We’re still waiting on Black Widow, but on September 3, the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues with a character movie watchers don’t yet know. Called the “Master of Kung Fu” in Marvel’s comic books dating back to 1973, Shang-Chi is a character who bounces in and out of the spotlight, but hasn’t been a mainstay in any series. That could change with the release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a film that will take this long-running movie series in a new direction.
Simu Liu brings Shang-Chi to life in the film and debuted the first look at the movie on his birthday in an Instagram post. Along with debuting the poster, Liu shared just how much this film means to him.
“I never saw myself as the hero of my own story growing up,” he wrote. “I struggled to find any Asian characters onscreen, and there were fewer still that made me feel truly proud of my heritage. It’s absolutely insane to think that in just over four months, we will have a @MarvelStudios movie featuring an almost ENTIRELY Asian cast, each full of rich nuance and dimensionality. Shang Chi is more than just a movie – it is a celebration of our culture and a rallying cry for the forgotten, the unseen, and the overlooked. It is a reminder to take up space, to stand tall, and to be unapologetically ourselves. (Of course, it’s also going to deliver superhero action like you have NEVER. SEEN. BEFORE.)”
The trailer at the top of the article, courtesy of Marvel, gives you a good idea of what we can expect from the action and locations, but the story is still somewhat difficult to grasp. Marvel Studios says that picks up with Shang-Chi thinking he left his past behind (whatever that may be), but ends up getting pulled back in to something involving the mysterious Ten Rings organization.
What do you think of your first look at this exciting new film? The trailer gives it the fun and exciting vibes that most of Marvel’s films deliver. I can’t wait to see where this one goes and how it links to the greater Marvel universe.
