‘Crazy Rich Asians’ TV Series in the Works at Max — Adele Lim, Jon M. Chu Returning

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The popular series “Crazy Rich Asians” is set to make its comeback, but in an unexpected format. Instead of a movie sequel, Kevin Kwan’s trilogy will be transformed into a TV series, with Max overseeing the adaptation. The director of the 2018 film, Jon M. Chu, and the film’s co-writer, Adele Lim, are also involved in this new project.

The future of “Crazy Rich Asians” has been uncertain for quite some time. Following the 2018 movie featuring Michelle Yeoh, Constance Wu, and Henry Golding that earned $240 million at the worldwide box office, a sequel seemed inevitable. Within weeks of its release, Warner Bros. Pictures announced plans for a sequel based on the novel “China Rich Girlfriend”. However, development was delayed due to scheduling issues and the departure of Lim, as well as Jon M. Chu’s heavy involvement in directing “Wicked” and its conclusion, “Wicked: For Good”.

Kwan’s novels trace the journey of Rachel Chu, an Asian-American character, as she gets acquainted with her boyfriend’s extremely affluent Singaporean family. A series of comedic events unfold. The main roles are played by Wu and Golding, while Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, Jimmy O. Yang, and Ronny Chieng make up the rest of the talented ensemble cast.

Initially hinting at a television series adaptation of “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2024, Casey Bloys, head of HBO, suggested that the Warner Bros. Discovery brand was working on something beyond just a movie. However, he did not specify if Jon M. Chu and Kevin Kwan (Kim Lim is his pen name), creators of the original franchise, would be part of this new project. The potential return of Kim Lim to the series is particularly intriguing.

In 2019, Lim chose not to participate in the proposed sequel, disclosing to THR that she was given a significantly lower salary compared to her male co-writer, Peter Chiarelli. She declined to provide details, but reports at the time suggested that Chiarelli was offered between $800,000 and $1 million, while Lim received an offer of over $110,000.

Four years after the incident, she opened up about it during a candid discussion with THR while discussing her directorial debut, Joy Ride. “It’s not ideal to be seen as challenging, particularly if you’re a woman,” she remarked. “There’s always this apprehension that your career might suffer. But the truth is, we’ve been given false expectations: ‘Work hard enough, and you’ll succeed! If you don’t, it’s because you weren’t good enough.’ Ignoring these issues isn’t beneficial. I may not have wanted to be the symbol of wage equality, but I’m grateful that it came to light.

She didn’t dismiss the possibility of a follow-up either. “I adore that film,” she expressed, “It made such a positive impact on Asian Americans. I hope for another installment. Regardless of whether I’m the one writing or directing it, I want it to succeed.

That sequel may still be in limbo, but Crazy Rich Asians lives on.

Lim will take on the role of showrunner for this upcoming project, having opened a writers’ room for its development. She will also act as executive producer under her 100 Tigers banner. Additionally, Chu (through Electric Somewhere) and Naia Cucukov from 100 Tigers are set to be executive producers, along with Kwan, Nina Jacobson, and Brad Simpson of Color Force, who developed and produced the film. SK Global Entertainment is also involved in production, with Chloe Dan supervising the project.

Lim is represented by Paradigm and Ginsburg Daniels, while Chu is associated with Artists First, UTA, and Goodman Genow. Kwan is handled by CAA and Lichter Grossman. Cucukov, on the other hand, has Paradigm and Sean Marks as his representatives.

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2025-02-28 22:25