“Whatever you like”: Vanessa Bell Calloway officially joins cast of 'Coming 2 America'

Variety has learned that Vanessa Bell Calloway is officially on board to reprise her role as Imani Izzi, the former betrothed of Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem, in the upcoming sequel Coming 2 America. She joins Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, and Paul Bates, who are all set to reprise their roles in the sequel. 

They’ll be joining newcomers Jermaine Fowler, Kiki Layne, Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, Luenell and Rick Ross.

The original 1988 film Coming to America starred Murphy as Akeem Joffer, crown prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda. In an effort to find a wife, Akeem, along with his trusty assistant Semmi, played by Hall, decide to travel to Queens, NY.

In the sequel, Akeem learns about a long-lost son and must return to America to meet the “unlikely heir to the throne of Zamunda.” 

As previously noted, black-ish creator Kenya Barris is rewriting a script from original Coming to America writers Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield.

Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewer has signed on to direct the project, which Murphy’s also producing. The two recently worked together on the Netflix comedy Dolemite Is My Name, which follows the story of real-life comedian Rudy Ray Moore.

Coming 2 America is set to hit theaters August 7, 2020.