Already a massive success as a best-selling novel series, Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians hit new levels of cultural currency when director Jon M. Chu adapted it for the big screen, smashing box office records in the process. The sequel China Rich Girlfriend promises plenty more exploits from Asian high society. Here’s everything we know about it so far.
What is it about?
Released in 2015, the second novel, China Rich Girlfriend (CRG), picks up two years after the events of Crazy Rich Asians (CRA). Whereas the first film took place largely in Singapore, the events of the second film will transpire mainly in Shanghai, with the original cast of characters being exposed to the nouveau riche class of mainland China.
In the novel, Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and Nicholas Young (Henry Golding) learn that Rachel’s biological father, who she believed was dead, turns out not only to be alive but also to be the billionaire owner of a Chinese pharmaceutical company. He also started another family after Rachel and has a son, Carlton, who resembles her. This prompts Rachel and Nick to travel to China to complete the puzzle of her family history.
Expect Astrid Leong’s (Gemma Chan) storyline to be given more screen time as she negotiates her separation from husband Michael (Pierre Png), while being courted by her billionaire ex-fiancé, Charlie Wu (Harry Shum Jr) – hinted at in a mid-credits scene in CRA. Director Chu told The Hollywood Reporter: “The idea is to tell the story [of Astrid and Charlie] in the next movie. I made a promise to Harry, so I’m going to do it.”
Kitty Pong (Fiona Xie), the society-climbing former soap star seen dumping Alistair for Bernard at the end of CRA, will also play a bigger role as she tries to assimilate into Hong Kong’s social elite. Said Chu: “We needed to hire somebody who can really act, because in time [Kitty] becomes much more significant. I think [Fiona] is scared that we’re never going to make that one, but we are. I’ll make it happen.”
However, it remains to be seen how closely Chu will follow the plot of CRG given that some storylines in the first film had already greatly diverged from that of the book. Take, for example, Rachel and Nick’s own storyline – at the end of the first novel, it is unclear whether they will get back together after Eleanor sabotages their relationship, while the movie ends happily with Rachel, Nick and Eleanor all in each other’s good graces.
Who is in the cast?
Movie leads Constance Wu, Henry Golding, and Michelle Yeoh all seem eager to reprise their roles in CRG, while Chu will stay in the director’s chair. Golding told The Hollywood Reporter: “I hope there’s something in the future. It would be so much fun to get everybody back together, back to sweaty old Singapore.”
When will it hit cinemas?
Unfortunately, fans will have to wait until at least 2020 for production to start, as Chu is occupied for most of this year directing The Heights, a film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s eponymous Broadway musical.
Constance Wu will also be kept busy with Hustlers, where she will star alongside Jennifer Lopez as two former strippers who use their craft to con seedy Wall Street types, in what has been described as “a modern Robin Hood story.”
However, the good news is that it’s likely the remaining two films in the CRA trilogy – China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems – will be filmed back-to-back once production gets rolling. Until then, watch this space.
Editor
Gavin YeungCredit
Header image courtesy of Warner Bros.