Here's why Samuel L. Jackson won't be returning in the Coming To America sequel - despite being offered a cameo. Eddie Murphy broke through on Saturday Night Live, and he was quickly propelled to movie stardom thanks to snagging a lead in 1982 thriller 48 Hrs. Murphy's charisma and talent were undeniable, and he only cemented that thanks to Beverly Hills Cop. Murphy took over the lead from Sylvester Stallone - who recycled concepts for his take for Cobra - and the movie was a gigantic success.
The star could do little wrong at the box-office during his 1980s heyday, with even Harlem Nights - his only directorial effort to date - overcoming bad reviews to be a solid hit. One of Murphy's biggest hits from this era was 1988's Coming To America, playing a prince from the kingdom of Zamunda coming to the U.S. to find a bride. Murphy played the lead role and famously donned elaborate makeup to play several other characters, and the cast also featured James Earl Jones and Arsenio Hall.
Coming To America is also notable for an early role for Samuel L. Jackson, years before his star-making appearance in Pulp Fiction. During the story, Murphy's Prince Joffer takes a job at McDonald's ripoff McDowell's, with Jackson playing "Hold-Up Man." This character attempts to rob the restaurant, only to be quickly bested by Prince Joffer with the aid of a mop handle. Despite being a brief role "Hold-Up Man" also displayed Jackson's natural talent with swearing.
Coming To America 2 - AKA Coming 2 America - will reunite Eddie Murphy with just about every cast member from the original - bar Samuel L. Jackson. Murphy explained to HipHollywood in 2019 the very logical explanation that Jackson was too busy to return, which isn't a huge surprise given the star's workaholic tendencies. Murphy also revealed the plan was to have Jackson's "Hold-Up Man" still robbing the McDowell's restaurant over 30 years later.
If Samuel L. Jackson had returned for Coming 2 America, one thing that would have been different is the use of language, as the sequel is targeting a PG-13 rating. Beyond the Coming To America sequel, Eddie Murphy is still lined up to reprise Axel Foley for Beverly Hills Cop 4, which has been in development for years. This belated sequel is set to happen on Netflix, though Murphy actually did return to the franchise for a cameo in an unaired Beverly Hills Cop pilot in 2013. This series would have featured Brandon T. Jackson as Axel's son, but CBS passed on the pilot. Murphy later stated his cameo was what doomed it, as test audiences liked his appearance so much the network felt it wouldn't work if he didn't agree to recur on the series - which the star wasn't interested in doing.