by Conan Simmons – October 14, 2020 – 4:23 pm
The long awaited sequel to hit 1988 comedy starring Eddie Murphy is coming to Amazon later this fall after an expected deal closes between Paramount, where the film was made, and Amazon, which is offering up to $125 million for the picture. The deal is expected to finalize shortly which will place ‘Coming 2 America’ on the streaming platform for a potential release on December 18, 2020.
It’s possible, though they haven’t announced anything too firm yet, that they may release it to what few theaters remain open in the U.S. as well. Hard to imagine letting this slip only to streaming when there is a definite audience for it and cinemas need product to show. If it’s as funny as the original or even last year’s ‘Dolemite is My Name’, one of the funniest must-see films of 2019, which was at Netflix, this should be comedy gold.
Arsenio Hall and James Earl Jones reprise their roles from the first film. Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan and Jermaine Fowler round out the cast.
Amazon has quite the film lineup coming soon after ‘Coming 2 America’. On December 25 it will release ‘One Night in Miami’ and ‘Sylvie’s Love’. Both expected to do well and, at least in the case of ‘One Night in Miami’, potential Oscar glory. (Though don’t rule out ‘Sylvie’s Love’ just yet.)
‘One Night in Miami’ is directed by Regina King, Oscar winning actress for ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’. Taking place in Miami on February 25, 1964 after Cassius Clay defeats Sonny Liston to become heavyweight champion, Clay spends the evening with his friends Sam Cooke, Jim Brown and Malcolm X discussing the civil rights movement and the social responsibilities of celebrity. Eli Goree stars as Cassius Clay with Leslie Odom, Jr as Sam Cooke, Aldis Hodge as Jim Brown and Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X. Beau Bridges and Michael Imperioli also appear in the film.
‘Sylvie’s Love’ is a romance that takes place in late 1950’s early 1960’s New York City between a jazz musician and a woman aspiring for a career in television. It stars Tessa Thompson (‘Westworld’, ‘Thor: Ragnorak’) and Nnamdi Asomugha. It is written and directed by Eugene Ashe.
Also, be on the lookout for the Tom Clancy adaptation ‘Without Remorse’, an action-adventure spy thriller starring Michael B. Jordan (‘Black Panther’, ‘Creed’) coming from Amazon February 26, 2021.