If you loved the drama of the “Crazy Rich Asians” film, then you better keep your eyes peeled for the movie adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s latest novel that also features crazy rich characters.
The instant New York Times bestseller “Sex and Vanity” is now set to land on the big screen after Sony Pictures and SK Global acquired film rights to the novel on Jul. 9. “Sex and Vanity” instantly became a New York Times bestseller after its release on Jun. 30 and Kwan was “beyond thrilled” when he found out.
According to Variety, Kwan and SK Global’s John Penotti, who was also partly responsible for the blockbuster success of “Crazy Rich Asians,” are producing the film.
“Seven years ago Kevin entrusted us (and our producing partners) with his ground-breaking ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ bestseller, and ever since working with him has been a creative dream,” Penotti said. “With ‘Sex and Vanity’ he’s once again created a work of magic, crafting a riveting story about love and identity. We instantly fell in love with its heart and humor and are thrilled to partner with him again, as well as with our collaborators at Sony Pictures. Sanford and the team love the book as much as we do, and we are all committed to bringing this story to a global audience.”
Similar to “Crazy Rich Asians,” Kwan sticks to his Asian roots by once again featuring characters with Asian heritage. Amid the riches and the privilege, the story follows the affluent Lucie Tang Churchill as she navigates through the cultural differences of her complex family. Lucie is partly Chinese from her mother’s side while she also comes from a WASP-y New York background on her father’s side. And just like every Asian love story that we are oh so familiar with, she faces the conflict between love and family.
Presented as an homage to E.M. Forster’s 1908 classic “Room With A View,” Lucie finds herself stuck in a love triangle between her family-approved fiancé and George Zao, the dreamy (and rich) Chinese-Australian surfer she hooked up with during a trip to Capri years earlier.
By the looks of it, the upcoming film is set to deliver the same glamorous appeal that “Crazy Rich Asians” did in 2018. An Italian getaway, a Fifth Avenue apartment, extremely wealthy characters and an unexpected torn-between-two-equally-attractive-men dilemma? I’m so here for it.
While the release date for “Sex and Vanity” remains unknown, we are still looking forward to the much-awaited “Crazy Rich Asians” sequel “China Rich Girlfriend” which Kwan and Warner Bros. still owe us a release date for as well.
Photo by Robert V. Ruggiero on Unsplash
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