Crazy Rich Asians 2 Sequel Movie Gets Official Status Update from Writer (Exclusive)

Fans finally got an update on the official status of Crazy Rich Asians 2 from one of the movie's lead writers. It has been nearly seven years since the release of the first Crazy Rich Asians film by director John M. Chu (who most recently worked on Wicked for Universal), but there is still hope for a second film based on the 

Speaking in an exclusive conversation with The Direct at the Slanted SXSW premiere, writer Amy Wang discussed the forthcoming Crazy Rich Asians 2 discussed the new movie and where it stands in production. This is not the first time someone involved in the romantic comedy sequel has brought it up, but it is the most recent. 

Wang revealed that "As far as [she knows], it is still going to happen," but "everyone's taking their time" to make "the sequel to be better than the past:"

Q: "Can you give us an update on where 'Crazy Rich Asians 2' is at? Is it gonna happen? When can we see it?"

A: "I am very sorry to disappoint... As far as I know, it is still going to happen, but it's just that everyone's taking their time. Everybody wants to make the script perfect and great. And you know, they want the sequel to be better than the past, so, yeah."

This comes after years of development on the film. A sequel to the acclaimed romance was announced in August 2018, shortly after the first film came to theaters. However, since then, things have remained relatively mum.

The last fans heard about the project before this, HBO and Max Studio Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys mentioned the franchise in a 2024 interview with Variety, telling the outlet that the studio had plans to develop a series based on the property. 

Crazy Rich Asians 2 was set to follow up on the box office success of the first film, which debuted in theaters in August 2018 to near-universal acclaim. John M. Chu's first film in the franchise followed Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she traveled to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding); however, upon her arrival, she discovers that Nick has been hiding a massive secret, his family is one of the richest in Southeast Asia. 

The sequel was assumed to have many of the original cast returning to reprise their roles, including Gemma Chan as Astrid Leong-Teo, Lisa Lu as Shang Su Yi, Awkwafina as Goh Peik Lin, and Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor Sung-Young. 

What Do We Know About Crazy Ruch Asians 2?

After almost a decade in development, fans' hope for Crazy Rich Asians 2 has started to dwindle. The first film was such a box office smash that many had assumed it would start a long and fruitful franchise for Warner Bros.; however, things have sputtered (at least with the second movie). 

It should be reassuring, though, that one of the minds penning the upcoming sequel's script is still adamant that it is happening; it is just a matter of time before it does.

There are several reasons for the lengthy wait between Crazy Rich Asians movies. The most significant of these factors was the emergence of the COVID-19 in 2020. This delayed the film even further than it would have already been without any other outside considerations.

Another key factor behind the wait was that one of the original movie's key creatives left the sequel early in its development. In September 2019, the screenwriter on the first film, Adele Lim, stepped away from the project after a tense round of contract negotiations. 

Lim left the project due to disagreements between her and the studio over pay disparity. At the time, she said she was not going to do it if she couldn't get "pay equity" following the success of the first film. So, she stepped away, opting to pursue other ventures. 

Since then, work on the sequel has quietly moved forward at Warner Bros. Still, no official release information has been made public for the title as of yet, but even though the series' biggest stars only get busier, there seems to be enthusiasm to make the movie happen at some point soon.