Coming 2 America will finally provide fans with the long-hoped-for return of Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem, along with many other fan-favorite characters from the original film. Of course, Craig Brewer’s highly anticipated sequel will also introduce a number of new characters, one of which will be played by the one and only Wesley Snipes. The actor, who previously worked with Murphy and Brewer on Dolemite Is My Name, hasn’t said too much about his role up to this point, but he’s now opening up about what we can expect from him in the Coming To America sequel:
I am the big brother [of Vanessa Bell Calloway's Imani Izzi]. I am also the one that is making sure that everything in the whole region is under control. My name is General Izzi. We can make it hard or we can do it easy. It is up to you.
Wesley Snipes’ recent comments to ET should be excited for longtime fans. In the original Coming to America, Imani Izzi was to marry Akeem before the prince traveled to New York and found his true bride in Lisa McDowell. The siblings’ father, Colonel Izzi, also appeared in the first film, in which he was played by the late Calvin Lockhart.
Based on the interview, Snipes seems to be teasing that General Izzi is a bit of a tough guy. Between this and Imani being passed over as Akeem’s bride, the relationship between the royal and the military man could be a bit awkward. Their mutual devotion to Zamunda, however, could create some common ground between them, if that is indeed the case.
One thing Dolemite Is My Name proved is that Eddie Murphy and Wesley Snipes have great chemistry, and Craig Brewer knew just how to mine comedic gold from the two. The two likely had no problem getting back into the swing of things for this new project.
Coming 2 America will take viewers back to the African country of Zamunda where Prince Akeem is to be named king. However, Akeem is thrown for a loop when he learns he has a son in America. With this, his dying father tasks him with finding his son and grooming him to be the next crown prince.
In addition to Wesley Snipes’ Colonel Izzi, the film will also include new characters played by big names like Leslie Jones and Tracy Morgan. Morgan was particularly excited to team up with his idol, Eddie Murphy, for a big-screen project.
There’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to Coming 2 America, and Eddie Murphy is already teasing that it will surpass fan expectations. Some may be a little nervous about how it will stack up against the original but, based on their work in Dolemite, Murphy, Snipes and Brewer have the potential to deliver a more than worthy follow-up.
Coming 2 America is currently slated to open in theaters on December 18, though there’s a chance it could be heading to a streaming service.
