Eddie Murphy‘s much-anticipated Coming to America sequel, Coming 2 America, was sold by distributor Paramount Pictures to Amazon Studios for a reported $125 million.
The sale was made to Amazon Studios as more theaters face bankruptcy amid ongoing closures during the coronavirus lockdown.
Paramount Pictures weighed numerous options for the movie’s Christmas premiere — including selling the rights to Viacom’s steaming service CBS All Access.
The expected streaming premiere date is December 18, sources tell Variety.
The original Coming to America, starring Murphy, Shari Headley and John Amos, grossed $300 million in theaters worldwide.
In the sequel, Prince Akeem is set to become king of the fictional African country of Zamunda when he discovers he has a son in America. Akeem learns he fathered the boy, named Lavelle, with a Queens, NY native (Leslie Jones).
Akeem and his loyal assistant Semmi (Arsenio Hall) depart for America to find Akeem’s son, whom he has never met. Apparently, Akeem kept the NY Yankees bomber jacket he purchased during his first trip to Queens in 1988.
The movie’s supporting cast includes Jermaine Fowler (Lavelle); Tracy Morgan, and Wesley Snipes.
Coming 2 America was filmed on location in Atlanta, Georgia.
