News Analysis India

Tag: Marvel Cinematic Universe MCU

  • ‘Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ to release in Indian theatres on September 3

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Marvel Studios’ upcoming superhero film “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” will debut in cinema halls in India on September 3, the studio announced on Friday, August 20, 201.

    The much-awaited movie, directed by Daniel Destin Cretton and featuring Simu Liu in the titular role, will be released in English, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada languages.

    Attention all Marvel fans!Gather your tribe and get in formation.A new legend is going to rise!Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in cinemas on 3rd September! Releasing in English, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada. pic.twitter.com/VP5thxontA
    — Marvel India (@Marvel_India) August 20, 2021
    “Attention all Marvel fans! Gather your tribe and get in formation. A new legend is going to rise! “‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ in cinemas on 3rd September! Releasing in English, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada,” the studio wrote on its social media handles.

    The film marks Marvel’s first project with an Asian lead, starring Chinese-Canadian actor Liu as the martial arts superhero.

    Set after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), the movie follows Shang-Chi who is drawn into the clandestine Ten Rings organisation, and is forced to confront the past he thought he left behind.

    The film also stars Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong and Michelle Yeoh.

    Hong Kong star Tony Leung is playing Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father and the main villain in the movie.

    Cretton, known for directing movies such as “Just Mercy” and “Short Term 12”, has directed the film from a screenplay he wrote with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham.

    “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” has been produced by Disney-owned Marvel Studios. 

  • Anthony Mackie closes deal to lead ‘Captain America 4’

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Actor Anthony Mackie has officially come aboard “Captain America 4” at Marvel Studios.

    Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson aka The Falcon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), recently assumed the title of Captain America towards the end of his Disney Plus series “Falcon and The Winter Soldier”.

    According to Deadline, Mackie has closed a deal to star in “Captain America 4”, which will see Wilson wield Captain America’s shield on the big screen for the first time.

    Malcolm Spellman is writing the script with Dalan Musson, who worked with him on “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”.

    Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige will produce the superhero movie, which does not have a director attached as of yet.

    Chris Evans played Captain America through his Steve Rogers’ character in all the three earlier films — “Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011), “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014) and “Captain America: Civil War” (2016) — as well as four “Avengers” movies.

    But at the end of the 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame”, Rogers retired and handed his shield to Mackie’s Sam Wilson, whose story is mapped in “Falcon and The Winter Soldier” along with Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier. 

  • Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over ‘Black Widow’ release

    LOS ANGELES: Scarlett Johansson is suing the Walt Disney Co. over its streaming release of “Black Widow,” which she said breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings.In a lawsuit filed Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Los Angeles Superior Court, the “Black Widow” star and executive producer said her contract guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news of the lawsuit.Johansson’s potential earnings were tied to the box office performance of the film, which the company released simultaneously in theaters and on its streaming service Disney+ for a $30 rental. “In the months leading up to this lawsuit, Ms. Johansson gave Disney and Marvel every opportunity to right their wrong and make good on Marvel’s promise,” the lawsuit said. “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the Agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.”Disney said the lawsuit has “no merit whatsoever.””The lawsuit is especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Disney said in a statement. “Disney has fully complied with Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20M she has received to date.”After its release was delayed more than a year because of COVID-19, “Black Widow” debuted to a pandemic-best of $80 million in North America and $78 million from international theaters three weeks ago, but theatrical grosses declined sharply after that. In its second weekend in release, the National Association of Theater Owners issued a rare statement criticizing the strategy asserting that simultaneous release lends itself only to lost profits and higher quality piracy.Once taboo, hybrid theatrical and streaming releases have become more normal for many of the biggest studios during the pandemic, with each adopting its own unique strategy. This weekend, Disney is employing the same strategy with “Jungle Cruise,” and next weekend Warner Bros. big budget “The Suicide Squad” opens both in theaters and on HBO Max.The revised hybrid release strategies over the 16 months have occasionally led to public spats from not just theater owners, but stars, filmmakers and financiers who are unhappy with the potential lost revenues and the alleged unilateral decision-making involved.The WSJ said Warner Media, for instance, paid over $200 million in “amended agreements” with talent over its decision to release its entire 2021 slate simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max.But none have been as public as Johansson’s lawsuit. The actor, who has been in nine Marvel movies going back to 2010’s “Iron Man 2,” quickly became a trending topic on Twitter on Thursday after news of the lawsuit broke.