Crazy Rich Asians fans rejoice: Gemma Chan to star in spinoff film that's in the works

A Crazy Rich Asians spinoff movie centred on Astrid Leong and Charlie Wu, played by Gemma Chan and Harry Shum Jr respectively, is in the works. 

Producer and writer Jason Kim, who received Emmy nominations for his work on comedy series Barry, is set to write. According to Deadline – whose story Chan shared on Instagram to more than 277,000 likes and comments expressing excitement – Kim successfully convinced production company Warner Bros with a “dynamite pitch” for the characters' romance.

The spinoff, alongside the Crazy Rich Asians sequel in development, will be based on the second installment in Kevin Kwan’s book series: China Rich Girlfriend. The novel, while exploring Astrid and Charlie’s rekindled romance years after the former’s family broke them up, will also follow Rachel Chu (played by Constance Wu in the film) as she finds out more about her long-lost father. 

The series will pick up where the 2018 film, based on Kwan’s novel of the same name, left the two former lovers: Locking eyes at Rachel and Nick’s (played by Henry Golding) engagement party after Astrid left her husband Michael (played by Singaporean actor Pierre Png), who cheated on her. 

Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M Chu will also join the series as a producer. The film grossed US$239 million against a US$30 million budget as well as Golden Globe nominations for Best Comedy/Musical, and Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical for Constance Wu. 

It remains to be seen if fans of Chan's climactic scene in the film, where Astrid tells Michael “I can’t make you something you’re not”, can look forward to similar iconic moments for her in the series. Nonetheless, it is certain that the series will not lack the glamour that she effortlessly brings to the screen.