Book-To-Screen
Is ‘Crazy Rich Asians 2’ Still Happening? The Latest Updates About the Long-Awaited Sequel
Jon M. Chu hive, it’s time to rise. The Wicked director has recently spoken about the latest updates regarding the sequel to his 2018 rom-com Crazy Rich Asians—and the news may not be what fans have been waiting to hear.
Based on the novel by Kevin Kwan, the film was the first major studio movie to feature an all-Asian cast in Hollywood in 25 years since 1993’s Joy Luck Club. It grossed over $230 million at the box office, making the film one of the highest-grossing romantic comedies of the decade.
The film starred Constance Wu and Henry Golding and featured other notable actors, including Michelle Yeoh, Ken Jeong, Gemma Chan, Harry Shum Jr., Awkwafina, Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, Sonoya Mizuno, and Joy Luck Club actress Lisa Lu.
The team originally planned to film the second and third movies back-to-back in 2020 to accommodate the limited availability of the large cast. However, due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the project was put on hiatus. So, will we ever see Crazy Rich Asians 2? Keep reading to learn more about the highly-anticipated sequel.
What is the sequel going to be about?
The second film would follow the second book in Kwan’s series, China Rich Girlfriend, which follows Rachel and Nick as they search for her birth father. Though the two are finally getting married, Rachel mourns the fact that her birth father isn’t there to walk her down the aisle. That is, until an accident reveals his identity, sending Rachel on an exotic and lavish search through Shanghai.
Sanja Bucko / Warner Bros. Pictures / Everett Collection
According to the novel’s synopsis: “Rachel is drawn into a dizzying world of Shanghai splendor, a world where people attend church in a penthouse, where exotic cars race down the boulevard, and where people aren’t just crazy rich…they’re China rich.”
When is China Rich Girlfriend coming out?
There is currently no release date for the Crazy Rich Asians sequel.
Has the Crazy Rich Asians sequel started filming?
As of May 2022, Amy Wang is writing the screenplay. She previously helmed The Brothers Sun screenplay as well as the 2022 limited series From Scratch.
Will the original cast return for the sequel?
This is unclear as of right now. During his Wicked press tour, Chu commented on the Crazy Rich Asians sequel cast in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“There are a lot of questions about Crazy Rich Asians 2,” Chu said. “I always promised the cast, I will not bring them back unless we get a script that’s better and has as much urgency as the first movie. And I think we just haven’t gotten there yet. The first movie, even though people think, ‘It’s like the book, so the second book should fit in,’ it’s actually not.”
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He continued, “The bar is high for all of us to come back to do that. So I’m not going to put the audience through that until we’re ready to do it.”
What is happening with the spinoff series?
A spinoff series is underway at Warner Bros., according to Deadline. This story is expected to focus on Astrid and Charlie, though details about the plot are not yet public. Screenwriter Jason Kim came in with a pitch to the studio, and reports broke in 2022 that the project was in the works. Kim’s writing credits include Barry and Girls. He’s also producing the upcoming film adaptation of Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart.
Is Crazy Rich Asians going to Broadway?
Yes! The musical adaptation of the first book was reported in April 2024. The production will be directed by Chu, featuring a book by Leah Nanako Winkler, music by Helen Park, and lyrics by Amanda Green and Tat Tong.
Are you hoping the Crazy Rich Asians sequel will come to fruition? Who do you most want to see in the sequel? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
