Max to reboot 'Crazy Rich Asians' as TV series
What's the story
The 2018 Hollywood hit Crazy Rich Asians, which grossed $240 million worldwide, will be rebooted as a television series for Max, reported Deadline. The movie was based on Kevin Kwan's 2013 novel series and received nominations for the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards. "The series will not replace the long-awaited sequel to the 2018 film as [Jon M] Chu and Warner Bros. Pictures continue to develop the project," per Deadline.
Production team
Original film's creators to helm TV series
The original film's co-writer and director Chu and Adele Lim are both attached to the TV series. Lim will be the showrunner and executive producer under her 100 Tigers banner, while Chu will executive produce through his Electric Somewhere banner with Naia Cucukov of 100 Tigers. Kwan, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson of Color Force, and SK Global Entertainment's Chloe Dan are other executive producers.
Series development
TV series was previously hinted by HBO
The Crazy Rich Asians TV series was first teased by HBO head Casey Bloys in 2024. Although there was talk of a sequel film as recently as November 2024, Chu said he found it difficult to create a story that would do justice to the first film. He told Deadline, "We've tried all different versions...And we've tried versions and the fact is that we just haven't gotten there."
Production challenges
Sequel film faced hurdles after Lim's departure
The sequel, now in limbo, hit a snag when Lim left in 2019 over a pay disparity issue. She told The Hollywood Reporter that Warner Bros. offered her much less than her co-writer Peter Chiarelli. No details have been released yet about the possible cast or premiere date for the Crazy Rich Asians TV series. The film starred Constance Wu, Henry Golding, and Michelle Yeoh.