How High 2

Release Date:   4/20/19; MTV
Genre:  Comedy
Rating:  NR
Director:  Bruce Leddy
Studio(s):   Universal 1440 Entertainment, Smith-Garr Productions, Music Television (MTV).
Running Time:  Unknown
Cast Mike Epps, Lil Yachty, D.C. Young Fly, Alyssa Goss, DeRay Davis, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Blac Youngsta, NeNe Leakes, Cynthia Bailey, Lil Baby, and Justine Skye.

Story:   Follow-up to the 2001 film, chronicles two young “potrepreneurs” on a magical hash-fueled journey to fund their on-demand munchies delivery start-up.  Sources:  Deadline; Movieweb.

Trailer:

Coming 2 America

a/k/a Coming to America 2

Release Date:  3/5/2021; Amazon Prime
Genre:   Comedy
Rating:  PG-13
Director:  Craig Brewer
Studio(s):   Eddie Murphy Productions, Misher Films, New Republic Pictures, Paramount Pictures
Running Time:  TBD

Cast:  
Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem Joffer, the prince of Zamunda. Murphy also plays Randy Watson, a soul singer with the fictional band Sexual Chocolate, as well as Mr. Clarence, the local barber, and Saul, the Jewish barbershop customer;
Arsenio Hall as Semmi, Akeem’s best friend and aide. Hall also plays Reverend Brown, a reverend of the church, as well as Mr. Clarence’s right-hand barber, Morris;
Jermaine Fowler as Lavelle, Akeem’s son;
Leslie Jones as Lavelle’s mother;
Tracy Morgan as Reem, Lavelle’s uncle;
KiKi Layne as Meeka Joffer, Akeem’s and Lisa’s first daughter;
Shari Headley as Lisa McDowell, Akeem’s wife whom he fell in love with during his first trip to America;
John Amos as Cleo McDowell, Akeem’s former employer and father-in-law;
Wesley Snipes as General Izzi, Imani’s older brother;
James Earl Jones as King Jaffe Joffer, Akeem’s ailing father and the King of Zamunda. Jaffe is also a widower since his wife died.
Teyana Taylor as General Izzi’s henchwoman;
Vanessa Bell Calloway as Imani Izzi, General Izzi’s younger sister;
Paul Bates as Oha, a royal servant;
Nomzamo Mbatha;
Louie Anderson as Maurice, a mid-level employee at McDowell’s restaurant;
Rick Ross as Himself;
Davido as Himself;
Garcelle Beauvais as Rose;
Bella Murphy;
Morgan Freeman.

Story:   Former Prince Akeem Joffer (Eddie Murphy) is set to become King of Zamunda when he discovers he has a son he never knew about in America – a street savvy Queens native named Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler). Honoring his royal father’s (James Earl Jones) dying wish to groom this son as the crown prince, since Akeem and Lisa’s daughter is ineligible to take over the throne since Zamundan law says that it has to be a male heir to take the throne. Akeem and Semmi (Arsenio Hall) set off to America once again.  Source:  Wikipedia; IMDB.

Trailer:

 

 

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Updated 9/9/19:    Entertainment Weekly reported that a whole heap of actors are coming to Coming to America. The sequel to the 1988 comedy — known as Coming 2 America, naturally — has added Wesley Snipes, Leslie Jones, Kiki Layne, and rapper Rick Ross to the cast. Additionally, original cast members James Earl Jones and Paul Bates are returning, joining Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, who will reprise their (primary) roles from the original film.

Snipes will play a new character named General Izzi, who rules a neighboring country to Zamunda, homeland of Murphy’s Prince Akeem. Layne will play Akeem’s daughter, and Leslie Jones’ role is being kept under wraps. James Earl Jones, of course, will reprise his role as Akeem’s father, King Jaffe Joffer, with Bates as royal servant Oha.

The beloved original film follows Akeem as he travels from his African kingdom to Queens, New York, hoping to find himself a queen there. In the sequel, Akeem is about to become king when he discovers he has a long-lost son in Queens. Honoring his father’s dying wish to groom this son as the crowned prince, Akeem sets off to find him.

Update 8/10/19:  According to Complex.com, John Amos has reportedly signed on for the Coming to America sequel, a gig that will reunite him with original cast members Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Paul Bates, and James Earl Jones.  The 79-year-old actor is set to reprise his role as Cleo McDowell, the owner of the McDowell’s fast-food joint where Prince Akeem (Murphy) was employed. His character was also the father of Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley), Akeem’s love interest in the film.

The original 1988 film followed the character of Prince Akeem as he traveled to Queens to escape an arranged marriage and find true love. The second installment will find Akeem as he prepares to become king of the fictional Zamunda; however, his plans are derailed after he learns about his long-lost son back in the U.S.  Coming 2 America will be directed by Craig Brewer and written by Kenya Barris. In addition to the aforementioned cast members, the film will reportedly star Wesley Snipes, Teyana Taylor, Michael Blackson, Leslie Jones, KiKi Layne, and Jermaine Fowler.  Source:  Complex.com.

The Equalizer 2

Release Date:  12/11/18; DVD
Genre:  Drama/Thriller
Rating:  R
Director:  Antoine Fuqua
Studio(s):  Columbia Pictures Corporation, Escape Artists, Fuqua Films, Lonetree Entertainment, Mace Neufeld Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), ZHIV Productions
Running Time:  121 mins.
Cast:  Denzel Washington (Robert McCall), Ashton Sanders (Miles Whittaker), Pedro Pascal (Dave York), Orson Bean (Sam Rubinstein), Bill Pullman (Brian Plummer), Melissa Leo (Susan Plummer).

Story:   Sequel to the 2014 film The Equalizer, which was based on the TV series of the same name.  If you have a problem and there is nowhere else to turn, the mysterious and elusive Robert McCall will deliver the vigilante justice you seek. This time, however, McCall’s past cuts especially close to home when thugs kill Susan Plummer — his best friend and former colleague. Now out for revenge, McCall must take on a crew of highly trained assassins who’ll stop at nothing to destroy him.  Source:  Google.

Trailer:

Life-Size 2

Release Date:  12/2/18; Freeform
Genre:  Fantasy
Rating:  Unknown
Director:  Steven K. Tsuchida
Studio(s):   Walt Disney Television, Freeform
Running Time:  Unknown
Cast:  Tyra Banks (Eve), Francia Raisa (Grace Manning), Alison Fernandez (Lex), Gavin Stenhouse (Calum), Shanica Knowles (Tahlia), Lindsey Lohan (Casey Stuart).

Story:  Grace Manning, the confident and funny CEO of Marathon Toys, a huge toy company started by her mother that is most famous for manufacturing the iconic Eve doll. Grace is also a hot mess in the middle of her quarter-life crisis and realizing that she is in over her head as CEO. To make matters worse, her wild-child ways are causing the company’s stock to plummet.

Details:  18 years in the making, Life-Size 2 is finally happening and it has Tyra Banks back in the lead as a life-size doll that comes to life. The model-turned-actress is promising that her original co-star Lindsay Lohan will be showing up too.  Tyra Banks is excited to be returning to the fictional town of Sunnyvale in Life-Size 2. She stars as Eve, a living doll who has already dabbled in a medical career, aerospace design and the fashion industry, really giving Barbie a run for her money.  The original premiered as a Disney Channel original movie in 2000. Lindsay Lohan was just getting started, starring as Casey Stuart, a girl who transformers her favorite doll into the perfect living, breathing, thinking woman. Banks was initially disappointed that Lohan couldn’t return for the sequel, but she says that Lohan will be in the movie in some kind of way.  Life-Size 2 will be part of Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas line-up, hinting at a Christmas themed story this time around.  Source(s):  Movieweb, IMDB.

Trailer:

Tales From the Hood 2

Release Date:  10/2/18; DVD, VOD
Genre:  Horror
Rating:  R
Director(s):  Rusty Cundieff, Darin Scott
Studio(s):   Universal 1440 Entertainment, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE)
Running Time:  111 mins.
Cast:  Keith David (Portifoy Simms), Bryan Batt (John Lloyd), Kedrick Brown (Booze), Alicia Davis Johnson (PollyAnnas Hockenbull), Creighton Thomas (Cliff Bettis).
Story:   Keith David is Mr. Simms, who will present four horrific stories of lust, greed, pride and politics through tales of demonic dolls, possessed psychics, vengeful vixens and historical ghosts. Mr. Simms’s haunting stories will make you laugh… while you scream. TALES FROM THE HOOD 2 is squarely in the tradition of outrageous, entertaining anthology horror, but it also addresses serious issues with a forceful point of view, just as folklore has done throughout history.  Source:  Dread Central.

Trailer:

The First Purge

a/k/a Purge:  The Island

Release Date:10/2/18; DVD
Genre:  Horror, Action.
Rating:  R
Director:   Gerard McMurray
Studio(s):   Blumhouse Productions, Perfect World Pictures, Platinum Dunes, Universal Pictures.
Running Time:  98 mins.

Cast:  Y’lan Noel (Dimitri), Lex Scott Davis (Nya), Joivan Wade (Isaiah), Mugga (Dolores), Lauren Velez (Luisa), Marisa Tomei (The Architect-Dr. Update), Christian Robinson (Capital A), Kristen Solis (Selina), Patch Darragh (Chief of Staff-Arlo Sabian), Rotimi Paul (Skeletor), Mo McRae (7&7), Siya (Blaise).

Story:   During the country’s first purge, any level of crime (including murder) is legal for 12 hours. Because all emergency services are also suspended, the citizens must keep themselves connected and protected during a night of sheer terror and uncertainty. Isaiah and his sister work as activists who are trying to keep everything under control while promoting peace, but are finding it increasingly difficult to promote their agenda when not even the government agrees. As the night goes on the crimes become more intense, frequent, and leave the activist group more unsure about the future of their country.  Source:  DVD Release Dates.

Trailer: