“Crazy Rich Asians” is coming to Broadway.
Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures announced Wednesday that filmmaker Jon M. Chu, who directed their 2018 blockbuster romantic comedy starring Constance Wu and Henry Golding, is adapting the project for the stage with book writer Leah Nanako Winkler, composer Helen Park and lyricists Amanda Green and Tat Tong.
The Broadway-bound musical production will mark the filmmaker’s stage debut. The timeline for the project’s pre-Broadway engagement will be announced at a later date.
Originally based on the bestselling “Crazy Rich Asians” book trilogy by author Kevin Kwan, the stage musical’s log line reads: “‘Crazy Rich Asians’ takes a fun, engaging and hilarious look at what can happen when young love collides with old money.” The production will presumably follow suit to the book and movie by centering on Rachel Chu and Nick Young, whose romance is put on the rocks when Rachel joins Nick for a Singapore wedding where she gets more than she bargained for from his ultra-rich family and friends.
The 2018 film adaptation from director Chu and screenwriters Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim grossed an impressive $239 million at the worldwide box office and showcased a history-making all-Asian cast. Costars in addition to Wu and Golding included Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Ken Jeong and a breakout turn from the then-unknown Awkwafina.
Chu is no stranger to bringing musicals to stunning life. His 2021 film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning “In the Heights” was his first take on a Broadway musical, but previous musically tinged projects peppered his early career with two “Step Up” feature film installments and documentaries “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” and “Justin Bieber’s Believe” in 2011 and 2013, respectively.
Next up for Chu is the highly anticipated two-film adaptation of “Wicked,” starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The first part of that musical adaptation is due to hit theaters Nov. 27.
