Break out the dumpling wrappers and mahjong sets because “Crazy Rich Asians” is coming to Broadway.
The beloved romantic comedy is being developed as a Broadway musical by director Jon M. Chu, who helmed the 2018 film of the same name. Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and the book’s author Kevin Kwan are backing the musical endeavor.
“Crazy Rich Asians” will mark the Broadway debut of Chu, who has become Hollywood’s go-to filmmaker to bring stage shows to the big screen. He’s currently working on Universal’s two-part “Wicked” adaptation and previously directed the cinematic version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights.”
A press release describes “Crazy Rich Asians” as “a fun, engaging and hilarious look at what can happen when young love collides with old money.” Like the movie, the musical is based on Kevin Kwan’s book about a Chinese American professor named Rachel, who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick and finds out that his family is crazy rich.
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The 2019 film, starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding and Michelle Yeoh, topped the box office for three weeks and eventually grossed $239 million globally. A sequel, based on the follow-up novel “China Rich Girlfriend,” has been in development for five years.
The musical adaptation will feature a book by Leah Nanako Winkler, music by Helen Park and lyrics by Amanda Green and Tat Tong. Additional details on its timeline for a pre-Broadway engagement will be announced shortly.
“Crazy Rich Asians” is one of several blockbusters — including “La La Land” and “The Devil Wears Prada” — that’s turning into a live musical. Stage versions of the 1985 sci-fi comedy “Back to the Future,” 2004’s romance drama “The Notebook” and 2011’s circus-inspired “Water for Elephants” are currently playing on Broadway.
