‘Crazy Rich Asians’ set to return as new series, with original movie’s stars reprising roles

By Rhea Mogul, CNN

(CNN) — Eight years after “Crazy Rich Asians” broke new ground for Asian representation in Hollywood, the blockbuster that became a cultural phenomenon is writing a new chapter.

The franchise will return in a new television series on HBO Max, the streaming platform announced on social media, with the main cast from the ensemble – including Michelle Yeoh, Constance Wu and Henry Golding – set to reprise their roles.

“Not just rich – crazy rich,” HBO Max wrote on Instagram, adding the series will begin production in 2027. HBO Max, like CNN, is owned by Skydance.

When it opened in theaters in 2018, the romantic comedy was hailed as a watershed moment for inclusivity in Hollywood, featuring the first all-Asian cast in a major Hollywood movie in more than two decades. It triumphed at the box office, raking in more than $230 million globally, and drew rave reviews.

For many Asians, the film became a source of cultural pride, offering a rare spotlight on the community’s diversity, influence and growing visibility.

“Eight years ago, Crazy Rich Asians changed my life,” wrote the film’s director Jon M. Chu on his Instagram stories. “It’s been incredible watching audiences make this movie part of their lives, from mahjong nights to becoming the ultimate airplane movie. And I can’t wait to share what comes next. Finally, I get to answer the question I’ve been asked almost every day for eight years: ‘when are we getting the sequel?’”

Based on Kevin Kwan’s novel, “Crazy Rich Asians” tells the story of Rachel Chu (Wu), a New York economics professor, who is thrust into the world of opulence and glamour thanks to her boyfriend Nicholas Young (Golding).

Nick, the heir to one of Singapore’s wealthiest families, takes Rachel home to accompany him for his best friend’s wedding, where she must win over his imperious mother, Eleanor (Yeoh). Along the way, she meets Nick’s eccentric family and friends, some of whom help her, while others seek to jeopardize their romance.

The film’s ensemble cast includes Ken Jeong, Awkwafina, Ronny Chieng and Gemma Chan.

HBO Max said in its post that Chieng is expected to return in his role as Edison “Eddie” Cheng, Nick’s status-obsessed cousin from Hong Kong.

Adele Lim, who co-wrote the 2018 film, expressed her excitement in a post on Instagram, saying: “We finally get to make the sequel the world been clamoring for, but instead of one more movie, we’ll have EIGHT EPISODES OF CRAZY RICH MAGIC.”

Lim and Chu may have more material to develop the new series.

Kwan’s novel “Crazy Rich Asians” was published in 2013, followed by “China Rich Girlfriend” two years later, and then “Rich People Problems” in 2017, though it’s not immediately clear if the series will include material from the sequels.

The “Crazy Rich Asians” movie came out around the time the public was demanding greater representation, with Hollywood facing accusations of “whitewashing.”

Chu, who went on to direct “In the Heights” and the “Wicked” movies, previously spoke to CNN about how these conversations impacted his work.

“I was definitely affected by … people fighting back for the first time, finding each other and uniting to discuss issues that we all knew were happening but didn’t feel like anyone cared enough to make it a ‘thing,’” he said in an interview in 2021. “I realized I had been in those rooms, where I was being told ‘you can’t cast this person or that person as this romantic lead,’ because it needed to ‘play globally.’”

Jeong, who starred as Papa Goh, an eccentric, newly wealthy businessman from Singapore in “Crazy Rich Asians,” told CNN in 2018 that he was overwhelmed by the love the film was receiving.

“This is beyond expected for all of us,” Jeong said. “It’s been highly emotional for the whole cast and crew. The fans have spoken … I’m so grateful to the fans and it just shows that it’s time.”

The-CNN-Wire
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