According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lim, who is of Chinese-Malaysian heritage, has stepped away from the sequel due to a significant pay disparity between herself and her white male colleague, Peter Chiarelli, who also serves as a co-screenwriter on the films.

If you’re wondering what kind of pay gap we’re talking about here, the publication reported that Lim’s starting offer was in the region of $110,000-plus, compared to Chiarelli’s $800,000 to $1 million, and if those figures are accurate, it’s hardly surprising Lim walked.

Why the shocking pay gap, you’re probably wondering? According to THR, Warner Bros’ rationalised the stark difference in salaries based on the writers’ prior experience. While Chiarelli’s credits include The Proposal and Now You See Me 2, Lim’s first screenwriting credit was the 2018 blockbuster. However, she has an impressive back-catalogue of TV experience, thanks to her work on shows such as Dynasty, Reign, Private Practice and One Tree Hill.

Crazy Rich Asians co-writer Adele Lim has quit the sequel after revealing a shocking pay gap