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‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Box Office Predictions

Summer is, unfortunately, ending. But, the most surprising film of the season is yet to go through its first Box Office weekend. Crazy Rich Asians started off as New York Times best-selling novel written by Kevin Kwan and is now predicted to make upwards of $30 million, but given the hype, unreliable yet high Rotten Tomatoes percentage, and support from the Asian community, the film can easily cross that mark and become the summer’s highest grossing comedy, passing even the titan that was Mamma Mia 2.

Crazy Rich already has a little money in its coffers thanks to sneaks held in early August where it is reported it brought in anywhere from $450-500k from 354 locations. And while critics have already made their favorable decision, we are yet to find out if audiences across the country and worldwide will be impressed, or will simply be given another forgettable flick.

Following a fairly-tale story of Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) who, after finding out that her boyfriend’s family is hella loaded, has to deal with the age-old dilemmas of social class difference when entering another family. The book was a hit and Kwan was approached with TV and film deals almost immediately after publication.

Netflix wanted the book for series, offering the biggest bid to Kwan. The sum was said to be so large that it would allow him to buy an island and never work another day, so why is the film being released theatrically by Warner Bros.? Kwan and the director, Jon M. Chu (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Step Up 2) wanted to guarantee a wide theatrical run which would have not been included with a Netflix deal. The main reason is that both the author and the director strongly believe in the lack of representation of Asian actors on the big screen. The effect of having the book be adapted as a show would not bring as much attention to Asian screen talent, the two concluded. Declining the deal with Netflix must have been a heavy decision, but Kwan and Chu must be hopeful again after seeing the predictions for this weekend.

Crazy Rich Asians is now playing everywhere! Check out the trailer below:

Constance WuCrazy Rich AsiansJon M. ChuKevin KwanWarner Bros.
Michael Adonts: Hi, my name is Michael! I am a filmmaker based in Los Angeles, currently living in the SF/Bay Area, where I attend UC Berkeley as an undergrad, majoring in Psychology. Beyond my studies, I also work as a freelance producer, videographer and editor, having worked with a variety of clients, ranging from local musicians to up-and-coming start ups, making videos, commercials and trailers. My interest in film began in middle school when my family and I immigrated to LA, having previously lived in Russia and Armenia (my homeland.) Having limited experience in American culture and language, I took to watching platitudes of classical American films of the 70s, 80s and 90s, from which, while seeking to simply become educated in a foreign culture, I discovered my love for cinema and its different forms, like directing, writing, and editing. I started making my own films in high school, where I also began collaborating with friends on projects of various nature. Learning the craft myself, I continue to do so now as I start to dive into bigger projects, with the goal of writing and directing for film and TV! While early on I was mostly exposed to New Hollywood directors and 90s filmmakers like David Fincher, the Coen Brothers and Spike Jonze, I eventually began venturing to foreign cinema of the likes of Fellini, Bergman, Kurosawa, as well as Old Hollywood masters like Hitchcock, David Lean, and Billy Wilder. In films I primarily seek two things: passion and innovation. I love observing confident filmmakers masterfully submerge the audience into unique worlds and stories, utilizing all of cinema’s many possibilities like visuals, sound, music, and editing. Film has developed a universal language that is becoming more and more available to wider varieties of artists, which makes me excited to observe and engage in the future of both Hollywood and the world cinema!
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