Editing Coming to America

{{Short description|1988 film directed by John Landis}}
{{About|the 1988 film}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = March 2019}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Coming to America
| image          = ComingtoAmerica1988MoviePoster.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster illustrated by [[Drew Struzan]]
| director       = [[John Landis]]
| screenplay     = {{plainlist| 
* [[David Sheffield]]
* [[Barry W. Blaustein]]
}}
| story          = [[Eddie Murphy]]
| producer       = [[George Folsey Jr.]]<br />Robert D. Wachs
| starring       = {{plainlist|<!--Per poster billing-->
* Eddie Murphy
* [[Arsenio Hall]]
* [[James Earl Jones]]
* [[John Amos]]
* [[Madge Sinclair]]
* [[Shari Headley]]
}}
| music          = [[Nile Rodgers]]
| cinematography = Woody Omens
| editing        = {{interlanguage link|Malcolm Campbell (film editor)|lt=Malcolm Campbell|de|Malcolm Campbell (Filmeditor)|nds|Malcolm Campbell (Filmeditor)}}<br />[[George Folsey Jr.]]
| studio         = Eddie Murphy Productions
| distributor    = [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1988|06|29}}
| runtime        = 117 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $36 million<ref name="Gross Profit">{{cite news|last=Bach |first=Steven |title=Gross Profit: Fatal Subtraction: The inside story of Buchwald v. Paramount |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-30-bk-8596-story.html |access-date=May 10, 2020 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=August 30, 1992}}</ref>
| gross          = $288.8–350 million<ref name="BOM">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3058337281/weekend/|title=Coming to America (1988)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|publisher=[[IMDb]]|access-date=February 28, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Gross Profit"/><ref name="Murphy made millions">{{cite news |last=Mcdougal |first=Dennis |title=Murphy movie made millions, but stayed in red |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-02-04-mn-537-story.html |access-date=May 10, 2020 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=February 4, 1990}}</ref><ref name="AFI film-55743">{{AFI film|55743}}</ref>
}}
'''''Coming to America''''' is a 1988 American [[romantic comedy]] film directed by [[John Landis]], based on a story originally created by [[Eddie Murphy]], written by [[David Sheffield]] and [[Barry W. Blaustein]], and starring Murphy (in various roles), [[Arsenio Hall]] (also in various roles), [[James Earl Jones]], [[John Amos]], [[Madge Sinclair]], and [[Shari Headley]]. It tells the story of Akeem Joffer, the crown prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda who travels to the United States in the hopes of finding a woman he can marry and will love him for who he is, not for his status or for having been trained to please him. The film was released in the United States on June 29, 1988.

In 1989, a [[Coming to America (TV pilot)|pilot]] for a planned [[spin-off (media)|spin-off]] television series was made, although this was never picked up for a series.<ref name="splinter_spinoff">{{cite web|url=http://splinternews.com/reminder-a-terrible-coming-to-america-tv-pilot-happene-1793852530|title=Reminder: A terrible 'Coming to America' TV pilot happened in 1989|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Molly|date=April 11, 2015|website=[[Splinter News]]|access-date=September 28, 2017}}</ref>

A sequel, ''[[Coming 2 America]]'', was released on March 4, 2021.

==Plot==
In the wealthy African nation of Zamunda, [[crown prince]] Akeem Joffer grows weary of his pampered lifestyle on his 21st birthday and wishes to do more for himself. When his parents King Jaffe and Queen Aoleon present him with [[Arranged marriage|an arranged bride-to-be]], Akeem takes action. Seeking an independent woman who loves him for himself and not his social status, Akeem and his best friend/personal aide Semmi travel to the New York City borough of Queens and rent a squalid tenement in the neighborhood of Long Island City under the guise of poor foreign students.

Beginning their search for Akeem's bride, they are invited by local barber shop owner Clarence to a rally raising money for the neighborhood. During the rally, Akeem encounters Lisa McDowell who possesses all the qualities he is looking for in a woman. Upon his insistence, he and Semmi get entry-level jobs working at the local fast-food restaurant called McDowell's, a [[McDonald's]] knockoff owned by Lisa's widowed father Cleo McDowell.

Akeem's attempts to win Lisa's love are complicated by Lisa's lazy and obnoxious boyfriend Darryl Jenks whose father owns Soul Glo (a [[Jheri curl]]–like hairstyling aid). After Darryl announces their engagement—without Lisa's consent—to their families, she starts dating Akeem who claims that he comes from a family of poor goat herders.

Although Akeem thrives on hard work and learning how commoners live, Semmi is not comfortable with living in such meager conditions. After a dinner date with Lisa is thwarted when Semmi furnishes their apartment with a hot tub and other luxuries, Akeem confiscates his money and donates it to a homeless [[Trading Places|Mortimer and Randolph Duke]]. Semmi wires a telegraph to King Jaffe for more money, prompting the Joffers to travel to Queens to find him.

Cleo initially disapproves of Akeem as he believes he is poor and therefore not good enough for his daughter. He becomes ecstatic when he discovers that Akeem is actually an extremely wealthy prince, after meeting his parents. When Akeem discovers that his parents have arrived in New York, he and Lisa go to the McDowell residence to lie low and Cleo welcomes them while driving away Darryl. After Cleo's bond with Akeem is ruined by the unexpected arrival of the Zamundan entourage, Lisa later becomes angry and confused that Akeem lied to her about his identity. Akeem explains that he wanted her to love him for who, not what, he is, even offering to renounce his throne. Still hurt and angry, Lisa refuses to marry him. Despondent, Akeem resigns himself to the arranged marriage. As they leave, Jaffe is reprimanded by Aoleon for clinging to outdated traditions instead of thinking of their son's happiness.

At the wedding procession, a still-heartbroken Akeem becomes surprised when his veiled bride is Lisa herself as Cleo also comes out. Following the ceremony, they ride happily in a carriage to the cheers of Zamundans. Witnessing such splendor, Lisa is both surprised and touched by the fact that Akeem would have given it up just for her. Akeem offers again to abdicate if she does not want this life, but Lisa playfully declines.

==Cast==
<!--- bulleted cast per opening credits --->
* [[Eddie Murphy]] as:
** Prince Akeem Joffer, the Crown Prince of Zamunda.
** Randy Watson, a soul singer with the fictional band Sexual Chocolate who perform at a rally that Akeem and Semmi attend.
** Saul, a [[Jews|Jewish]] barbershop customer.
** Clarence, the owner of the barber shop.
* [[Arsenio Hall]] as:
** Semmi, Akeem's friend and personal aide.
** Reverend Brown, a reverend who speaks at a rally that Akeem and Semmi attend.
** Morris, a barber.
** Extremely Ugly Girl, an unattractive female clubgoer.
* [[James Earl Jones]] as King Jaffe Joffer, Akeem's father and King of Zamunda who Semmi answers to.
* [[John Amos]] as Cleo McDowell, the proprietor of McDowell's, Akeem's employer, and Lisa's father whose constantly dealing with lawyers from McDonald's where he claims that his restaurant is different from McDonald's in various ways.
* [[Madge Sinclair]] as Queen Aoleon Joffer, Akeem's mother and the Queen of Zamunda.
* [[Shari Headley]] as Lisa McDowell, Cleo's older daughter and Akeem's love interest.
* Clint Smith as Sweets, a barber who works for Clarence.
* Paul Bates as Oha, the Zamundi royal family's longtime royal servant.
* [[Eriq La Salle]] as Darryl Jenks, Lisa's boyfriend and the son of Soul Glo's owner whom she eventually breaks up with.
* [[Frankie Faison]] as the [[landlord]] who manages the apartment building where Akeem and Semmi live.
* [[Vanessa Bell Calloway|Vanessa Bell]] as Imani Izzi, a woman who is betrothed as Akeem's intended wife.
* [[Louie Anderson]] as Maurice, a McDowell's employee. According to Hall, Paramount Pictures insisted on having a white actor in the cast. Paramount Pictures provided a list of three white performers. Murphy and Hall chose Louie Anderson because they knew him and liked him.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-03-02/eddie-murphy-arsenio-hall-coming-to-america-paramount |title= Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall explain why a white actor was cast in 'Coming to America' |work= Los Angeles Times |date= March 2, 2021 |first= Christi |last= Carras }}</ref>
* Allison Dean as Patrice McDowell, Cleo's younger daughter and Lisa's sister.
* Sheila Johnson<!--- Do not link to the billionaire American businesswoman as this is a different person ---> as a lady-in-waiting to King Joffer.
* [[Jake Steinfeld]] as a cab driver who takes Akeem and Semmi to Queens.
* [[Calvin Lockhart]] as Colonel Izzi, Imani's father
* [[Samuel L. Jackson]] as the Hold-Up Man, an armed robber at McDowell's who held it up five times.

The cast also includes: [[Vondie Curtis-Hall]] as a basketball game vendor who recognizes Akeem; [[Garcelle Beauvais]], Feather, and Stephanie Simon as the royal rose bearers; [[Victoria Dillard]] as a royal personal bather; Elaine Kagan as a telegraph lady who wires Sameer's message for more money to King Joffer; as well as the film debuts of [[Ruben Santiago-Hudson|Ruben Hudson]] as a street hustler, and [[Cuba Gooding Jr.]] as a boy getting a haircut at the time when Akeem and Semmi arrive in Queens.

[[Don Ameche]] and [[Ralph Bellamy]] reprise their roles as Mortimer and Randolph Duke respectively from Landis's Murphy-starring comedy film ''[[Trading Places]]'' (1983) who have become homeless after the events of the film and receive money from Akeem.<ref name="PDC">{{cite web|url=http://www.pajiba.com/pajiba_blockbusters/coming-to-america-review.php|title=Is it Just Me, or Does Every Woman in New York Have a Severe Emotional Problem?|author=Carlson|first=Daniel|date=May 5, 2009|website=Pajiba.com|access-date=July 3, 2011}}</ref> A segment of the ''Trading Places'' score can be heard during their scene.

As previously indicated, ''Coming to America'' features Murphy and Hall in several different roles, of different races and genders. Following the success of this film, this became a Murphy staple, as seen in four later films: ''[[Vampire in Brooklyn#Cast|Vampire in Brooklyn]]'' (1995); ''[[The Nutty Professor (1996 film)#Cast|The Nutty Professor]]'' (1996) and [[Nutty Professor II: The Klumps#Cast|its sequel]] (2000); and ''[[Norbit#Cast|Norbit]]'' (2007).

==Production==
''Coming to America'' reunited star [[Eddie Murphy]] with director [[John Landis]]. The two men had previously worked together on the comedy hit ''Trading Places''. Landis recalled the differences in working with Murphy on the two movies: "The guy on ''Trading Places'' was young and full of energy and curious and funny and fresh and great. The guy on ''Coming to America'' was the pig of the world... But I still think he's wonderful in the movie."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/the-collider-interview-john-landis-part-ii/|title=The Collider Interview: John Landis, Part II|date=February 9, 2005|website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091017194137/http://www.collider.com/entertainment/archive_detail.asp/aid/813/cid/13/tcid/1|archive-date=October 17, 2009|access-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref> Murphy said:

:{{blockquote|We had a tussling confrontation… We didn't come to blows. Personalities didn't mesh. ... He directed me in ''Trading Places'' when I was just starting out as a kid, but he was still treating me like a kid five years later during ''Coming to America''. And I ''hired'' him to direct the movie! I was gonna direct ''Coming to America'' myself, but I knew that Landis had just done three fucked-up pictures in a row and that his career was hanging by a thread after the [[Twilight Zone accident|''Twilight Zone'' trial]]. I figured the guy was nice to me when I did ''Trading Places'', so I'd give him a shot… I was going out of my way to help this guy, and he fucked me over. Now he's got a hit picture on his resumé, a movie that made over $200 million, as opposed to him coming off a couple of fucked-up movies – which is where I'd rather see him be right now.|sign=|source=}}
Despite the experience, Landis and Murphy collaborated again six years later on ''[[Beverly Hills Cop III]]''.

[[South Africa]]n chorus [[Ladysmith Black Mambazo]] sings ''[[The Lion Sleeps Tonight|Mbube]]'' during the opening sequence (the song also known as ''[[The Lion Sleeps Tonight]]''). The group has since recorded several different versions of ''Mbube;'' however, the version heard in ''Coming to America'' had not been released on its soundtrack or on CD as of 2006. A promotional song for the film, also titled "[[Coming to America (Nile Rodgers song)|Coming to America]]", was written and performed by [[The System (band)|The System]].

Murphy received a personal salary of $8 million for his work on the film, plus 15% of film rentals. Landis received $600,000, plus 10% of gross receipts.<ref name="Murphy made millions"/> Landis's calling card ("[[See You Next Wednesday]]") appears as an "[[Easter egg (media)|easter egg]]" within the film, on a [[science-fiction]] movie poster in the subway station after Lisa storms off the train.

==Release==
Paramount cancelled press screenings of the film after initial negative reactions to a press screening in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://shadowandact.com/when-paramount-withheld-coming-to-america-from-film-critics-worried-about-box-office-not-knowing-what-they-had|title=When Paramount Withheld 'Coming To America' From The Press, Not Knowing What They Had|last=Obenson|first=Tambay A.|date=April 5, 2013|website=Shadow and Act|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512025351/http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/when-paramount-withheld-coming-to-america-from-the-press-not-knowing-what-they-had|archive-date=May 12, 2013|access-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref>

===Box office===
Released on June 29, 1988, by [[Paramount Pictures]] in the United States, it was a commercial box-office success, both domestically and worldwide.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-26-ca-6143-story.html|title=Weekend Box Office : 'Rabbit' and 'America' Battle for Dollars|last=Easton|first=Nina|author-link=Nina Easton|date=July 26, 1988|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-01-05-ca-271-story.html|title=Nice Guys Finish First : Roger Rabbit' Hops to Box-Office Top; 'Coming to America' Hits 2nd|last=Easton|first=Nina J.|author-link=Nina Easton|date=January 5, 1989|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref> The film debuted at number one with $21,404,420 from 2,064 screens, for a five-day total of $28,409,497. The film made $128,152,301 in the United States and ended up with a worldwide total of $288,752,301.<ref name="BOM"/> It was the highest earning film that year for the studio and the third-highest-grossing film at the [[United States]] box office.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1988&p=.htm|title=1988 Domestic Grosses|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|publisher=[[IMDb]]|access-date=April 2, 2011}}</ref>

It opened a month later in the UK and earned $7,712,622 during its seven-week run. It opened on September 2 in West Germany, where it debuted at number one with $3,715,791 from 297 screens. It ended its run after 13 weeks with $15,743,447. Several contemporary articles stated that the worldwide gross for the movie was $350 million.<ref name="Gross Profit"/><ref name="Murphy made millions"/><ref name="AFI film-55743"/>

===Reception===
''Coming To America'' received positive reviews upon release.{{Anchor|Critics|Critical response}}
{{RT prose|{{RT data|score}}|{{RT data|average}}|{{RT data|count}}|Eddie Murphy was in full control at this point, starkly evident in ''Coming to America''{{'}}s John Landis' coasting direction.}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/coming_to_america/|title=Coming to America (1988)|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|date=June 29, 1988 |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date=March 5, 2022}}</ref> {{Metacritic film prose|47|16}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/coming-to-america|title=Coming to America Reviews|work=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=Paramount Streaming|access-date=June 29, 2018}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-12-20|title=Cinemascore :: Movie Title Search|url=https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/|access-date=2020-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/|archive-date=December 20, 2018}}</ref>

Sheila Benson in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called it a "hollow and wearying Eddie Murphy fairy tale" and bemoans, "That an Eddie Murphy movie would come to this."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-06-29-ca-4869-story.html|title=Spare Fare in Eddie Murphy's 'America'|last=Benson|first=Sheila|date=June 26, 1988|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref> [[Vincent Canby]] in ''[[The New York Times]]'' was also critical of the writing, calling it a "possibly funny idea" but suggesting the screenplay had escaped before it was ready. Canby viewed the film as essentially a romantic comedy but said the romantic elements fell flat, and the film instead goes for broad [[slapstick]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/29/movies/review-film-african-prince-in-queens.html|title=Review/Film; African Prince in Queens|last=Canby|first=Vincent|date=June 29, 1988|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=October 26, 2010|author-link=Vincent Canby}}</ref> Kathleen Carroll of the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' called the film "an adorably amusing upscale fairy tale, an endearingly romantic comedy which has all the fabulous fake opulence of an old-fashioned Hollywood musical as well as the traditionally sappy happy ending."<ref>{{cite news |last=Carroll |first=Kathleen |date=June 29, 1988 |title=Embarrassment of Riches |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news/134381741/ |work=[[New York Daily News|Daily News]] |location=New York, New York |access-date=October 31, 2023}}</ref> [[Siskel & Ebert]] had mixed opinions on the film. Siskel enjoyed the acting from Murphy and Hall but Ebert was disappointed that Murphy did not bring his usual more lively performance, and Ebert was also critical of the unoriginal script.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGrJjh730LA |title=Youtube |website=[[YouTube]] |access-date=November 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806182648/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGrJjh730LA |archive-date=August 6, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Siskel, in print, reviewed the film more enthusiastically, giving it three and a half stars out of four, and describing it as "a sweet, oft-told story", adding that "Murphy and Hall add a number of very sharp supporting roles hidden by makeup to add spice to the general level of gentleness."<ref>{{cite news |last=Siskel |first=Gene |date=July 1, 1988 |title=Flick of Week: Murphy's acting wins in 'America' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/134381801/ |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |location= |access-date=October 31, 2023}}</ref>

===Awards===
{{Anchor|Awards|Accolades}}

The film was nominated for two [[61st Academy Awards|Oscars]]: [[Academy Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]] for [[Deborah Nadoolman Landis]] and [[Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling|Best Makeup]] for [[Rick Baker]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1989|title=The 61st Academy Awards {{!}} 1989|work=Oscars.org|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref> who designed the makeup effects for both Murphy's and Arsenio Hall's multiple supporting characters.<ref>{{Citation|title=Coming to America (1988) Awards|url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0094898/awards|work=[[IMDb]]|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref>

===Lawsuit===
The film was the subject of the ''[[Buchwald v. Paramount]]'' civil suit, which the humorist [[Art Buchwald]] filed in 1990 against the film's producers on the grounds that the film's idea was stolen from his 1982 [[film treatment|script treatment]] about a rich, despotic African potentate who comes to America for a state visit. [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] had [[option (filmmaking)|optioned]] the treatment from Buchwald, and John Landis was attached as director and Eddie Murphy as the [[leading actor|lead]], but after two years of [[development hell]] Paramount abandoned the project in March 1985. In 1987, Paramount began working on ''Coming to America'' based on a story by Eddie Murphy.<ref>[http://www.cardozoaelj.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/marcus.pdf Buchwald v. Paramount Pictures Corp. and the Future of Net Profit] — retrieved May 2015</ref><ref>Thane Rosenbaum, ''The Myth of Moral Justice: Why Our Legal System Fails to Do What's Right'' [https://archive.org/details/mythofmoraljusti0000rose/page/182 page 182].</ref> Buchwald won the [[breach of contract]] action and the court ordered monetary damages. The parties later settled the case [[out of court settlement|out-of-court]] before an appeal going to trial.<ref>Thane Rosenbaum wrote, "In 1995, the syndicated columnist [[Art Buchwald]] prevailed after a seven-year legal battle against [[Paramount Pictures]], claiming that he had submitted the idea, and the original script, for the [[Eddie Murphy]] film, ''Coming to America,'' without ever being properly compensated or acknowledged for his efforts. The trial court eventually agreed with Buchwald, although the damage award that he received was considerably less than what he had sought, and even less than what he eventually had to pay out in legal fees." --''The Myth of Moral Justice: Why Our Legal System Fails to Do What's Right'' [https://archive.org/details/mythofmoraljusti0000rose/page/182 page 182].</ref>

In August 2022, Paramount filed a lawsuit against JMC Pop Ups LLC for creating a temporary version of McDowell's, the fictional fast food restaurant similar to [[McDonald's]], via the [[Copyright Claims Board]], a tribunal created in 2020 to deal with such matters. The pop up restaurant had operated in [[Springfield, Virginia]], and [[Cherry Hill, New Jersey]], in 2022 prior to the suit. McDowell's was featured in both the original movie and its sequel.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ansari |first=Talal |date=2022-08-28 |title=Paramount Sues Company Behind McDowell's Pop-Up, Citing 'Coming to America' Infringement |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/paramount-sues-company-behind-coming-to-america-mcdowells-restaurant-pop-up-11661692993 |access-date=2022-08-29 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

== Home media ==
''Coming to America'' was released on [[DVD]] on June 3, 2008.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Coming to America DVD Release Date|url=https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/542/Coming-to-America-(1988).html|access-date=2020-10-27|website=DVDs Release Dates}}</ref> The Film was released on [[Blu-ray|Blu-Ray]] on June 3, 2008, and re-released on Blu-Ray on January 1, 2013 and on June 12, 2018.<ref name=":0" /> ''Coming To America'' was released on [[Ultra HD Blu-ray|4K Blu-Ray]] on December 1, 2020.<ref>{{Citation|title=Coming to America 4K Blu-ray Release Date December 1, 2020|url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Coming-to-America-4K-Blu-ray/277494/|access-date=2020-10-27}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name       = Coming to America: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
| type       = soundtrack
| artist     = Various artists
| cover      =
| alt        =
| released   = July 1988
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| genre      = [[Pop music|Pop]]
| length     = 40:16
| label      = [[Atco Records]]
| producer   =
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title =
| next_year  =
| misc       = {{Singles
 | name        = Coming to America
 | type        = soundtrack
 | single1     = [[Coming to America (Nile Rodgers song)|Coming to America]]
 | single1date =
 | single2     = [[Come into My Life (Laura Branigan and Joe Esposito song)|Come into My Life]]
 | single2date =
 | single3     = [[That's the Way It Is (Mel and Kim song)|That's the Way It Is]]
 | single3date =
 | single4     = Better Late Than Never
 | single4date =
}}
}}
The soundtrack to the film was released on LP, cassette and CD. The songs "Coming to America" by The System, "Better Late Than Never" by The Cover Girls and "Come into My Life" by Laura Branigan and Joe Esposito were released as singles from the album. "That's The Way It Is" by Mel & Kim had been released as a single in the UK, before the film's release, in February 1988, and became a top ten hit. It was released as a single in the US at the time of the film's release.

'''Side A'''
# "[[Coming to America (Nile Rodgers song)|Coming to America]]" – [[The System (band)|The System]] (3:49)
# "Better Late Than Never" – [[The Cover Girls]] (4:02)
# "All Dressed Up (Ready to Hit the Town)" – [[Chico DeBarge]] (4:50)
# "I Like It Like That" – Michael Rodgers (4:01)
# "[[That's the Way It Is (Mel and Kim song)|That's the Way It Is]]" – [[Mel and Kim]] (3:25)

'''Side B'''
# "Addicted to You" – [[LeVert]] (3:54)
# "Comin' Correct" – [[J.J. Fad]] (3:56)
# "Livin' the Good Life" – [[Sister Sledge]] (3:46)
# "Transparent" – [[Nona Hendryx]] (3:50)
# "[[Come into My Life (Laura Branigan and Joe Esposito song)|Come into My Life]]" – [[Laura Branigan]] and [[Joe Esposito (singer)|Joe Esposito]] (4:39)

===Soul Glo jingle===
The jingle for the commercial for the fictional product Soul Glo was composed by [[Nile Rodgers]], who has suggested it is his "proudest moment".<ref>{{cite web |last=Golding |first=Shenequa |date=April 6, 2016 |title=Nile Rodgers Declares 'Coming To America's' ''Soul Glo'' As His Greatest Composition |url=https://www.vibe.com/2016/04/in-nile-rodgers-coming-to-america-soul-glo |access-date=March 28, 2020}}</ref> Vocals were provided by Christopher Max.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Rodgers |first=Nile |date=December 21, 2016 |title=Soul Glo was sung by an artist named Christopher Max. He's the son of Eugene McDaniels who wrote songs like "Feel Like Making Love" etc. |user=nilerodgers |number=811396783570124800}}</ref>

==Legacy==
===Television pilot===
{{main|Coming to America (TV pilot)}}

A [[television pilot]] of a weekly [[sitcom]] version of the film was produced for [[CBS]], following the film's success, starring [[Tommy Davidson]] as Prince Tariq, and Paul Bates reprising his role as Oha. The pilot went unsold, but was televised on July 4, 1989, as part of the ''[[CBS Summer Playhouse]]'' pilot anthology series.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.deseret.com/1988/12/8/18787084/outtakes-coming-to-america-the-tv-series|title='Outtakes' - 'Coming To America' The TV Series|date=December 8, 1988|work=[[Deseret News]]|access-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref><ref name='splinter_spinoff' /><ref>{{cite news |last=Thompson|first=Bonsu|date=August 20, 2020|title=An Oral History of the 'Coming to America' TV Show You Never Knew About|url=https://level.medium.com/an-oral-history-of-the-coming-to-america-tv-show-you-never-knew-about-3df24504d651|work=Medium}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0911189/reference|title="CBS Summer Playhouse" Coming to America (TV Episode 1989)|date=July 4, 1989|website=IMDb}}</ref>

===Remakes===
A Tamil film, ''[[My Dear Marthandan]]'', was produced based on the plot of ''Coming to America''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19900831&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |title=My Dear Marthandan |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=August 31, 1990 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |access-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref> A Hong Kong film, ''[[The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon]]'', also has the same plot.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fareastfilms.com/?review_post_type=the-fun-the-luck-and-the-tycoon|title=The Fun, The Luck And The Tycoon
|access-date=February 22, 2022|work=Far East Films|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231844/http://www.fareastfilms.com/reviewsPage/The-Fun-The-Luck-And-The-Tycoon-657.htm|archive-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref>

===Influences in music===
The melody heard in the bathroom scene, where Prince Akeem is being washed by female servants, was sampled in [[Snoop Dogg]]'s 2006 song "[[That's That]]" featuring [[R. Kelly]]; a remix of the song featuring American rapper [[Nas (rapper)|Nas]] includes a woman's voice saying "the royal penis is clean, Your Highness", a line taken from the same scene. The [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] [[The Randy Watson Experience]] is named after the character Randy Watson.

=== Cultural impact ===
The movie has been described as having a "cult following" years after its release, despite negative press, with one of the highest-grossing box office of the year it was released, as well as one of the highest-grossing films featuring a predominantly African-American cast.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ferguson|first=Amber|title=Before Wakanda, there was Zamunda: Eddie Murphy's 'Coming to America' turns 30|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/06/29/before-wakanda-there-was-zamunda-eddie-murphys-coming-to-america-turns-30/|access-date=2020-08-03|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref>

==Sequel==
{{Main|Coming 2 America}}
In early 2017, an announcement was publicized which addressed the impending production of a sequel to the film. [[Kevin Misher]] was named as producer, and [[David Sheffield|Sheffield]] and [[Barry W. Blaustein|Blaustein]], the original screenwriters, were also attached to the project. However, the participation of lead actors Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall was left undefined.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/coming-to-america-sequel-in-the-works-with-original-writers-w476909|title=A 'Coming to America' Sequel Is in the Works With the Original Writers|last=Falcone|first=Dana Rose|date=April 14, 2017|work=[[Us Weekly]]|access-date=April 17, 2017}}</ref>

On January 11, 2019, it was announced that the sequel was moving forward with Murphy reprising his role and [[Craig Brewer]] as director (having previously worked with Murphy on the [[Netflix]] film ''[[Dolemite Is My Name]]''). Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley, John Amos, Paul Bates and James Earl Jones returning for the sequel as well.<ref>{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=James Earl Jones & Paul Bates Returning For 'Coming To America' Sequel, Rick Ross Also Joining |url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/james-earl-jones-rick-ross-paul-bates-joining-coming-to-america-sequel-1202663755/ |website=Deadline |access-date=August 8, 2019|date=7 August 2019}}</ref> [[Wesley Snipes]] signed on for a role in the film. It was reported that [[Leslie Jones (comedian)|Leslie Jones]] and American rapper [[Rick Ross]] were joining the cast in undisclosed roles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://movieweb.com/coming-to-america-2-director-craig-brewer/|title=Coming to America 2 Is Officially Happening with Eddie Murphy|last=Burwick|first=Kevin|date=January 11, 2019|website=[[MovieWeb]]|access-date=March 29, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shadowandact.com/coming-to-america-2-is-officially-in-the-works-as-sequel-gets-a-director-and-plot|title='Coming to America 2' Is Officially In The Works As Sequel Gets A Director And Plot|last=Jones|first=Monique|date=January 11, 2019|website=Shadow and Act|access-date=March 29, 2019}}</ref>

The film was scheduled to be theatrically released on December 18, 2020,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/garcelle-beauvais-rejoins-eddie-murphy-coming-2-america-1233987/ |title=Nomzamo Mbatha and Garcelle Beauvais Join Eddie Murphy in 'Coming 2 America' (Exclusive) |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]  |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=August 22, 2019 |access-date=February 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://movieweb.com/tiffany-haddish-coming-2-america-debate/ |title=Fake 'Coming 2 America' Poster Causes Huge Tiffany Haddish Debate on Twitter |website=[[MovieWeb]] |last=Burwick |first=Kevin |date=May 17, 2020 |access-date=September 23, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://movieweb.com/coming-to-america-2-trailer-release-date/ |title='Coming 2 America' Trailer Rumored to Be Arriving Very Soon |website=[[MovieWeb]] |last=Burwick |first=Kevin |date=September 25, 2020 |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref> but due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], [[Amazon Studios]] bought the distribution rights and released it digitally on [[Amazon Prime Video]] on March 4, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/global/amazon-coming-2-america-eddie-murphy-1234836599/ |title='Coming 2 America' Sets March 2021 Release Date on Amazon |website=Variety |first=Naman |last=Ramachandran |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |date=November 20, 2020 |access-date=November 20, 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0094898|Coming to America}}
* {{mojo title|comingtoamerica|Coming to America}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|coming_to_america|Coming to America}}
* {{AFI film|57554}}

{{Coming to America}}
{{John Landis}}
{{Eddie Murphy}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coming To America}}
[[Category:1988 films]]
[[Category:1980s buddy comedy films]]
[[Category:1988 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:1990 controversies in the United States]]
[[Category:African-American films]]
[[Category:American buddy comedy films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films about interclass romance]]
[[Category:Films about royalty]]
[[Category:Films about the upper class]]
[[Category:Films directed by John Landis]]
[[Category:Films involved in plagiarism controversies]]
[[Category:Films set in Africa]]
[[Category:Films set in fictional countries]]
[[Category:Films set in New York City]]
[[Category:Films set in Queens, New York]]
[[Category:Fiction about monarchy]]
[[Category:Paramount Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films produced by George Folsey Jr.]]
[[Category:American crossover films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Barry W. Blaustein]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by David Sheffield]]
[[Category:Coming to America (film series)]]
[[Category:Comedy crossover films]]
[[Category:1980s American films]]
[[Category:Films set in restaurants]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Eddie Murphy]]
[[Category:English-language romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:English-language buddy comedy films]]