As if movie fans weren’t already excited for the upcoming Coming to America 2 (or Coming 2 America), they will be with this latest announcement: Wesley Snipes has joined the cast!
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THR reports that Snipes has been cast in Coming 2 America by director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow). Snipes will reportedly play a new characters named General Izzi, ruler of the nation that neighbors Zamunda, the fictional African nation ruled by Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem. This will be a reunion of sorts for Snipes, Murphy, and Brewer; they teamed for this year’s biopic Dolemite Is My Name, which chronicles the unlikely rise to fame of Dolemite star Rudy Ray Moore.
Coming to America 2 brings back both Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall to their respective roles form the first film, the script was written by Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, who will also executive produce. For Snipes, this marks the next step in what is shaping up to be a nice little comeback effort for the actor. Snipes recently gained mainstream attention when Marvel announced that it’s rebooting Blade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, with Mahershala Ali taking over for Snipes in the iconic role. Snipes impressed fans worldwide when he spoke to ComicBook.com and happily passed the torch:
“To all the DAYWALKERS losing their minds right now, chillaaxx. Although the news comes as a surprise, it’s ALL GOOD. Such is the ‘business’ of ‘entertainment!’ Much peace to the MCU crew – always a fan,” Snipes says. “Honor and respect to the grandmaster Stan. Congratulations and Salaam to Mahershala Ali, a beautiful and talented artist whose expressions I look forward to experiencing for many years to come. Inshallah, we will someday work together. Most importantly to my loyal fans, the incredible outpouring of love is overwhelming. I am grateful for the never-ending support. So, ‘nah fret nah worry, it’s not de end of de story.’ Welcome to the Daywalker Klique.”
Eddie Murphy previously released a statement on Coming 2 America in 2018, after Brewer was officially announced as director.
“After many years of anticipation, I’m thrilled that Coming to America 2 is officially moving forward,” Murphy said in a statement last year. “We’ve assembled a great team that will be led by Craig Brewer, who just did an amazing job on Dolemite, and I’m looking forward to bringing all these classic and beloved characters back to the big screen.”
“Craig’s ability to create a distinct cinematic world with each of his films is not only impressive, but also what made him exactly the voice and vision we needed to bring this story to life,” added Barris. “From Hustle and Flow to his work with Eddie on Dolemite Is My Name, he never fails to blow me away. He is a true auteur and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him on board.”
Filming is set to begin soon, with the shoot planned for in and around the Atlanta, Georgia area. Plot details are (not surprisingly) being kept under wraps for the time being.
