Crazy Rich Asians was a phenomenon when it was released in 2018, it's honestly one of the best rom-coms out there, and it's a great movie to watch on an airplane. Now, its director, Jon M. Chu, has opened up about why it's such a great plane film. However, as the celebrated filmmaker shared that thought, he also noted that Glen Powell and his movies might be closing in on the title for best movies to watch in the air.
Jon M. Chu Explains Why Crazy Rich Asians Is The Best Plane Movie
Chu's conversations these days center mostly around Wicked and the upcoming release of Wicked: For Good on the 2025 movie schedule. However, at the Golden Globes' his conversation shifted to one of his older works during a chat with IMDb. This happened while he was on the red carpet to celebrate his 2025 Golden Globe nominated musical, and, during an interview he was asked why Crazy Rich Asians is the best airplane movie.
After journalist Cat Quinn told him the 2018 rom-com was the best film to watch on a plane out there, Chu gave a great answer about why that's the case, saying:
It's because it's delicious, and who could not stop watching Constance Wu and Henry Golding over and over again?
Neither of them are wrong. The whole movie is just so well done–from the ensemble's performances to the storyline that intertwines Wu’s character with Golding’s family–it’s a home run. And since the movie nails every scene and moment of dialogue, it’s a natural surefire choice for inflight entertainment.
However, Glen Powell also has some surefire choices in his filmography that make for great plane movies, and he seems to be coming for Crazy Rich Asians' title.
However, Glen Powell Might Take The Title For Best Airplane Movies
The In the Heights director shared this seniment as he hilariously noted that Powell and his movies may be edging in on the coveted ground Crazy Rich Asians holds. In fact, while on a flight, he caught the relatively new household name on multiple screens in different movies. He shared:
Although, Glen Powell is now competing with us for all those airplane movies. The other day I was sitting in the airplane three Glen Powell movies are playing in the airplane. So, he's taking over.
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Chu isn’t wrong about Powell. Although the Hit Man star has brought us hit after hit these past couple of years, and now he is following in the footsteps of Hollywood big hitters by taking on more producing projects, it wasn’t always this way. He had to grind to get to this point, and I’m glad to see the 36-year-old gaining traction both in the theaters and on airplanes.
I can just imagine watching the Now You See Me 2 director sitting down and realizing he’s seeing Powell in some of his biggest hits like Twisters (a co-worker saw someone watching this while flying recently), Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You or even Netflix's Hit Man in surround. All these movies have been hits in their own rights and they're all mega-crowd pleasers. So, naturally, they all make great plane movies.
The Step Up 2 director shouldn’t sweat it though. Much of the world has been hanging onto every bit of content about the Ozian sequel, its surprise cameos and more. And, as he works through Wicked press he has the Crazy Rich Asians sequel as well as the Britney Spears biopic queued up for him to get going on. All of which sound like they'll one day make for good inflight entertainment.
Time will tell if Powell takes the title from the book-turned-movie modern classic. On the bright side, Chu has plenty more movies in the works that can compete with the Everybody Wants Some!! alum. Plus, let us not forget, if the flights are long enough, viewers can fit a few movies in, Crazy Rich Asians, Twisters and Top Gun: Maverick included.
