Filming the sequel so far has been just as dramatic as the film itself
In 2018, the rom-com Crazy Rich Asians took the world by storm with its largely accurate picture of the lives of the ultra-wealthy.
Adapted from Kevin Kwan’s novel of the same name, the film was an instant success and propelled Asian actors such as Henry Golding and Gemma Chan to fame.
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On the heels of the film’s success, a sequel was announced by Warner Bros and the film was set to be a movie adaptation of the next two books in Kwan’s trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems.
Unfortunately in 2019, the film hit its first snag when one of the screenwriters from the first film, Adele Lim, walked away from the project due to a pay disparity issue. She reportedly was only offered just a tenth of co-writer Peter Chiarelli’s pay.
After spending months struggling to find a replacement, the production studio made a new offer to Lim with a salary that was closer to Chiarelli’s. She declined this offer and was also lauded for her decision.
Director John M Chu released a statement supporting her and praised her for standing up for her worth.
“I am, of course, frustrated that we all can’t do the next one together, but I think the conversation this has started is much more important than ourselves (and the movie sequels, frankly), so who am I to get in the way of that,” Chu wrote.