Amazon Studios acquires Eddie Murphy’s ‘Coming 2 America’ from Paramount

More people are reluctant to go to the movies during these times and so streaming platforms have the upper hand. It is then not surprising that Paramount Pictures is selling “Coming 2 America” to giant streaming platform Amazon in a reported $125 million deal.

In the first installment of the movie, which grossed almost $300 million worldwide at the box office, Akeem (Eddie Murphy) leaves the Kingdom of Zamunda to America, where he seeks a wife. He is accompanied by his aide Semmi (Arsenio Hall).

In the second installment, Akeem has just found out that he left a son in America and travels back in search of the next heir of the Kingdom of Zamunda.

As previously reported, the sequel is going to be filled with a smorgasbord of some of the world’s favorite black actors and celebrities in the cast. Possibly joining the newcomers as well as those reprising their various roles is Nigerian afrobeats superstar Davido.

Black-ish creator Kenya Barris was chosen to re-write the script by original writers and executive produce it. Murphy and Kevin Misher are the producers and Craig Brewer as the director, according to an announcement by Paramount.

The premier date is December 18, according to Variety, and this new deal is a priority for Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke who has made several purchases to broaden its commercial outlook.

These include another Paramount acquisition in the Tom Clancy adaptation “Without Remorse” starring Michael B. Jordan, the sequel to “Borat,” and Regina King’s Oscar contender, “One Night in Miami”.

Movie theatres may be fading out as AMC Theatres may be bankrupt at the end of the year. According to CNN, the company has two viable solutions to prevent them from hitting rock bottom; either customers buy tickets or they find innovative ways to borrow money.

Paramount would not want to be left with ultimatums and so this is not the first rights they are selling out to Amazon. They had an earlier deal which saw them selling “Without Remorse” to Amazon.

They have also had deals with another giant streaming platform, NetFlix, selling off “Trial of the Chicago 7” and the action-comedy “Lovebirds.”