Jon Chu Net Worth

What is Jon M. Chu's Net Worth?

Jon M. Chu is a film director, producer, and screenwriter who has a net worth of $25 million. Jon Chu is known for directing such films as "Step Up 2: The Streets," "Now You See Me 2," "Crazy Rich Asians," and the adaptations of the Broadway musicals "In the Heights" and "Wicked." He earned particular acclaim for 2018's "Crazy Rich Asians," which was the first film by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority Asian cast in 25 years. Chu has also directed for television, including the pilot episodes of the series "Good Trouble" and "Home Before Dark."

Early Life and Education

Jonathan Murray Chu was born on November 2, 1979 in Palo Alto, California and was raised in nearby Los Altos. He is the youngest of five siblings of Ruth, who was born in Taiwan, and Lawrence, who was born in China. From kindergarten through high school, Chu attended Pinewood School. He went on to attend the University of Southern California, from which he earned his BFA degree in film and television production in 2003.

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Film Career

Chu made his feature film directorial debut with the 2008 dance film "Step Up 2: The Streets," the second film in the "Step Up" franchise. It was a commercial hit, grossing over $150 million worldwide. Chu subsequently directed the third film in the series, "Step Up 3D," which came out in 2010. Like its predecessor, the film was a commercial success, grossing over $150 million globally. Chu's next film was the 2011 concert film "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never," focused on the titular Canadian pop singer. He directed a follow-up, "Justin Bieber's Believe," in 2013. Chu also directed the 2013 military science-fiction action film "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," the second installment in the "G.I. Joe" film series based on the toy line. The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, and Channing Tatum, among others. Chu went on to direct the musical drama "Jem and the Holograms," which was released in 2015. Based on the animated musical television series "Jem" from the 1980s, the film earned poor reviews and had a disappointing performance at the box office. Chu had better success with the heist film sequel "Now You See Me 2," which grossed over $330 million in 2016.

Chu had his greatest critical and commercial success yet with his 2018 romantic dramedy "Crazy Rich Asians," based on the novel of the same name by Kevin Kwan. Starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, and Gemma Chan, among others, it was the first film by a major Hollywood studio in 25 years to feature a cast mostly made up of actors of Asian descent. "Crazy Rich Asians" earned rave reviews from critics, received numerous industry awards, and grossed $239 million worldwide. Chu's next film was the musical drama "In the Heights," an adaptation of the Broadway show of the same name. Released in the summer of 2021, the film underperformed at the box office but earned strong reviews. For his next film, Chu directed another adaptation of a beloved Broadway musical, "Wicked." Starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the film was split into two parts, with the first coming out in 2024 and the second in 2025. Chu's other film credits include adaptations of the Dr. Seuss book "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" and the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice stage musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

(Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Television Career

Chu's first television project was the Hulu series "The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers," which he created and directed. A fantasy series about two groups of super-powered rival dancers, it ran from 2010 to 2011. Chu didn't work in television again until 2019, when he directed the comedy special "Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho" and directed the pilot episode of the Freeform drama series "Good Trouble," a continuation of the series "The Fosters." He subsequently directed the first two episodes of the mystery drama series "Home Before Dark," which premiered on Apple TV+ in 2020.