Jon Chu

Jonathan Murray Chu (born November 2, 1979) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for directing the romantic comedy ''Crazy Rich Asians'' (2018) and the musical fantasy ''Wicked'' (2024), the former being one of the first films by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority cast of Asian descent. For his direction for ''Wicked'', Chu won the National Board of Review Award for Best Director and Critics’ Choice Award for Best Director.

An alumnus of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, other films he has directed often include musical elements, including the dance films '' Step Up 2: The Streets'' (2008) and ''Step Up 3D'' (2010), the musicals ''Jem and the Holograms'' (2015) and ''In the Heights'' (2021), as well as the live concert films '' Justin Bieber: Never Say Never'' (2011) and ''Justin Bieber's Believe'' (2013).

Early life and education

Chu was born in Palo Alto, California, and grew up in nearby Los Altos. His mother, Ruth Chu, was born in Taiwan; his father, Lawrence Chu, was born in Sichuan, China. His family owns the restaurant Chef Chu's. He is the youngest of five children. He began making movies in fifth grade, when his mother gave him a video camera to document their family vacations. Chu instead began making home movies starring his siblings.

Chu attended Pinewood School from kindergarten through 12th grade. He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and television production from the University of Southern California in 2003, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He won the Princess Grace Award, the Kodak Student Filmmaker Award, the Dore Schary Award presented by the Anti-Defamation League, the Jack Nicholson directing award, and was recognized as an honoree for the IFP/West program ''Project: Involve''.

Career

After making his student short, ''When the Kids Are Away'', Chu was signed to William Morris Agency and attached to several high-profile projects. Chu was hired by Sony Pictures to direct a contemporary, hip hop–inspired adaptation of the stage musical ''Bye Bye Birdie''. However, Sony did not greenlight the film due to budget concerns. Sony re-hired Chu to direct their updated version of ''The Great Gatsby'', which did not pan out as the project was purchased by Warner Bros. Pictures for their 2013 film.

Chu directed ''Step Up 2: The Streets'' in 2008. In 2010, he created, co-directed, and co-produced ''The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers'' a web series featuring various types of dance. Chu says ''LXD'' was inspired by Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal" music videos and by the dancers he met while filming the movie '' Step Up 2: The Streets''. In 2011, Chu directed ''Justin Bieber: Never Say Never'' an American 3-D concert film.

During this period Chu had a dance crew called AC/DC or Adam Chu/Dance Crew. In an interview, Chu addressed a question he is often asked, "Why do all of your films have dance?" He responded, "I don't know why. It seems so obvious. But there's something about the dancers that motivate me the most. I don't know if it's just dance, but I do think that the dancers are amazing artists, and every time I meet a new dancer, that triggers something in my brain, and I'm more creative than I could ever be. When I feel that creativity burst, I go with it."

In 2013, Chu was awarded the Visionary Award by East West Players (EWP), the longest-running theater of color in the United States, for his contributions to the Asian Pacific American (APA) community. In an online Q&A, Chu revealed that he had attended EWP's productions as a child and was excited "to push boundaries with them in the future."

In 2013, Chu directed a pre-flight safety video for Virgin America. The video was structured like a musical number that incorporated multiple styles and high-energy dance. The video was played before flights through 2018, when Virgin America was folded into Alaska Airlines.

In 2014, Chu and his producing partner Hieu Ho sold to Focus Features a planned 1990s-set high school dance comedy called ''Can't Touch This''. He was also said to be developing two projects for Lionsgate at that time; the horror project ''Run'', and the magician sequel ''Now You See Me 2'', the latter releasing in 2016. Chu was initially set to return as director for the third film in the franchise, but Ruben Fleischer took on the position instead.

Chu next directed ''Crazy Rich Asians'', which was the highest-grossing film over the August 17, 2018, weekend, earned over $35M at the US box office during its first five days, and received a 93% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Within a week of the film's release, ''Variety'' reported that a sequel was already in development by Warner Bros. with Chu scheduled to direct. Director Chu is part of Rachel Chu's family in the book, as a distant cousin.

In 2018, Hulu was developing a television series adaptation of '' The Wangs vs. the World'', with author Jade Chang adapting and Chu directing should the script move to pilot. In 2019, Chu was said to be producing, and in talks to direct, a feature adaptation of Mary H. K. Choi's bestselling YA romance novel '' Permanent Record'' for Warner Bros.

Chu directed ''In the Heights'', based on the Broadway musical of the same name, for Warner Bros. Pictures. It was previously set for a June 26, 2020, release, though it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released on June 10, 2021.

In October 2020, it was announced that Chu would be directing the pilot for the Disney+ series ''Willow,'' based on the film of the same name, with Warwick Davis returning as the title character. The following month, Chu entered talks with Disney to direct a live-action adaptation of ''Lilo & Stitch'', which he ultimately passed on due to other obligations. It was also announced, in December, that he was developing a series remake of '' Swiss Family Robinson'' at Disney+.

In January 2021, Chu left directorial duties on ''Willow'' due to production delays and personal reasons with the birth of his next child. The following month, it was announced that Chu would direct the two-part film adaptation of ''Wicked'' for Universal Pictures, with both parts set for November 2024 and 2025 releases.

In January 2024, Chu along with his production company Electric company, signed a first look film deal with Warner Bros. Pictures, where he'll direct both original and franchise films for the studio.

Upcoming projects

Chu will direct an adaptation of Dr. Seuss'', produced by the Warner Animation Group alongside Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Bad Robot Productions.

In February 2021, it was reported that Chu's next film would be ''The Great Chinese Art Heist'', based on a '' GQ'' article by Alex W. Palmer. The film would explore a series of museum robberies in Europe where Chinese antiquities were stolen. In August, Jimmy O. Yang, Jessica Gao and Ken Cheng were tapped to write the adaptation for Chu to direct.

In March 2022, it was announced that Chu would be producing (and possibly directing) an animated film based on the children's modeling compound Play-Doh. It will be produced by Entertainment One and Hasbro.

In April 2023, it was revealed that Chu will direct and co-produce a feature film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', a passion project he had been hoping to make for some time, for Amazon MGM Studios and the Really Useful Group. It will be produced by Scott Sanders and Mara Jacobs, reuniting with Chu after working with him on ''In the Heights''.

In August 2024, it was announced that Chu will direct the film adaptation of Britney Spears' memoir '' The Woman in Me'' for Universal, re-teaming with ''Wicked'' producer Marc Platt on the project.

In April 2025, Chu became attached to direct the live action adaptation of the video game ''Split Fiction'', with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick writing the screenplay and Sydney Sweeney cast in the lead role.

Personal life

Chu and graphic designer Kristin Hodge married on July 27, 2018, in St. Helena, California. Their daughter, Willow, was born in 2017; she is named after the 1988 fantasy film ''Willow''. Their son, Jonathan Heights, was born in 2019. His middle name comes from the film, ''In the Heights'', which Chu was in the middle of directing at the time. Their other children are daughter Ruby, son Iggy, and daughter Stevie Sky.

Filmography

Short film

Cinematographer
* ''Killing Babies'' (2002)
* ''Somewhere'' (2018)

Feature film

Director
* '' Step Up 2: The Streets'' (2008)
* ''Step Up 3D'' (2010)
* '' G.I. Joe: Retaliation'' (2013)
* ''Jem and the Holograms'' (2015) (Also producer)
* ''Now You See Me 2'' (2016)
* ''Crazy Rich Asians'' (2018)
* ''In the Heights'' (2021)
* ''Wicked'' (2024)
* '' Wicked: For Good'' (2025)

Producer
* ''Dance Camp'' (2016)
* ''Step Up: Year of the Dance'' (2019)

Executive producer
* '' Step Up: Revolution'' (2012)
* '' Step Up: All In'' (2014)

Documentary film

* '' Justin Bieber: Never Say Never'' (2011)
* ''Justin Bieber's Believe'' (2013)

Television

Awards

Books

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References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chu, Jon M.
1979 births
American writers of Chinese descent
Film directors from California
Living people
Skydance Media people
Writers from Palo Alto, California
American film directors of Chinese descent
American male screenwriters
USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni
Screenwriters from California
American people of Taiwanese descent