Crazy Rich Asians series: HBO orders eight episodes with the film’s cast returning
HBO has ordered a Crazy Rich Asians series, and the main cast of the 2018 film is coming back. Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Ronny Chieng and Michelle Yeoh will return for an eight-episode drama that picks up right after the film ends. It is the first big order HBO has announced since its parent company came under Paramount Skydance’s ownership. Here is what is confirmed, what the books suggest the story could cover and what has not been announced.
By Editorial Team
What we know
- The order (FACT). HBO and Warner Bros. Television announced on 8 October that they have ordered an hour-long drama series based on Kevin Kwan’s novels. It will be co-produced by HBO and Warner Bros. Television.
- The cast (FACT). Constance Wu returns as Rachel Chu and Henry Golding as Nick Young. Ronny Chieng returns as Nick’s cousin Eddie Cheng, and Michelle Yeoh as Nick’s mother, Eleanor Young. All four are series regulars, the Los Angeles Times reports.
- Eight episodes (FACT). In a statement, showrunner Adele Lim said: “instead of just one movie, we get eight episodes to delve into the characters and worlds of Kevin Kwan’s brilliant books.”
- The creative team (FACT). Lim co-wrote the film and will run the show. Jon M. Chu, who directed the film, is an executive producer, along with Kwan and the film’s producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson.
- The writers’ room (FACT). Lim said the writers’ room is “humming”, which means scripts are already being written.
Why the Crazy Rich Asians series is happening now
The 2018 film was a major hit. It earned about $239 million worldwide, IndieWire notes, and it was widely seen as a turning point for Asian representation in Hollywood. A sequel always looked likely, because Kwan’s books form a trilogy. It never happened.
The Los Angeles Times reports that plans for a sequel fell apart in 2019, after The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Lim had left the project over a pay gap. Her return as showrunner, with full control of the story, is one of the most significant parts of this announcement.
Golding said last year that a series, not a film, was in development and that he planned to return. The Times confirmed at the time that the project was in early development. The order is the next step.
The Skydance angle
The timing matters as much as the show itself. IndieWire calls the series HBO’s “first move in the Skydance era”. The order comes days after the deal that brought Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO’s parent company, together with Paramount Skydance closed. We explained that deal in our report on the merger closing.
The announcement also shows who is in charge. The statement was made by Casey Bloys, who now has the title of co-chair and chief content officer, Skydance Direct-to-Consumer. Our guide to the new Skydance leadership team sets out who runs what.
Choosing a well-known franchise with a ready-made audience is a safe first move for the new owners. It also sends a signal to viewers who are worried about what the merger means for HBO’s slate. For subscribers, our explainer on what the HBO Max and Paramount+ changes mean covers the streaming side.
What the books could bring to the series
Kwan’s trilogy goes on after the first novel with China Rich Girlfriend (2015) and Rich People Problems (2017). The series will pick up after the events of the film and be based on Kwan’s books, HBO says. The network has not said which plots it will use.
Readers of the novels will know that the second book follows Rachel and Nick’s wedding and a search for Rachel’s father in mainland China. The third centres on the Young family’s matriarch and a fight over the family estate. These are details from the books, not confirmed story lines for the show. An eight-episode season gives the writers far more time than a two-hour film to work through that material.
Chu’s statement suggests a reunion feel. “Since then, this cast has become movie stars, superheroes, arena-filling performers and even an Oscar winner,” he said. Michelle Yeoh won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2023 for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
What we do not know yet
HBO has not announced a filming start, a release date or which other actors from the film will return. Awkwafina, Gemma Chan and Sonoya Mizuno were not named in the announcement. We do not know whether they are in talks, so we are not suggesting they are. There is also no confirmed release date for Africa or the UK. Where it streams outside the US will depend on HBO’s deals in each market.
How it fits the wider TV picture
The Crazy Rich Asians series joins a busy run of TV franchise orders. In the past week, Netflix ordered a young Lady Violet Bridgerton prequel, as covered in our 8 October entertainment roundup. Streaming services are still turning to stories viewers already know.
What happens next
- Casting news for supporting roles is the next likely announcement.
- HBO has not said when filming starts. Production is the step that would make a 2027 or 2028 premiere date realistic.
- We will update this story when a premiere window or trailer is announced.
More TV and film news: Movies & TV.
Photo credits: Featured image: Henry Golding at the wrap of filming for Crazy Rich Asians, 2017. Photo: David Seow, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Source. In-article image: Constance Wu at the 2024 New York Film Festival. Photo: Bryan Berlin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Source.
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