If the romantic comedies of the past taught us one thing, it's that happy endings are possible. This summer's hit comeback for the genre, Crazy Rich Asians, was a success for more than the usual reasons. It showed moviegoers' hunger for inclusive stories through a fairytale-esque comedy about acceptance through an exploration of the Singapore elite.
Since Crazy Rich Asians is based on a series of three novels, we've been eager to see how the story will continue. Shortly after the film became a box office success, a sequel was greenlit. Screenwriters Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim are returning to pen the new script, with director Jon M. Chu set to direct. Producer Nina Jacobson has told Deadline that a second and third Crazy Rich Asians sequel will be shot back-to-back in 2020.
That seems like ages, but the delay isn't a surprise, considering Jon M. Chu is devoting much of 2019 to his planned film adaptation of Tony-winning musical In the Heights. Also, with the breakout success of Crazy Rich Asians, much of the cast has jumped on other projects. Awkwafina has an upcoming Comedy Central television series, and Henry Golding has a holiday rom-com opposite Emilia Clarke (also starring Michelle Yeoh) called Last Christmas.
Once Jon M. Chu goes into post-production on In the Heights, he'd likely get ready for the two-film shoot and dive right into it in 2020. Filming the two sequels back-to-back will allow for the talent to knock out the entire trilogy all at once, and would mean there wouldn't be such a long gap between releasing the second and third films.
This news might mean the sequel to Crazy Rich Asians won't hit theaters until 2021, but all-in-all it's exciting that not one but two follow-ups to the rom-com are penciled in to the cast and crews' schedules. The first film was based on a series by Kevin Kwan which includes a second novel called China Rich Girlfriend and third named Rich People Problems.
The second film is said to focus more on Gemma Chan's Astrid, who was dealing with the demise of her relationship with her husband in Crazy Rich Asians. Fans of the novels know there's much more to tell regarding Astrid, along with the second novel also focusing on Nick and Rachel as they travel to Mainland China to learn the truth of her father.
The Crazy Rich Asians filmmakers also struggled with balancing the many talents of the all-Asian cast, with some supporting roles not fully explored. So there's plenty of material to work with and the franchise can easily fill three films full of comedic moments and touching storylines.
Crazy Rich Asians was just nominated for two Golden Globes for Best Picture, with the film's star Constance Wu nabbing a Best Actress nod. The high-acclaim solidifies the film's immense success after it made over $237 million worldwide at the box office and been praised by audiences and critics alike.
