Eddie Murphy explains why 'Coming to America' sequel took three decades to make

Released in 1988, Coming to America is a romantic comedy film starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role. The movie earned praises from the audience and was a hit at the box office. After 33 years, a Coming to America sequel is arriving on March 5, 2021, and Murphy revealed the reason why it took this much time to make a second installment.

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Eddie Murphy worried about ‘tainting’ Coming to America legacy with ‘bad’ sequel

In a recent interview with Essence magazine, Eddie Murphy explained why it took three decades to make Coming 2 America. He said that one thing he did not want to do was a “bad sequel” to a movie that a lot of people have a lot invested in. The actor mentioned that a lot of people grew up watching Coming To America and it is special to them. So, he did not want to “taint” that feeling of the audience. He noted that once the ideas started coming together, it took about four or five years to get the script all the way right. Once they got it right, he knew it was time.

Eddie Murphy asserted that Coming to America is one of his films that has “really worked” its way into the culture. He noted that people get dressed up like the characters for Halloween, and they still walk around saying catchphrases like ‘sexual chocolate,’ from the movie. The actor stated that all of the stuff just kind of stayed around with people, like his character Randy Watson doing the “very first” mic drop.

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Murphy said that the legacy of Coming to America is unique and rare. He claimed that Black people, do not get a lot of movies like this one, which was a romantic fantasy comedy. The actor mentioned that usually when people of colour see themselves on the screen, it is “heavy things,” and rarely do they get just to go see some escapism. Just to go see a movie and not have to think about any of hardcore stuff is what his film provides, hinted the Gloden Globe-winner.

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Eddie Murphy said that Coming to America has an all-Black cast, but the movie is not about race. He explained that it is not about 'waking up’ or ‘keeping hope alive'. It is none of those things that the people can just go and sit back and watch the movie. He mentioned that it is about these people and somebody who is trying to find true love. The actor asserted that it is like a fantasy and a fairy tale. Murphy stated that it is the legacy of the movie that it’s one of the “few romantic fairytales with Black people” in it. He thinks that it is why people love it. That is why 30 years later, viewers still watch it and they show it on Christmas and all because it’s this “sweet thing,” he noted.