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.
