Guys, it's finally here — the day so many of us have been waiting for. (No, pumpkin spice lattes aren't available at Starbucks just yet.) However, the highly-anticipated romantic comedy, Crazy Rich Asians, did officially hit theaters today, Aug. 15. If you haven't heard of this groundbreaking rom-com, it's actually based on a 2013 book written by Kevin Kwan — and it happens to be Hollywood's first studio film in 25 years that features an all-Asian cast. Not to mention, the movie trailer makes the story itself seem compelling AF. Even though the movie literally just came out, fans of the book series (which is a trilogy) are probably already wondering: will there be a Crazy Rich Asians sequel?
But first, let's first let's explore what the first book (and the movie) is all about. Crazy Rich Asians is a story about a Chinese-American economics professor named Rachel Chu, who travels with her boyfriend, Nick Young, to Singapore to attend his friend's wedding — oh, and to meet his family for the first time. If that doesn't seem intimidating enough, Chu soon discovers that Young's family is wealthy beyond her wildest dreams, as The Washington Post reported. Oh, and Nick just so happens to be the sole heir to this massive fortune.
Considering Crazy Rich Asians just hit theaters today, it probably seems ludicrous to even bring up the idea of a sequel. However, that's exactly what an E! News reporter did when she had the opportunity to speak with director Jon M. Chu. at the world premiere on Monday. "You know, it's up to the audience. If people show up that opening weekend, we would love to tell more stories," Chu told E! News. "We’d love to have other people tell their stories as well. We’ll see, but it’s up to the people who show up.”
You hear that, people? Go see this movie — the possibility of a sequel depends on it! The good news is, reviews so far have been stellar. In fact, according to Entertainment Weekly, the movie's fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes was at 100 percent at one point. (Granted, it's since dropped a bit.) But that's seriously impressive. And according to The Hollywood Reporter, Crazy Rich Asians is tracking to bring in a five-day debut of $26 million-plus. That is certainly nothing to sneeze at.
For the record, producer/writer/actor/director Eugene Lee Yang gave the film a pretty solid Twitter review, as well. "Yes, #CrazyRichAsians has stellar Asian-American representation, but let's also talk about how it's the best rom-com I've seen in years," he tweeted on Aug. 9. "It's funny as hell. It's sumptuously sexy. It's full of heart. And it also happens to be unapologetically Asian. GO SEE THIS MOVIE." Tons of other positive reactions can be found in the Twitter-sphere, too.
So, yeah. In my "expert" opinion, I'd say the chances of a sequel are in pretty good standing. And judging by the storyline of book number two, China Rich Girlfriend, would definitely get a bit crazier if a movie sequel were eventually to become a reality. According to Cosmopolitan, Rachel and Nick wind up getting married in California. But the bigger shock is finding out that Rachel's biological father is apparently a billionaire politician from Shanghai. Intrigued? You can read more about the plot/actually purchase the series for yourself, here. The third book in the series, for the record, is Rich People Problems. (But that would be way down the line, in movie form.)
For those who want more on-screen Kevin Kwan-inspired stories, the good news is you won't have to wait around in limbo for a potential sequel. That's because Amazon Studios has already ordered a script-to-series project from Kwan and STXtv, Deadline reported. The yet-unnamed drama will feature “Hong Kong’s most influential and powerful family and the business empire they control."
If you've already seen Crazy Rich Asians for yourself, you're likely pumped about the idea of an eventual sequel. However, it's still too early to tell whether or not China Rich Girlfriend will become a reality as a film. In the meantime, I would keep your eyes peeled for news on this upcoming series. And of course, you can always read (or re-read) the books.
