Coming to America 2 will be PG-13, according to Eddie Murphy. Having made a name for himself with his often-explicit comedy in the early 1980s, Murphy’s work eventually took a turn into family friendly territory over the course of the past several decades.
This rather abrupt change of preference for clean material seemed to be at odds with the comedic persona Murphy gained fame for. Today, the 58-year-old actor/comedian has altered his onscreen presence so substantially to this persona that many hardly recall the days when the name Eddie Murphy was synonymous with adult comedy. Having last released an R-rated film in 1999 alongside Martin Lawrence in Life, Murphy is finally returning to adult humor with Craig Brewer’s upcoming Dolemite Is My Name. Given that a sequel to 1988’s R-rated Coming to America is also on its way, fans of both the hit fish-out-of-water comedy and Murphy have been hoping that the sequel will pick up just where the original left off.
Fortunately for diehard Murphy/Coming to America fans, every indication so far has pointed to the sequel being a return to form in terms of cast as well as story. Unfortunately, however, during a recent interview with Cinema Blend, Murphy stated that although Dolemite Is My Name is a return to the R-rated cinema of his past, Coming to America 2 will only receive a PG-13 rating.
The original Coming to America was R-rated, and many of the film’s biggest laughs came as a result of Murphy and co-star Arsenio Hall dealing with the realities of big city life in America – a concept utterly removed from the day to day activities in their fictional home nation of Zamunda. Because these incidents involved such an immense culture shock while also taking place in a city as hectic as 1980s New York, there was always ample room for adult comedy. On the positive side, Coming to America 2’s PG-13 rating will enable parents to bring their children, as it will be the parents who remember the first film and have long since been eager for a sequel. This could help to boost Coming to America 2’s box-office receipts and work out for the best in the long run.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the decision to go with a PG-13 rating is that this time around, in addition to so many of the original film’s returning cast members, there are also a lot of new characters. Some great comedic talent such as Tracy Morgan and Leslie Jones have been enlisted for Coming to America 2, and a PG-13 rating at this point feels a bit like an impediment to the film’s comedic possibilities. Fans can only hope that the PG-13 rating won’t end up holding back the comedic potential of Coming to America 2.
Next: Dolemite Is My Name Review: Eddie Murphy Shines In Loving Biopic
Source: Cinema Blend
