‘Crazy Rich Asians’, Warner Bros’ breakout summer hit, was a dud in China. Warner Bros said the acclaimed romantic comedy, which earned $173 million (Dh635.3 million) in North America, debuted in China with just $1.2 million. John M Chu’s Singapore-set film, which opened on August 14 in the US, took months to secure a release date in China, a delay some have attributed to the film’s depiction of extremely wealthy Chinese Singaporeans.
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ was a hit at the Singapore box office, but, like most comedies, it hasn’t been as much a sensation abroad as it was in the US; it’s earned $64 million overseas. The film’s performance in China, though, is potentially worrisome for Warner Bros. Its planned sequel, ‘China Rich Girlfriend,’ aims to better capitalise on the world’s second largest film market.
