On Wednesday (Aug. 7), it was announced that veteran actor James Earl Jones signed on for the Coming to America sequel. According to Deadline, Jones, alongside fellow actor Paul Bates, will reprise their roles of King Jaffe Joffer and Oha, respectively.
Coming to America debuted in 1988, following the story of Prince Akeem and his right-hand man Semmi (Arsenio Hall) as they searched to find Akeem’s queen-to-be in Queens, New York. The sequel will place Akeem and Semmi back stateside as they search for Akeem’s son, Lavelle, a child he was unaware of but must now tailor him to become the next prince of the fictional Zamunda.
Recently, it was revealed that Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, and Kiki Layne will be a part of the sequel’s cast. Black-ish creator Kenya Barris will write the script while Craig Brewer will serve as the director.
The news follows Jones’ return to the silver screen when he reprised his voice role of Mufasa in the Lion King live-action remake.
The film will premiere on Dec. 18, 2020.
