Can you believe it’s been six years since Crazy Rich Asians opened in theaters? Based on Kevin Kwan’s bestselling book of the same name, it made history as the first major studio film in 25 years to feature an all-Asian cast and became a box office sensation. It turned cast members like Constance Wu, Gemma Chan, Henry Golding, and Awkwafina into global stars; and even reawakened the world to Michelle Yeoh’s greatness. After creating a watershed moment in Hollywood, and with two more in Kwan’s trilogy, a sequel seems like the obvious next step. So, where is it?
Plans for a sequel were reported shortly after the film premiered in 2018, with director Jon M. Chu set to return. At the time, The Hollywood Reporter said he would do the sequel sometime after the In the Heights film, but that was released in June 2021. Since then, there have been changes to the writing team, news of a spin-off, and Chu has signed on to direct two Wicked films, but there’s still no update on the release date or other casting decisions. Rest assured, however, the sequel is happening. “We have a plan with Kevin for the next two films,” producer Brad Simpson told THR in 2018.
If the recent success of Anyone But You and The Idea of You proves anything, it’s that the world is itching for some more quality rom-coms. With CRA now streaming on Netflix, here’s what we know about where the crazy rich universe could go next.
What will the Crazy Rich Asians sequel be about?
The second film is expected to follow the second book in Kwan’s series, 2016’s China Rich Girlfriend, which follows Rachel (Constance Wu) and Nick (Henry Golding) as they search for her birth father. According to the book’s synopsis:
“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 birth father, 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.”
As the end of the first movie teased, the sequel might also include Astrid’s (Gemma Chan) romance with Charlie (Harry Shum Jr.) after she leaves her husband. But a separate spin-off is set to dive even deeper into their story. (More on that below.)
Who’s in the cast?
We could probably expect Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, and Harry Shum Jr. to return, but we’re still waiting for an official announcement from Warner Bros.
Why is there a new screenwriter?
Amy Wang, who was the story editor on The Brothers Sun and worked on From Scratch, is writing the sequel script, Deadline reported in 2022.
The news came after a pay disparity issue in 2019: Crazy Rich Asians co-writer Adele Lim stepped away from the second and third installments after learning that her co-writer Peter Chiarelli (The Proposal) made 10 times more than her. According to Deadline, the “business argument” was that Chiarelli “was a seasoned feature scribe, and Lim largely a TV writer (Crazy Rich Asians was her first feature film).”
Lim has since gone on to write the 2021 Disney animated film Raya and the Last Dragon and the 2023 R-rated comedy Joy Ride.
What is the deal with the Crazy Rich Asians spin-off?
A spin-off series is in the works at Warner Bros., set to focus on Astrid and Charlie. Details on the plot are not public yet, but Deadline reported that screenwriter Jason Kim “came in with a dynamite pitch for the lovebirds’ story, and Warner Bros. swooned for it.” When reports broke in 2022, the project was in the early development stages.
Kim’s writing credits include Barry and Girls, and he’s producing the upcoming film adaptation of Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart.
And there’s a musical?
Yes, a Crazy Rich Asians musical is headed for Broadway, also directed by Chu. The production features a book by Leah Nanako Winkler, music by Helen Park and lyrics by Amanda Green and Tat Tong, NBC News reported in April 2024.
This story will be updated.