Get ready for a Crazy Rich spin-off! According to a Deadline report, Warner Bros is going to develop a spin-off film based on the successful Crazy Rich Asians universe. Jason Kim, Emmy nominated writer and producer of the hit HBO comedy Barry, is set to helm the spinoff that will center around Gemma Chan’s character, Astrid Young Teo, and her romance with Charlie Wu, played by Harry Shum Jr.
This is going to be the second film in the early stages of development based on the bestselling books series by Kevin Kawn. Along with the spin-off there’s also the Crazy Rich Asians sequel that it’s being penned by Amy Wang. Both the spin-off and sequel will follow the events of Kevin Kwan’s second book in the trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend, but the latter is going to center around Constance Wu and Henry Golding’s characters, Rachel and Nick, who go on a trip to Shanghai to find the Rachel’s birth father.
Meanwhile, the story in the spin-off is going to be all about Astrid, a beloved character in both the book and the film adaptation. In the groundbreaking movie directed by Jon M. Chu, Astrid, played by the beautiful Gemma Chan, learns that her husband Michael has been having an affair. She reconnects with Charlie Wu (Harry Shum Jr.) -her first love- after they run into each other at Nick and Rachel’s engagement party. The couple was engaged, but Astrid’s parents broke them up as they didn’t see Charlie as a suitable husband.
A Long-Awaited Sequel
Since the film was a smashing success, and the post-credit scene gave hints of the continuation of the story, a sequel seemed like a certainty, but there was some unexpected trouble ahead.
The second installment was embroiled in controversy when screenwriter Adele Lim left the project due to a pay gap. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lim exposed that co-writer Peter Chiarelli received a significantly higher payment in comparison to her own. Chiarelli’s was offered a salary that ranged from $800,000 to $1 million, while Lim was offered just $110,000. Chiarelli volunteered to split his earnings with Lim, but she refused.
The film was set to advance with Amy Wang as the sole screenwriter but due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the project went on hiatus. Director Jon M. Chu, who was set to produce and direct the future installments, moved on to direct 2021’s In the Heights and right now is working on the highly anticipated film adaptation of Broadway’s Wicked.
A History-making Success
Crazy Rich Asians captured the hearts of moviegoers and the film was a resounding box office success. The movie broke records, made millions worldwide, and became the most successful rom-com in a decade. At the box office, the film debuted at $35.2M over 5-days and accumulated a total of $174.5M domestic, and $238.5M around the world. The film received a cast ensemble nomination from SAG, won Best Comedy at the Critics’ Choice Awards, and received Golden Globe nominations for Best Comedy/Musical and Comedy or Musical Actress (Constance Wu).