Coming 2 America is beginning to announce new and returning castmembers like there is no tomorrow!
First up, Deadline reports that James Earl Jones will be reprising his role as King Jaffe Joffer. However, the role looks to be small as the film is rumored to begin with Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem being set to become the King of the fictional African nation of Zamunda as his father nears the end of his life. Just before he’s crowned king, Akeem learns that he has a son that he never knew about, and he just so happens to live in Queens, where he found his bride in the first movie. This leads to Jaffe Joffer making his dying wish for Akeem to find the son he never knew he had and groom him to one day be King.
Louie Anderson, who played the McDowell’s employee Maurice, and Paul Bates, who played Akeem’s manservant and bodyguard Oha, will also be back. Oh, and Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are back to lead the film once again, if that wasn’t made clear.
As for the new cast, Wesley Snipes is on board as General Izzi, a man who rules the neighboring nation to Akeem’s fictional wealthy African nation of Zamunda. Jermaine Fowler will play Lavelle, a street-savvy guy who is Akeem’s son, while Leslie Jones will be playing his mother (that’s quite the age gap between her and Murphy).
Meanwhile, KiKi Layne will be playing Akeem’s daughter, who has apparently felt like she’s always been treated like the son that her father never had. Singer Teyana Taylor, rapper Rick Ross, and comedian Michael Blackson have also been cast in undisclosed roles.
There’s no word yet if Shari Headley, John Amos, an Allison Dean will be back as the McDowell family, and if they are I’m interested in knowing how Akeem’s queen Lisa will feel about him having an illegitimate son. (I’m actually not interested at all, because, frankly, Coming to America isn’t that funny.)
Coming 2 America hits theaters December 18, 2020.
What do you think of the casting so far? Do you think Coming to America needs a sequel?
