Gemma Chan has given fans of Crazy Rich Asians an honest, if not exactly conclusive, update on the long-awaited sequel.
Speaking to E! News at The Five Star Weekend premiere on 8 July, the actress who played stylish socialite Astrid Leong in the 2018 romantic comedy was refreshingly candid about how much she actually knows.
“I wish I had some juicy info. I’m the last person to find out,” she admitted.
“There’s so much to live up to. It’s been a while now, so everything has to be as good as the first film, if not better.” Despite the wait, Chan, 43, is not giving up.
“I’m hopeful that things are going to align,” she said. As for what she’d like to see for Astrid in a future film, she has a clear wish.
“I want to see what happens with her and Charlie. I want to see her come into her own”, a reference to Harry Shum Jr.’s character Charlie Wu, whose potential romance with Astrid was tantalisingly teased in the original film’s mid-credits scene. The road to a sequel has been anything but smooth.
Among the obstacles has been a screenwriting dispute, original writer Adele Lim reportedly departed the project over a pay disparity with co-writer Peter Chiarelli and the considerable challenge of coordinating the schedules of a cast that was propelled to global stardom by the first film, including Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, Constance Wu and Harry Shum Jr.
Director Jon Chu, who has since helmed Wicked, has made clear he takes the responsibility seriously.
“I won’t bring everyone back unless it’s worth it. There’s too much on the line for everybody,” he said on a November 2024 episode of Deadline’s Crew Call podcast.
He confirmed in April 2025 that the sequel remains in development alongside other projects in the same universe.
“We’re working on it. But we’re working on a Max show as well with some of the other stories as it goes along. I won’t say too much, but there are things that are moving.”
A Broadway musical adaptation of the original film and an HBO television series are also in the works, suggesting the Crazy Rich Asians universe is expanding even as the sequel question remains open.
For now, fans will have to make do with Chan’s cautious optimism and the hope that Astrid and Charlie eventually get their moment.