The landmark movie “ Crazy Rich Asians” has broken yet another major record for ticket sales, becoming the highest-grossing romantic comedy in the U.S. in 10 years by surpassing 2009′s “The Proposal,” according to estimates from Box Office Mojo.
“Crazy Rich Asians” has made an estimated $165.7 million as of this weekend.
The movie, released in August and based on Kevin Kwan’s novel satirizing affluent families in Asia, has been especially significant for Asian-American audiences as the first major Hollywood studio film in 25 years to star a majority-Asian cast.
The film’s continued appeal to audiences, in addition to the popularity of other recent hits like “Black Panther” and “Coco,” further dismantles the longstanding myth in Hollywood that movies by and about people of color “don’t sell.”
In addition to earning more than “The Proposal,” which made just under $164 million domestically, “Crazy Rich Asians” has also surpassed 2008′s “Sex and the City,” which made $152.6 million.
Soon after its release, “Crazy Rich Asians” wildly exceeded box office expectations and shattered several records; it was the highest-earning movie over a Labor Day weekend in 11 years and the most successful live-action comedy movie since last year.
Its success may also indicate a renewed interest in the rom-com genre. A series of popular independent rom-coms debuted this summer — including Netflix’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” which also features an Asian-American lead.
The all-time highest-grossing rom-com is 2002′s “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” which earned more than $241 million domestically.
The popularity of “Crazy Rich Asians” quickly led to plans for a film version of Kwan’s second book in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend.
Warner Bros. has yet to officially greenlight the sequel, but many of the current movie’s major players, including stars Constance Wu and Henry Golding, have expressed an interest in returning. Director Jon M. Chu told Variety last week that he was still finalizing a deal. The film’s writers and producers are also working out deals for the second installment, The Hollywood Reporter reported last month.