Ross, and KiKi Layne also co-star in the Craig Brewer-directed pic.

Slated to hit theaters December 18 of next year, the plot follows former Prince Akeem who is set to become King of Zamunda when he discovers he has a son he never knew about in America – a street-savvy Queens native named Lavelle. Honoring his father’s dying wish to groom this son as the crowned prince, Akeem and Semmi set off to America.