Jon M. Chu is making headlines with his bustling schedule as a director. After the success of “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2018, which significantly boosted discussions about Asian representation in Hollywood and earned over $200 million against a $30 million budget, Chu is now gearing up for multiple high-profile projects. Among them are “Wicked: For Good,” “Hot Wheels,” a Britney Spears biopic, “Split Fiction” with Sydney Sweeney, Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!,” and an adaptation of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”
Amidst this whirlwind of activity, Chu has not forgotten about the much-anticipated sequel to “Crazy Rich Asians.” However, this project has faced its share of hurdles and production delays. In an exciting turn of events, HBO is now reimagining the sequel as a television series. “It’s a real thing,” Chu stated in a recent interview with Esquire. He confirmed that scripts are ready, and the project is on the verge of moving forward.
The upcoming series is expected to draw inspiration from the second installment of Kevin Kwan’s trilogy, “China Rich Girlfriend,” and subsequently from “Rich People Problems,” the third book. Initially, the films were set to be produced back-to-back, but the concept shifted as production faced multiple delays. Notably, screenwriters Adele Lim and Peter Chiarelli were replaced by Amy Wang due to pay disputes, but Lim has since returned as the official showrunner.
Chu mentioned the challenges of continuing the story, noting, “It’s hard to do the continuation of the books, because our characters changed so much in the first movie. It’s so different [from] the books, actually, even though it feels like it’s the same. So you couldn’t go one-to-one. But we can use a lot of inspiration from the book to dig out more stories from it.”
While the original cast—featuring stars like Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, Ronny Chieng, Jimmy O. Yang, and Ken Jeong—has not yet been confirmed to return, Chu expressed optimism that they will be involved when production ramps up.
As Chu juggles these numerous projects, his commitment to elevating diverse storytelling in Hollywood remains steadfast. With HBO’s fresh take on “Crazy Rich Asians,” fans can look forward to exploring new narratives while celebrating the beloved characters and stories that have captivated audiences.