Movies

Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, more cast in Coming to America sequel, James Earl Jones returning

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Published on August 7, 2019 02:35PM EDT

A whole heap of actors are coming to Coming to America. The sequel to the 1988 comedy — known as Coming 2 America, naturally — has added Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk), and rapper Rick Ross to the cast. Additionally, original cast members James Earl Jones and Paul Bates are returning, joining Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, who will reprise their (primary) roles from the original film.

Snipes will play a new character named General Izzi, who rules a neighboring country to Zamunda, homeland of Murphy's Prince Akeem. Layne will play Akeem's daughter, and Leslie Jones' role is being kept under wraps. James Earl Jones, of course, will reprise his role as Akeem's father, King Jaffe Joffer, with Bates as royal servant Oha.

Ross' role in the film is also unclear, but the rapper revealed in a recent radio interview with Nick Cannon that scenes were being shot at his Atlanta estate.

The beloved original film follows Akeem as he travels from his African kingdom to Queens, New York, hoping to find himself a queen there. In the sequel, Akeem is about to become king when he discovers he has a long-lost son in Queens. Honoring his father's dying wish to groom this son as the crowned prince, Akeem sets off to find him.

The sequel will reunite the trio of Murphy, Snipes, and director Craig Brewer, who worked together on the upcoming biopic Dolemite Is My Name, which tells the tale of provocative stand-up comedian Rudy Ray Moore.

Coming 2 America, produced by black-ish creator Kenya Barris alongside Murphy and Kevin Misher, is set to hit theaters Dec. 18, 2020.

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