Novelist Kevin Kwan’s debut novel Crazy Rich Asians was adapted into a bestselling Hollywood film with an all Asian cast and it made major waves in the industry as it grossed more than $240 million worldwide. Kwan has just released a new rom-com titled Sex and Vanity which became a bestseller almost instantly, and Sony Pictures and SK Global have teamed up to adapt the book into a movie.
Sex and Vanity has been described as an elaborate and funny romance movel which tells the story of a Lucie Tang Churchill, a New York heiress who’s engaged to a wealthy man, but falls for a surfer. “I am overjoyed to be embarking on this cinematic adventure with Sony Pictures and SK Global. Sony Pictures has produced so many of my favorite films over the years, and I am thrilled by Sanford Panitch’s vision for this project. I’m also very excited to be working again with my great friend John Penotti (SK Global’s producer), who responded immediately and passionately to the world I created in Sex and Vanity,” Kwan said recently.
Interestingly, Crazy Rich Asians is part of a trilogy series and the second movie of the series, titled China Rich Girlfriend is also being developed into a movie by Warner Bros, which would mark the sequel of the 2018 blockbuster. But Sex and Vanity is not a part of the franchise but a standalone outing. “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. 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,” SK Global’s producer John Penotti.