August 15 may seem like a regular day to some, but for fans of the 2018 rom-com Crazy Rich Asians, it means so much more. It’s been 7 years since the Jon M. Chu-directed film first premiered in theaters. Still, fans haven’t stopped asking for a follow-up to the box office success.
Based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling 2013 novel of the same name, Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu, a Chinese-American NYU professor, who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young, to attend his best friend’s wedding. Soon, she discovers that her boyfriend was keeping a huge secret: that he just so happens to be a member of the Shang-Young clan, one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Singapore. As she finds herself competing for Singapore’s most eligible bachelor, Rachel realizes that she must win the approval of someone much worse — Nick’s mother, Eleanor Young. The talented ensemble cast of Crazy Rich Asians truly made the story come alive, which included Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina and Ken Jeong.
The book-to-movie adaptation was a massive success. Per Box Office Mojo, Crazy Rich Asians made a total of $26 million during its opening weekend. Overall, the movie grossed $239 million worldwide ($174 million domestically and $64 million internationally) with a $30 million budget. For many, a sequel seemed like a no-brainer. A Crazy Rich Asians sequel was announced shortly after the first movie premiered in theaters. And yet, there hasn’t been much news reported on the follow-up film, which could possibly follow the narrative of the second novel in the Crazy Rich Asians book series, titled China Rich Girlfriend.
Michelle Yeoh clapping and people surrounding her celebrating at a wedding gala in the movie Crazy Rich Asians
Warner Bros. Pictures
Short answer: A sequel is coming, but at a slow pace. Earlier this month, Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding exclusively spoke to PureWow and shared an exciting new update about the sequel. When asked about the production of Crazy Rich Asians 2, he told the publication:
“They’re trying to put it together. I think there’s so many challenges when it comes to something so big and iconic like that, so hopefully, we can kind of piece it together and get something on the table. You have to do [the fans] justice. You can’t come out with some crap.”
At first, some fans thought Crazy Rich Asians 2 was no longer happening after director Jon M. Chu shared a discouraging update back in November 2024. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Chu shared that there hasn’t been much progress with the sequel, saying:
There are a lot of questions about Crazy Rich Asians 2. 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.
With Golding’s recent update, fans are starting to feel more confident that a Crazy Rich Asians sequel is on the horizon. There might be a long wait ahead, but now we know that a second film is going to happen. The pressure is on this time around. Crazy Rich Asians was such a box office hit, it is going to be difficult to make a follow-up film that measures up to the original. But you know what they say: Good comes to those who wait.
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