History of Crazy Rich Asians in Timeline
Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu, an American economics professor, who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young, for his best friend's wedding. Rachel is surprised to discover that Nick belongs to one of the wealthiest families in Singapore. As she navigates the complexities of Singapore's high society, Rachel must contend with Nick's disapproving mother, Eleanor, and other envious socialites. The film explores themes of family expectations, cultural differences, and the challenges of love amidst immense wealth and tradition, as Rachel fights for her place in Nick's world.
1993: Release of The Joy Luck Club
In 1993, The Joy Luck Club was released. Crazy Rich Asians is the first major Hollywood film since The Joy Luck Club in 1993 to feature a majority cast of Chinese descent in a modern setting.
1993: Last all-Asian cast film
In 1993, The Joy Luck Club was the last modern story with an all-Asian cast and an Asian-American lead, before Crazy Rich Asians.
1994: Comparison to Four Weddings and a Funeral
In 1994, Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post, compared the film's rom-com themes to Four Weddings and a Funeral.
2002: Comparison to My Big Fat Greek Wedding
In 2002, Scott Mendelson of Forbes compared the film's contrived humor to the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
2002: Ke Huy Quan quits acting after Second Time Around
In 2002, actor Ke Huy Quan quit acting after Second Time Around due to the lack of opportunities for Asian actors.
2005: The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
In 2005, Brenda Song portrayed London Tipton in the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.
2006: Comparison to The Devil Wears Prada
In 2006, Time magazine published a review comparing the high fashion appeal of Crazy Rich Asians to films such as The Devil Wears Prada.
2008: Comparison to Mamma Mia!
In 2008, Peter Debruge of Variety drew comparisons of the film's wedding sequence to Mamma Mia!
August 2012: Film Rights Purchased
In August 2012, the rights to the book "Crazy Rich Asians" were purchased, marking the beginning of the film adaptation process.
June 11, 2013: Publication of Crazy Rich Asians Novel
On June 11, 2013, Kevin Kwan published his comedic novel, Crazy Rich Asians.
August 2013: Nina Jacobson Acquires Rights to Adapt Crazy Rich Asians
In August 2013, Nina Jacobson acquired the rights to adapt the novel Crazy Rich Asians into a film, with plans to produce it outside the studio system.
2013: Publication of Crazy Rich Asians Novel
In 2013, Kevin Kwan published the novel "Crazy Rich Asians". The novel is the basis for the 2018 film adaptation.
2013: Comparison to The Great Gatsby
In 2013, Peter Debruge of Variety compared the film's visual style and tone to Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby.
2014: Ivanhoe Pictures Partners to Finance and Produce the Film
In 2014, Ivanhoe Pictures partnered with Jacobson to finance and produce the film "Crazy Rich Asians".
2015: Awkwafina references Aloha
In 2015, Awkwafina jokingly stated it would have been bad only if the producers had cast Emma Stone as Nick, referring to the 2015 film Aloha.
2015: Boutique Hotel Closes
In 2015, a boutique hotel that was formerly used as residences for the British High Commissioner to Malaya, and that later became the location for the Young family home in Crazy Rich Asians, closed.
May 2016: Jon M. Chu Negotiates to Direct
In May 2016, director Jon M. Chu entered negotiations to direct the film adaptation of "Crazy Rich Asians" for Color Force and Ivanhoe Pictures. He secured the role by presenting a visual presentation highlighting his experience as a first-generation Asian-American.
October 2016: Warner Bros. Acquires Distribution Rights
In October 2016, Warner Bros. Pictures acquired the distribution rights to "Crazy Rich Asians" after a competitive bidding war.
2016: Constance Wu Auditions for Rachel Chu
In mid-2016, Constance Wu initially auditioned for the role of Rachel Chu. Scheduling conflicts with her role on Fresh Off the Boat prevented her from accepting the role immediately.
March 2017: Michelle Yeoh Cast as Eleanor Young
In March 2017, Michelle Yeoh joined the cast of Crazy Rich Asians as Eleanor Young, Nick's mother.
April 2017: Production Start Date Announced
Production for "Crazy Rich Asians" was slated to begin in April 2017 in Singapore and Malaysia after Constance Wu convinced Chu to push back the production schedule.
April 18, 2017: Kris Aquino Cast in a Cameo Role
On April 18, 2017, Filipino actress Kris Aquino was cast in a cameo role for Crazy Rich Asians.
April 24, 2017: Principal Photography Begins
On April 24, 2017, principal photography began for "Crazy Rich Asians," and completed on June 23, 2017. Filming took place in Malaysia and Singapore.
July 2017: Box office debut of Girls Trip
In July 2017, Girls Trip debuted to $31.2 million, a figure that Crazy Rich Asians' pre-sale tickets were outpacing leading up to its release.
2017: Set Designers Find Abandoned Mansions in Malaysia
In 2017, set designers for Crazy Rich Asians found two abandoned mansions that make up Carcosa Seri Negara within the Perdana Botanical Gardens in Malaysia to film the ancestral Young family home, set at Tyersall Park in Singapore.
2017: Cast Members Sign On and Filming Begins
In the Spring of 2017, many cast members signed on to the "Crazy Rich Asians" film. Principal photography commenced in April 2017 and continued through June, taking place across various locations in Singapore, Malaysia, and New York City.
April 2018: Early Screening Held in Los Angeles
In April 2018, an early screening of Crazy Rich Asians was held at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles. It received strong emotional reactions from the audience.
August 7, 2018: Crazy Rich Asians Film Premiere
Crazy Rich Asians premiered on August 7, 2018, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
August 8, 2018: Special advance screenings
On August 8, 2018, Crazy Rich Asians held special advance screenings and made an estimated $450,000–500,000, selling out most of its 354 theaters.
August 10, 2018: Release of Soundtrack and Score Albums
On August 10, 2018, the soundtrack album and score album for Crazy Rich Asians, by Brian Tyler, were both released through WaterTower Music.
August 15, 2018: Theatrical Release of Crazy Rich Asians in the United States
On August 15, 2018, Warner Bros. Pictures released Crazy Rich Asians theatrically in the United States. The film became a major critical and commercial success, grossing over $238 million and receiving numerous accolades.
August 22, 2018: Release in Singapore
Crazy Rich Asians was released in Singapore on August 22, 2018.
September 14, 2018: U.K. Release
Crazy Rich Asians was released in the U.K. on September 14, 2018, moved forward from a planned November 2018 release date.
September 28, 2018: Release in Japan
On September 28, 2018, Crazy Rich Asians released to 75 theaters in Japan.
October 2018: Highest Grossing Romantic Comedy of the Decade
In October 2018, "Crazy Rich Asians" became the highest-grossing romantic comedy of the last 10 years.
October 2018: Release in China Announced
In October 2018, it was announced that Crazy Rich Asians would be released in China on November 30, 2018.
November 6, 2018: Digital Release
Crazy Rich Asians was released on digital on November 6, 2018.
November 20, 2018: DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray Release
Crazy Rich Asians was released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray on November 20, 2018.
November 30, 2018: Release in China
On November 30, 2018, Crazy Rich Asians was released in China.
2018: Release of Crazy Rich Asians Film
In 2018, Crazy Rich Asians, an American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jon M. Chu, was released. The screenplay was written by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, based on Kevin Kwan's 2013 novel of the same title. The movie stars Constance Wu, Henry Golding, and Michelle Yeoh and follows Rachel's experience meeting Nick's wealthy family in Singapore.
2018: Tourism Increase in Singapore
In 2018, tourism to Singapore increased following the release of Crazy Rich Asians, partially due to the attractions showcased in the film.
June 23, 2019: Director Chu discusses the future of film
On June 23, 2019, director Chu participated in a panel for The New York Times discussing the future of film.
September 2019: Adele Lim leaves production due to pay dispute
In September 2019, screenwriter Adele Lim left production on the film's sequels due to a pay dispute, highlighting issues of sexism and racism in Hollywood.
November 2019: Brenda Song's audition denial
In November 2019, Brenda Song stated in an interview that she was not permitted to audition for Crazy Rich Asians because her "image was basically not Asian enough".
2020: Plans to film sequels back-to-back
In 2020, Nina Jacobson announced that China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems would be filmed back-to-back to reduce the wait time between those two films.
2021: Director Chu regrets casting
In a 2021 interview with Insider, Chu said he regretted casting non-Chinese people in subservient roles and "totally gets" the criticism.
March 21, 2022: Amy Wang to write sequel
On March 21, 2022, it was reported that Amy Wang was set to write the sequel, replacing Chiarelli and Lim.
May 2022: Simu Liu reveals audition rejections
In May 2022, Simu Liu revealed that he auditioned four times for the film but was rejected for allegedly lacking an "'it'" factor. The podcast renewed the controversy surrounding Golding's casting.
May 2022: Spin-off film in early development
In May 2022, news surfaced about a spin-off film focusing on Gemma Chan's character and her romance with Harry Shum Jr.'s character. Jason Kim was reported to be writing the script for this project.
2022: Ke Huy Quan appears in Everything Everywhere All at Once
In 2022, Ke Huy Quan appeared in Everything Everywhere All at Once, which stars Crazy Rich Asians actress Michelle Yeoh, marking Quan's return to acting after being inspired by the positive representation of Asians in Crazy Rich Asians.
April 2024: Sequel filming to begin in 2025
In April 2024, reports indicated that filming for the sequel to Crazy Rich Asians was scheduled to commence at the start of 2025.
April 17, 2024: Stage musical adaptation announced
On April 17, 2024, it was announced that Crazy Rich Asians is being developed into a stage musical. Jon M. Chu will direct, with Leah Nanako Winkler writing the book, Helen Park composing the music, and Amanda Green and Tat Tong writing the lyrics.
June 2024: China Rich Girlfriend Production Underway
In June 2024, Elle magazine reported that Warner Bros. is moving forward with the production of "China Rich Girlfriend," with Amy Wang writing the sequel script.
February 2025: TV series in development
In February 2025, an announcement revealed that a TV series based on Crazy Rich Asians is currently being developed.
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