In likely one of the studio’s easiest decisions this year, Warner Bros. has decided to move forward withCrazy Rich Asians 2. PerTHR, directorJon M. Chuis planning to return to helm the sequel to the box office smash, with pretty much the entire behind-the-scenes team returning including producersNina Jacobson,Brad Simpson, andJohn Ivanhoe, and screenwritersPeter ChiarelliandAdele Lim.
Moving forward with aCrazy Rich Asianssequel is not all that difficult, as the source material for the first film spawned two further sequels. AuthorKevin Kwan’s second book in the trilogy is calledChina Rich Girlfriendand the third and final book isRich People Problems. Warner Bros. has the option for all three books, and producer Nina Jacobson previously said they “have a plan with Kevin for the next two films.”
THR notes thatCrazy Rich Asians 2hasn’t officially been greenlit yet, but development has begun following a $35.3 million five-day opening for a film many saw as a risky gamble—an all-Asian romantic comedy.
When it was clear thatCrazy Rich Asianswould be a hit, the question then became not if Warner Bros. would make a sequel, but if Chu would be back at the helm. TheG.I. Joe: Retaliationhelmer churned out the best film of his career and was instrumental in how successfulCrazy Rich Asiansturned out to be. But he also has a packed schedule, as he’s set to shoot a new Apple series this fall and next year will direct the long-awaited feature film adaptation ofLin-Manuel Miranda’s musicalIn the Heights. THR says it’s likely thatCrazy Rich Asians 2(orChina Rich Girlfriend, depending on how WB wants to title the follow-up) would be Chu’s next film afterIn the Heights, which is set to hit theaters in June 2020. So fans may have to wait a spell.
Interestingly enough, Chu and Kwan had an offer from Netflix to makeCrazy Rich Asiansfor the streaming service that also included an automatic greenlight for the two sequels. But Chu and Kwan felt it was important that a film like this get a theatrical release, so they went with Warner Bros. instead. I’d say their decision paid off.
Crazy Rich Asianswas not just a runaway success, it’s one of the best films of the year—lush, complex, hilarious, and genuinely heartwarming. I can’t wait to spend more time with these characters, especially with the whole creative team back together. And if you were wondering why in the worldHarry Shum Jr.had a 5-second cameo at the end ofCrazy Rich Asians, your questions will be answered in this sequel.
Read the synopsis for Kwan’s bookChina Rich Girlfriendbelow to get a taste of where the story might be going.
It’s the eve of Rachel Chu’s wedding, and she should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond, a wedding dress she loves, and a fiancé willing to thwart his meddling relatives and give up one of the biggest fortunes in Asia in order to marry her. Still, Rachel mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be there to walk her down the aisle.
Then a chance accident reveals his identity. Suddenly, 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.
