Don't Be Surprised If 'Crazy Rich Asians' Blows Away Box Office Expectations

Warner Bros

The final major release of the 2018 summer box office isn’t a tentpole blockbuster, but it is a film that Asian-Americans who have been pushing for more representation in entertainment have been waiting for.

That film is Warner Bros.’ “Crazy Rich Asians,” the first film to feature an all-Asian cast since “The Joy Luck Club” was released in 1993. In an attempt to help build word of mouth heading into the weekend, WB is releasing the film on Wednesday, with projections expecting a $26 million opening over five days.

But analysts who spoke with TheWrap say that the film has a big upside, and that an opening of at least $30 million should be expected. Even though it doesn’t have the superhero pedigree of “Wonder Woman” or “Black Panther,” like those films, “Crazy Rich Asians” is fulfilling a long-standing demand for a section of the moviegoing populace to see themselves on-screen.

Also Read: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Film Review: Constance Wu Stands Out in Culturally Rich Rom-Com

According to MPAA’s annual report, Asian-Americans accounted for only six percent of all ticket sales last year, but they are expected to drive ticket sales for this film well above expectations. Fandango has reported that advance ticket sales for “Crazy Rich Asians” have topped that of last summer’s stealth hit “Girls Trip,” which was one of the few recent comedies to dodge the genre’s box office struggles with a $31 million opening and a $140 million theatrical run. WB also had a one-night preview screening on 350 screens last week, with most theaters reporting sellouts.

And if you narrow down the recent track record of comedy films to romantic comedies, the box office history is even worse. The last rom-com to earn over $100 million domestically was “Trainwreck” three years ago. “Crazy Rich Asians,” which tells the timeless rom-com story of the in-laws from hell through the lens of Asian culture, has earned praise from critics for both its universal romantic appeal and for providing an Asian-oriented story that Hollywood hasn’t really put forth until now.

“This is a movie that’s giving us a lot of things we haven’t seen in theaters in quite some time,” said comScore’s Paul Dergarabedian. “Don’t be surprised if the Friday and Saturday numbers really pick up after early moviegoers get a chance to see it with these weekday screenings.”

Also Read: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Wows Critics: 'Tour de Force of Lifestyle Pornography'

Directed by Jon M. Chu, “Crazy Rich Asians” follows an NYU professor named Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), who is invited by her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding) to meet his family in Singapore during his cousin’s wedding. What Nick conveniently leaves out is that he is the heir to the biggest fortune in Singapore and one of its most eligible bachelors. With little preparation, Rachel must prepare to face a world she’s never been in, and worse, the attempts by Nick’s mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) to split them apart.

Based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel of the same name, the film also stars Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, Gemma Chan and Jimmy O. Yang. It currently has a 98 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and a reported production budget of $30 million.

Also releasing this weekend is STX’s “Mile 22,” which is expected to contend with “The Meg” for No. 2 this weekend with an opening weekend of $17-18 million against a reported $35 million budget. This is the fourth collaboration between director Peter Berg and star Mark Wahlberg, and tells the story of an elite CIA team tasked with protecting a valuable asset being hunted by terrorists. John Malkovich, Lauren Cohan, Iko Uwais, Ronda Rousey also star.

Finally, there’s Sony’s “Alpha,” a film the studio is releasing as part of a distribution deal with Jeff Rabinov’s Studio 8. Telling the story of the earliest days of man’s relationship with canines, “Alpha” stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as Keda, a Paleolithic hunter left behind by his tribe after he is injured during a hunt. Struggling to survive on his own, he encounters a wolf who has been similarly abandoned by his pack, leading to the two bonding together to survive. Albert Hughes directed the film, which is expected to open to $7 million this weekend.

From 'The Cheat' to 'Crazy Rich Asians,' a Brief History of Asian-Americans in Film (Photos)

The widely-lauded romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians" is creating buzz for being both great and also the first major studio film since 1993's "Joy Luck Club" to feature a mostly Asian-American cast. The history of Asian-Americans in movies has spanned more than a century, before the inception of color film. Here is a chronological look at films starring Asian-Americans from the past -- and the future.
“The Cheat” (1915) Asian men are rarely painted as sex symbols even in contemporary media, but Japanese-American actor Sessue Hayakawa became a veritable heartthrob, especially after starring in Cecil B. DeMille’s silent thriller, “The Cheat.” Though monumental, his role was that of a predatory antagonist, a typecast that stuck with him during the anti-Japanese sentiments of World War II.
Paramount
“The Toll of The Sea” (1922) Anna May Wong, who was born in Los Angeles to a Chinese-American family, became essentially the first Chinese-American movie star. At the age of 17, she had a leading role as the character of Lotus Flower in one of the first color films made, “The Toll of The Sea,” which was inspired by the play “Madame Butterfly.”
Metro Pictures Corporation
“Daughter of Shanghai” (1937) Anna May Wong starred alongside Korean-American actor Philip Ahn, who played a government agent trying to bust an alien smuggling ring in San Francisco. Ahn later became the first Asian-American to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Paramount
“Sayonara” (1957) Japanese-American actress Miyoshi Umeki starred in “Sayonara” as one-half of a scorned interracial marriage in the midst of the Korean War. Umeki won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role, becoming the first and only Asian-American actress to do so.
Warner Bros.
"Flower Drum Song" (1961) This turducken of a film is a movie adaptation of the musical that was based on the 1957 novel written by Chinese-American author C.Y. Lee. The film was set in San Francisco's Chinatown and the cast was flanked by Japanese-American actor James Shigeta and Chinese-American actress Nancy Kwan.
Universal Pictures
“Enter the Dragon” (1973) Bruce Lee’s most notable film was released six days after his death in 1973. In addition to critical acclaim, the martial arts movie was inducted into the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally significant." Though Lee died young, at the age of 32, he became a symbol of cool strength and surmounting the impossible.
Warner Bros.
“Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979) George Takei played Hikaru Sulu aboard the USS Enterprise in the first installment of the “Star Trek” film franchise. The role was reprised by John Cho in the more recent slate of “Star Trek” films.
Paramount
“The Karate Kid” (1984) Even while the titular “Kid” changed throughout the franchise, Mr. Miyagi was the constant. California-born Pat Morita got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the humble and patient karate master.
Columbia Pictures
“The Joy Luck Club” (1993) The 1993 film based on Amy Tan’s novel is often named these days as an antecedent to “Crazy Rich Asians” -- a big studio film with Asian-American leads. It also featured breakout roles for actresses Ming-Na Wen and Lauren Tom.
Buena Vista
“Mulan” (1998) Mulan was the eighth Disney princess, the second Asian Disney princess, and the first to, well, not technically be a princess. Ming-Na Wen voiced the titular character in the Disney animated film that took place in Han China, while BD Wong voiced General Li Shang. Mulan's sung lines were supplied by Filipina actress, Lea Salonga, who previously lent her voice to the "Aladdin" soundtrack.
Disney
“Charlie’s Angels” (2000) Lucy Liu has had a robust film and television career, from “Ally McBeal” to “Kill Bill” to “Elementary.” One of her first big movie roles was as Alex Munday, an overachieving spy with a diverse skill set, in the 2000 “Charlie’s Angels” film.
Columbia
“Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004) A modern day stoner comedy starring two Asian-American leads (John Cho and Kal Penn) may seem absurd -- but that’s exactly what this film is. Subverting stereotypes and utilizing humor that didn’t solely rely on race, “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” told the epic journey of two guys just trying to satisfy their munchies.
Warner Bros.
“The Big Sick” (2017) Kumail Nanjiani both co-wrote and starred in this Oscar-nominated film. Though technically a romantic comedy, Nanjiani exercised more solemn themes in the movie, which explored his Pakistani upbringing and his real-life relationship with his wife Emily V. Gordon.
Lionsgate
“Crazy Rich Asians” (2018) This opulent film marks a watershed moment in Asian-American film history -- a marriage of an older and revered generation of actors such as Michelle Yeoh, as well as an ushering in of new talent which includes Constance Wu and Awkwafina. And like “The Joy Luck Club,” which came before it, both the film’s director and the novel it’s based on are Asian-American as well.
Warner Bros.
“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” (2018) Very rarely do we see a well-rounded love story involving an Asian-American character on screen, and even less so that depict teenagers. In Netflix's new film, "To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before," star Lana Condor (from "X-Men: Apocalypse”) plays Lara, an endearing adolescent who finds her world upended when the letters she’s written to her crushes are mysteriously released.
Netflix
"Mulan" (2020) This Disney animated film is getting the live-action treatment with a cast led by Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei as the titular character, as well as prominent non Asian-American performers Donnie Yen and Jet Li. The film will also feature Asian-American actors Jason Scott Lee and Rosalind Chao, the latter of whom starred in "The Joy Luck Club."
Disney

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Study up ahead of the raved-about rom-com

The widely-lauded romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians" is creating buzz for being both great and also the first major studio film since 1993's "Joy Luck Club" to feature a mostly Asian-American cast. The history of Asian-Americans in movies has spanned more than a century, before the inception of color film. Here is a chronological look at films starring Asian-Americans from the past -- and the future.

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