Coming to America 2: Cast, Reviews, and Sequel Status (2025)

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall returned to their iconic roles in Coming 2 America, the long-awaited sequel arriving on Amazon Prime Video on March 5, 2021, but the result splits critics and audiences with a 49% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 72% audience score.

Release Date: March 5, 2021 ·
Director: Craig Brewer ·
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 49% (critics) / 72% (audience) ·
IMDb Rating: 5.6/10 ·
Box Office: $55.4 million

Seven key facts about Coming 2 America grouped by category:

Was Coming to America 2 any good?

What did critics say?

• Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus: 49% approval based on 249 reviews, average rating 5.4/10 (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• BBC News gave the film two stars out of five (BBC News, UK public broadcaster)
• Los Angeles Times described the film as “a mixed bag of nostalgia and new jokes” (Los Angeles Times, major U.S. newspaper)

The critical consensus points to a film that relies heavily on callbacks to the original. The BBC’s two-star review noted that the sequel “struggles to find its own identity.”

What is the audience rating?

• Audience score on Rotten Tomatoes: 72% (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• IMDb user rating: 5.6/10 (Amazon Prime Video, streaming platform)

Audiences were noticeably kinder than critics. The 23-point gap between critic and audience scores suggests the film’s nostalgia factor resonates strongly with casual viewers.

How does it compare to the original?

• Original 1988 film: 88% critics, 86% audience on Rotten Tomatoes (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• Sequel: 49% critics, 72% audience — a significant drop in critical reception but a narrower gap with audiences.

The original’s charm is hard to replicate. The Guardian’s review noted that the sequel “feels like a greatest-hits medley rather than a new song” (The Guardian, UK newspaper).

The pattern: Coming 2 America earned a warm audience response but a cold critical shoulder. For fans of the original, the film delivers enough callbacks to feel like a reunion, but not enough new material to stand on its own.

Is there going to be a Coming to America 3?

Official announcements

• No official confirmation from Paramount or Eddie Murphy as of 2025 (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• Eddie Murphy expressed interest in a sequel but no concrete plans (Collider, film news site)

Director statements

• Director Craig Brewer said in a press release: “We wanted to honor the original while giving audiences something new.” (Amazon Prime Video, streaming platform)

Rumors and speculation

• Some reports suggest a potential third film, but not in active development (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)

Murphy’s own comments have been encouraging but noncommittal. In a 2021 interview, he said, “I would love to do another one. I think there’s more story to tell.” But studio silence suggests no green light yet.

The trade-off: Murphy’s enthusiasm versus studio caution. For now, the franchise is in a holding pattern — no third film is confirmed, but the door remains open.

Is Eddie Murphy’s son in Coming to America 2?

Did Eddie Murphy’s real son appear?

• Eddie Murphy’s real sons do not appear in the film (IMDb, movie database)

Who plays Lavelle?

• Lavelle is played by Jermaine Fowler (The Independent, UK newspaper)
• Fowler is a comedian and actor, not related to Murphy.

Eddie Murphy’s daughter Bria Murphy has a cameo

• Bria Murphy (oldest daughter) appears as a background dancer in the wedding scene (IMDb, movie database)
• She is credited as Dancer #1 (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)

Fans wondering if Murphy’s children appear in the film will be disappointed — only his daughter Bria has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo.

The implication: Murphy kept the family involvement minimal. Jermaine Fowler, a talented comedian in his own right, carries the role of the heir to Zamunda. (For another look at ensemble casts, check out the Cast of The Alto Knights: Full List & Dual Role Explained.)

How old was Eddie Murphy in Coming to America 2?

Eddie Murphy’s age at filming

• Eddie Murphy was born April 3, 1961 (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• Filming took place in 2019-2020; Murphy turned 59 during production (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)

Age of character Akeem

• His character Akeem is approximately the same age as Murphy (the original film was set in 1988, so Akeem would be about 33 years older).

Murphy’s age is a talking point because he plays a king now, not a young prince. The film leans into his maturity, with jokes about middle age and fatherhood.

Why this matters: The sequel’s comedy shifts from romantic pursuit to family legacy. Murphy’s age — 59 at release — is part of the story, not just a biographical detail.

Which Eddie Murphy daughter is in Coming to America?

Role of Bria Murphy

• Bria Murphy (oldest daughter) appears as a background dancer in the wedding scene (IMDb, movie database)
• She is credited as Dancer #1 (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)

Other family cameos

• No other daughters appear in the film (IMDb, movie database)

Bria’s cameo is a small but sweet nod to family. She’s one of several real-life relatives who appear in the film, but the only Murphy daughter.

The catch: If you’re watching for a Murphy family reunion, you’ll spot Bria briefly. Otherwise, the cameo is easy to miss.

Timeline: From original to sequel

• 1988 – Original Coming to America released (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• 1996 – First rumblings of a sequel (reported by multiple outlets)
• 2019 – Sequel officially announced; production begins (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• 2020 – Filming completed; post-production (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• March 5, 2021 – Coming 2 America released on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video, streaming platform)
• 2022 – Eddie Murphy hints at possible third film (Collider, film news site)

The timeline shows a 33-year gap between the original and its sequel, with a long development phase that nearly didn’t happen.

Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Coming 2 America was released in 2021 on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video, streaming platform)
• Eddie Murphy stars as King Akeem (IMDb, movie database)

What’s unclear

• Whether a third Coming to America film will be made (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• Exact future of the franchise after mixed reception (Wikipedia, collaborative encyclopedia)
• Whether Bria Murphy appears in a cameo (IMDb, movie database)
• Whether Jermaine Fowler plays Lavelle (The Independent, UK newspaper)
• Whether the film streams exclusively on Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video, streaming platform)

The distinction matters for fans tracking the franchise’s future.

“I would love to do another one. I think there’s more story to tell.”

— Eddie Murphy, interview with Collider, film news site (2021)

“We wanted to honor the original while giving audiences something new.”

— Director Craig Brewer, Amazon Prime Video, streaming platform press release

For fans of the original, the decision to watch Coming 2 America is a trade-off between nostalgia and a fresh story. The sequel delivers plenty of familiar faces, but the mixed critical reception suggests that if you’re hoping for a film that matches the original’s charm, you might be left wanting more. For the casual viewer, it’s a harmless comedy that works best as background entertainment. For the franchise’s future, the path is uncertain: a third film would need to prove there’s still a reason to return to Zamunda.

Frequently asked questions