2018’s Crazy Rich Asians was the surprise hit of the year and broke many barriers for Asian representation in Hollywood, but the prospective Crazy Rich Asians 2 has long been stalled in production limbo. Based on the satirical novel by Kevin Kwan, the film follows a Chinese-American college professor who travels with her boyfriend to meet his family in Singapore, only to learn they are ultra-wealthy. With a cast led by Constance Wu, Henry Golding and Michelle Yeoh, Crazy Rich Asians was the first Hollywood film to feature an all-Asian cast since 1993’s Joy Luck Club.

Along with positive reviews, Crazy Rich Asians also cleaned up at the box office and grossed an impressive $239 million worldwide against a minuscule budget (via Box Office Mojo). Naturally, the instant success sparked rumors of a sequel, and with the cast of Crazy Rich Asians going on to even greater success, interest has never been higher. However, plans to adapt Kwan’s sequel novels China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems have been stalled by one delay after another. Despite that, Crazy Rich Asians 2 remains on the table, though many details are still unclear.

Crazy Rich Asians 2 Latest News

Another Disappointing Update From Director Jon M. Chu

Many months after a new screenwriter was hired to tackle the sequel, the latest news comes in the form of a negative update from director Jon M. Chu. While promoting his new film, Wicked, Chu was asked about the development of Crazy Rich Asians 2, and he didn’t hold back. Chu hinged the delays on script troubles, saying “I will not bring them back unless we get a script that’s better and has as much urgency as the first movie.” Acknowledging that adapting the books has been a challenge, Chu made it clear that he wouldn’t reunite the cast for Crazy Rich Asians 2 until things were perfect.

Read Chu’s full comments here:

There are a lot of questions about Crazy Rich Asians 2. I always promised the cast, I will not bring them back unless we get a script that’s better and has as much urgency as the first movie. And I think we just haven’t gotten there yet. The first movie, even though people think, “It’s like the book, so the second book should fit in,” it’s actually not. There’s a lot of shifting, architecturally, and so it’s not a straight translation. And then there are characters that you want to see in a movie that are part of the book. We’ve done some versions and it’s never quite hit. The bar is high for all of us to come back to do that, so I’m not going to put the audience through that until we’re ready to do it.

Crazy Rich Asians 2 Is Not Confirmed

Warner Bros. Hasn’t Green-Lit Anything Yet

Despite all the years of updates and speculation, Crazy Rich Asians 2 isn’t confirmed yet. Warner Brothers has been making plans to follow up the smash-hit 2018 film since its release, but nearly every move has been stalled. That being said, the film has never been on Warner Brothers’ official slate, and it has been stuck in the development stage since 2018.

The Crazy Rich Asians book series includes:

Michelle Yeoh offered an explanation for Crazy Rich Asians 2‘s absence by stating “I think they are trying to find the right story. Kevin Kwan is endless with his stories“. This speculation is backed up by the film’s shifting screenwriters, and by director Jon M. Chu, who mentioned that he wouldn’t return to make another movie until the story was perfect. Adapting Kwan’s novels has always been challenging, and Crazy Rich Asians 2 won’t succeed if it is done in half-measure that don’t try to top the original.

Crazy Rich Asians 2 Cast Details

Who Could Return In The Sequel?

Though nothing is confirmed yet, the success of Crazy Rich Asians 2 hinges on the star-studded cast returning to reprise their roles. Though many have gone on to bigger and better things since, the entire ensemble is needed to make the movie shine. Leading the sequel will likely be Constance Wu and Henry Golding as Rachel and Nick, respectively. LIkewise, Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh will need to return as Nick’s mother, Eleanor. Considering Yeoh’s own enthusiasm about the sequel, there’s little doubt she would come back if she could.

Crazy Rich Asians 2 Story Details

China Rich Girlfriend & Rich People Problems Could Serve As Inspiration

The few updates concerning the movie’s development have revealed that the script is currently attempting to adapt Kevn Kwan’s follow-ups to Crazy Rich Asians. The first sequel, China Rich Girlfriend, follows up with Rachel after the ending of Crazy Rich Asians in which she learns that she has a secret family in China that she never knew about. Nick and Rachel’s wedding is finally scheduled, and that inspires Eleanor to get even more involved in manipulations behind the scenes. It all culminates in an over-the-top confrontation, something that would be interesting to see in Crazy Rich Asians 2.