Why 'Crazy Rich Asians' is the 'Black Panther' moment for Asian-Americans

As with "Black Panther," other filmmakers are eager to see whether "Crazy Rich Asians" will have broad appeal

By the usual Hollywood standards, “Crazy Rich Asians” is a modest rom-com, set to generate about $18 million in its North American debut starting Wednesday.

But the true sign of its success may be whether it helps usher in more films like it. Hollywood hasn’t produced a movie like this -- featuring a mostly Asian cast -- in 25 years. Like “The Joy Luck Club” in 1993, “Crazy Rich Asians” is also based on a best-selling book, and many will see it as a test of the broader appeal of an American movie with Asian themes.

“Many of us are