Eddie Murphy hasn’t made a great comedy in eons, and while he’s found lots of success in mediocre projects, the sharp-witted, big personality that brought him fame on the big screen oh so many decades ago has largely been absent from the multiplex. But it’s not been for lack of trying. “Beverly Hills Cop 4” has been developing forever, and everyone has learned not to hold their breath on that one coming to life with any urgency. And the same lesson should probably be applied to this next project.
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Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield have been tapped to write a sequel to the 1988 hit “Coming To America” as a vehicle for Murphy. The duo have been longtime collaborators of the comic actor, also penning “Boomerang” and the ‘Nutty Professor‘ movies. So, they know how to serve Murphy’s comedic voice. But like I said, this could be another one of those things that winds up sitting on a desk forever, or going through countless revisions and never getting made, which wouldn’t surprise me.
It’s too early to say if Arsenio Hall or any of the other original cast members will be back, or if John Landis will go behind the camera again. Moreover, the project is set up at Paramount, who were recently burned by “Zoolander 2,” so I’d bet they’ll be looking at this carefully before it gets a green light. [The Tracking Board]
