The Philippines is set to be the next location for a future sequel to 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians according to author Kevin Kwan. In a visit to the country for the World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit last year, the acclaimed novelist shared his love for the archipelago and his desire to create a film set here.
“It’s a country with so many amazing locations, cultures, flavors, and of course, people. This is my fourth trip [here] and it’s always a pleasure to be back. It’s always surprising—I never know what will happen, but it’s always a grand adventure,” Kwan shared.
Together with him, film producer Lawrence Bender also added, “[Kevin] wrote a script, and it’s like a love letter to the Philippines.”
Speculation arose that the rumored Crazy Rich Asians spin-off centred on Gemma Chan’s Astrid and Harry Shum Jr’s Charlie Wu would in fact be set in the Philippines following the statement. For those unfamiliar, Astrid was engaged with Wu until her parents intervened in favour of her current partner Michael, for his background. In the 2018 film, however, she discovered that Michael was unfaithful — she also runs into Wu in the mid-credits scene, teasing a getting back together.
However, unless they are not sticking closely to the source material, the Philippines is only mentioned and used as a setting in the third and final book of the series, Rich People Problems. If anything, the rumoured spin-off could very well be set in the past, delving deeper into the pair’s relationship before they were forcibly separated. That being said, there is a huge chance that we will be seeing the Philippines in the Crazy Rich Asians universe, but it won’t be anytime soon — we have to get through the spin-off and the sequel, China Rich Girlfriend first. That is if they are following the books. – Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
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