News Analysis India

Tag: Shang Chi

  • Simu Liu hints Shang-chi might be back in MCU sooner than expected

    Express News Service

    Simu Liu recently hinted that his Marvel superhero character Shang-Chi might be back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe lot sooner than expected. Speaking to People, The Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings star said that we could also expect another Marvel film that will feature Shang-Chi interacting with major superheroes. 

    “I’m such a big fan of both the characters and the performers that play them, so any collaboration is an opportunity for me to work alongside someone who, in their own way, is breaking barriers and at the very top of their game,” Liu told the publication about being a part of the MCU. “I think that’s what excites me the most as a performer, [and] also as a fan.”

    He further hinted, “Who knows, they might see something sooner than you think. We’ll see.”

    Simu Liu will be returning as Shang-Chi in the film’s sequel directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed the first film. While there is no release date for the sequel yet, Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi might be making an appearance in many other upcoming Marvel projects. 

    Meanwhile, Simu has many films in various stages of production. These include One True Loves, Hello Stranger, Barbie, Arthur The King and Atlas. He is also working on the Seven Wonders, an action-adventure series based on Ben Mezrich’s novel. 

    (This story originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com)

    Simu Liu recently hinted that his Marvel superhero character Shang-Chi might be back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe lot sooner than expected. Speaking to People, The Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings star said that we could also expect another Marvel film that will feature Shang-Chi interacting with major superheroes. 

    “I’m such a big fan of both the characters and the performers that play them, so any collaboration is an opportunity for me to work alongside someone who, in their own way, is breaking barriers and at the very top of their game,” Liu told the publication about being a part of the MCU. “I think that’s what excites me the most as a performer, [and] also as a fan.”

    He further hinted, “Who knows, they might see something sooner than you think. We’ll see.”

    Simu Liu will be returning as Shang-Chi in the film’s sequel directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed the first film. While there is no release date for the sequel yet, Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi might be making an appearance in many other upcoming Marvel projects. 

    Meanwhile, Simu has many films in various stages of production. These include One True Loves, Hello Stranger, Barbie, Arthur The King and Atlas. He is also working on the Seven Wonders, an action-adventure series based on Ben Mezrich’s novel. 

    (This story originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com)

  • Shang-Chi star Simu Liu to star in Seven Wonders

    By Express News Service

    Simu Liu, who rose to international prominence with Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has been cast as the lead for Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming series Seven Wonders.

    Justin Lin, known for Star Trek: Beyond and the recent entries in the Fast and the Furious series, is all set to direct the series. Liu will also executive produce the show while director Lin will produce it under his banner Perfect Storm Entertainment.

    The series is based on a globe-trotting thriller novel of the same name written by author Ben Mezrich, which was first published in 2005. Adam Cozad, who wrote the 2016 film The Legend of Tarzan, has been roped in to write the series. 

    Ben Mezrich is best known for writing the book Accidental Billionaire, which chronicled the rise of Facebook and its founders. The book became the inspiration for the Academy Award-winning film The Social Network.

    In the vein of Indiana Jones and Da Vinci Code, the series follows a Botanist-adventurer who has to race against time to solve an ancient mystery connected to the Seven Wonders of the world.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

    Simu Liu, who rose to international prominence with Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has been cast as the lead for Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming series Seven Wonders.

    Justin Lin, known for Star Trek: Beyond and the recent entries in the Fast and the Furious series, is all set to direct the series. Liu will also executive produce the show while director Lin will produce it under his banner Perfect Storm Entertainment.

    The series is based on a globe-trotting thriller novel of the same name written by author Ben Mezrich, which was first published in 2005. Adam Cozad, who wrote the 2016 film The Legend of Tarzan, has been roped in to write the series. 

    Ben Mezrich is best known for writing the book Accidental Billionaire, which chronicled the rise of Facebook and its founders. The book became the inspiration for the Academy Award-winning film The Social Network.

    In the vein of Indiana Jones and Da Vinci Code, the series follows a Botanist-adventurer who has to race against time to solve an ancient mystery connected to the Seven Wonders of the world.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

  • ‘Shang-Chi’ director Destin Daniel Cretton to helm ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: ‘Shang-Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings’ director Destin Daniel Cretton will be seen helming ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’, a representative for Marvel Studios confirmed.

    Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige announced ‘The Kang Dynasty’ during the company’s wide-ranging presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, as part one of the two-part conclusion to the Multiverse Saga -similar to how 2018’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and 2019’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’ concluded the Infinity Saga, reports Variety.

    Unlike those films, which were filmed and directed back-to-back by MCU veterans Anthony and Joe Russo, Cretton will only be directing ‘The Kang Dynasty’, which is set to debut on May 2, 2025.

    The follow-up, ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, is due to open just six months later, on November 7, 2025. No director has been announced for that film.

    While there have been no screenwriter or casting announcements for ‘The Kang Dynasty’ either, the title makes clear that Jonathan Majors’ ‘Kang the Conqueror’ who will be first introduced in 2023’s ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’, will play a central role in the film.

    As his name suggests, Kang did indeed successfully conquer Earth in a Marvel comics run in the early 2000s, until the Avengers defeated him.

    ‘Shang-Chi’ was the first Marvel Studios film to get an exclusive theatrical release following the Covid pandemic shutdown, earning $432 million worldwide amid rolling shutdowns during the spread of the delta variant.

    Prior to that film, Cretton was best known as the director of the deeply felt 2013 indie drama ‘Short Term 12’, which helped to launch the career of its star Brie Larson all the way to playing Captain Marvel in the MCU.

    Larson has since appeared in all of Cretton’s movies, starring in the 2017 biographical drama ‘The Glass Castle’, and co-starring with Michael B. Jordan, also an MCU veteran, in Warner Bros.’ 2019 historical drama ‘Just Mercy’.

    LOS ANGELES: ‘Shang-Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings’ director Destin Daniel Cretton will be seen helming ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’, a representative for Marvel Studios confirmed.

    Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige announced ‘The Kang Dynasty’ during the company’s wide-ranging presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, as part one of the two-part conclusion to the Multiverse Saga -similar to how 2018’s ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and 2019’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’ concluded the Infinity Saga, reports Variety.

    Unlike those films, which were filmed and directed back-to-back by MCU veterans Anthony and Joe Russo, Cretton will only be directing ‘The Kang Dynasty’, which is set to debut on May 2, 2025.

    The follow-up, ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’, is due to open just six months later, on November 7, 2025. No director has been announced for that film.

    While there have been no screenwriter or casting announcements for ‘The Kang Dynasty’ either, the title makes clear that Jonathan Majors’ ‘Kang the Conqueror’ who will be first introduced in 2023’s ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’, will play a central role in the film.

    As his name suggests, Kang did indeed successfully conquer Earth in a Marvel comics run in the early 2000s, until the Avengers defeated him.

    ‘Shang-Chi’ was the first Marvel Studios film to get an exclusive theatrical release following the Covid pandemic shutdown, earning $432 million worldwide amid rolling shutdowns during the spread of the delta variant.

    Prior to that film, Cretton was best known as the director of the deeply felt 2013 indie drama ‘Short Term 12’, which helped to launch the career of its star Brie Larson all the way to playing Captain Marvel in the MCU.

    Larson has since appeared in all of Cretton’s movies, starring in the 2017 biographical drama ‘The Glass Castle’, and co-starring with Michael B. Jordan, also an MCU veteran, in Warner Bros.’ 2019 historical drama ‘Just Mercy’.

  • Simu Liu in talks to join Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’

    By Express News Service

    Canadian actor Simu Liu is in negotiations to join Greta Gerwig’s next feature film Barbie. The film, to be directed by Greta Gerwig has already confirmed the lead cast members as Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, with the former as Barbie and the latter as Ken. The plot of the film is currently kept under wraps. The project is written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. Robbie will also serve as one of the producers of the film. 

    Robbie is bankrolling the project through the LuckyChap banner alongside Tom Ackerley. In addition, Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner and Paddington’s David Heyman are also producing. Liu is best-known for the show Kim’s Convenience and his most recent film Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings.

    He played the titular superhero in the film which grossed $432 million at the global box office making it one of the highest-grossers during the pandemic. He is also a part of two interesting feature movies. The first is a romance titled One True Loves, in which he will star opposite Hamilton star Phillipa Soo. The second is  Arthur the King, in which he will be sharing screen space with Mark Wahlberg.

  • Marvel’s ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel to be helmed by Destin Daniel Cretton 

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Disney and Marvel Studios are developing a sequel to their much-loved superhero movie “Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings”, with co-writer and helmer Destin Daniel Cretton returning to direct.

    According to Variety, Cretton is also working on a new Marvel Cinematic Universe series for Disney Plus.

    The filmmaker has signed an exclusive multi-year overall deal with Disney-owned Marvel Studios and Hulu’s Onyx Collective, under which he will develop TV projects for both Marvel Studios for Disney Plus and Onyx Collective across all platforms.

    Cretton will be producing the projects through a new company he is launching with partner Asher Goldstein, named Family Owned.

    “Destin is an amazing collaborator who brought a unique perspective and skill to ‘Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings’. We had a fantastic time working together on the film and he has so many intriguing ideas for stories to bring to life on Disney+, so we’re thrilled to expand our relationship with him and can’t wait to get started,” said Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios.

    “Shang-Chi And The Legend of The Ten Rings”, which starred Simu Liu as the titular hero who battled ancient creatures and his own paternal issues, has earned more than USD 430 million at worldwide box office, becoming one of the most successful films of the pandemic era.

    The film, also featuring Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina and Tony Leung, was the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie to be led by an Asian actor and mostly Asian cast. 

  • ‘American Born Chinese’ series green lit at Disney Plus, Destin Daniel Cretton to direct

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Action comedy show “American Born Chinese” has been handed a straight-to-series order by streaming service Disney Plus.

    Filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton, who recently delivered a box office hit with Marvel Studios’ “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”, will direct the series.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kelvin Yu will serve as showrunner for the action comedy which is based on a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang.

    “American Born Chinese” follows the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his immigrant home life.

    When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

    The show will explore issues of identity, culture and family.

    Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, Asher Goldstein, and Yang will executive produce the series, which is backed by Disney’s 20th TV.

    “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan and thrilled that Destin Daniel Cretton is set to direct.

    The team are visionaries in bringing character-driven adventures to life, and we cannot wait for our audience to experience this fantastically memorable and imaginative adaptation of the graphic novel,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television.

    “This is a great universal story that moves between worlds and explores the impact of culture, identity, and acceptance through the lens of adolescence,” she added.

    Cretton, whose directorial credits also include indie hits like “Short Term 12” and “Just Mercy”, said he found the adaption’s script “riveting” and it left him “laughing and crying and jumping out of my chair on every page”.

    “I feel deeply connected to the characters in this story and the brilliant team bringing it to life.

    This show is going to be unlike anything we’ve experienced on TV, and I can’t wait for the world to see what we’re cooking up,” he added.

  • Eternals and other Disney movies to release exclusively in theatres after ‘Shang-Chi’ success

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Buoyed by the strong performance of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” at the US box office, Hollywood studio Disney has announced that its upcoming films, including “Eternals”, will get an exclusive theatrical window.

    In a statement, the studio said “Eternals”, one of the much-awaited titles of 2021, as well as Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” remake and the long-delayed “Kingsman” prequel “The King’s Man” will play in US theatres for 45 days before being available for streaming on Disney Plus.

    Filmmaker Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel”, which has a release date of October 15, and animated feature “Ron’s Gone Wrong”, set for October 22, are also getting an exclusive 45-day theatrical window.

    Superhero tentpole “Eternals”, which comes from Disney-owned Marvel Studios, will make its debut on November 5, while “West Side Story” will bow in theatres on December 10.

    “The King’s Man”, which has been delayed multiple times, will release on December 22.

    The studio further announced that Walt Disney Animation Studios’ musical “Encanto” will arrive in theatres on November 24, with a 30-day exclusive theatrical window before coming to streaming service Disney Plus on December 24.

    “Following the tremendous box office success of our summer films which included five of the top eight domestic releases of the year, we are excited to update our theatrical plans for the remainder of 2021,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.

    “As confidence in moviegoing continues to improve, we look forward to entertaining audiences in theatres, while maintaining the flexibility to give our Disney+ subscribers the gift of Encanto this holiday season,” he added.

    Disney has also announced new release dates for its movies from various divisions, reported Variety.

    Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley”, the Searchlight Pictures project, has moved to a wide release on December 17 from December 3.

    It will compete against “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, a co-production between Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios.

    Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid”, starring Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy, will debut in theatres on May 26, 2023.

    “The Bob’s Burgers Movie”, based on animated television series of the same name, will release on May 27, 2022.

  • Avoiding racial stereotypes on ‘Shang-Chi’ was important for us: Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige says the “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” team ensured that the cast and crew of the feature come from diverse Asian cultures to avoid racial stereotypes at “every turn”.

    The superhero film features Chinese-Canadian star Simu Liu as the first Asian to headline a Marvel film. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who is of Japanese, American, Slovak, and Irish descent, the film also features Hong Kong acting legend Tony Leung.

    In a Zoom interview from Los Angeles, Feige said “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” was made keeping in mind the authenticity of Asian culture and the global appeal of its messaging.

    “Avoiding racial stereotypes was most important because that is not what anyone of us was interested in. We were interested in bringing a new Marvel hero to the screen, who could inspire people around the world–people in Asia, America, the East and the West…At every turn, we wanted to avoid stereotypes. The best way to do that is through the people we hired. You hire amazing people who are amongst the culture that we are portraying in the movie. Dave Callaham (writer), Destin Cretton, Simu, Tony and Michelle Yeoh, all brought nothing but respect and talent to bring this story alive,” Feige told PTI.

    The film updates its comic book origins, letting go of Shang Chi’s father Fu Manchu, reported to be a problematic character, and replacing it with Wenwu, an original character for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Feige said that Leung made Wenwu a well-rounded character by going beyond a stereotypical villain. Leung is one of the most celebrated international stars and is known for his work in cinema classics such as “In the Mood for Love” and “Chungking Express” and “2046”.

    “We at Marvel have been lucky to have worked with a lot of famous actors, people you could call living legends (but) none of them are as impressive or hit that term legend as much as Tony. He had never been to a Hollywood set before. I live in Los Angeles, sometimes you see other actors around, but Tony was just this mythical figure only in these amazing movies,” he said.

    “Meeting him personally, which I only did briefly before the shutdown, was incredible. Wenwu is a new character. We really wanted him to have villainous overtones but to be this well-rounded tragic figure that you feel for in a deep way. Nobody is better than Tony for this. We had high expectations for what he will be able to bring to this movie and he surpassed them all. It is an extremely special performance,” he added.

    The producer said that  “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”, in its essence, is the “celebration” of the martial arts superhero who undergoes a deeply moving journey. According to Feige, the film’s storyline comes down to what Cretton had pitched to the studio when they first met him to be the director of the movie: Action, family and inspiration.

    “This is a Marvel hero origin story about the celebration of this character and the deep meaning behind the journey the character goes on over the course of the movie with his father, his family, leaving his home and returning to it.

    These are universal stories and myths that we wanted to take very seriously,” he added. Set after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), the film 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 is set for release in India on September 3. Feige said “Shang Chi” has been on a list of “great characters with great stories” from the Marvel comics for almost 20 years.

    “I remember my first two years at Marvel, digging into the comics, looking into the list–which had already been generated before I started–of characters that had great potential, that could become great movie heroes. Shang Chi has been on that list for more than 20 years…Having introduced so many characters, we said, ‘Let’s return to our list of great characters’ and introduce the audience to newer characters’. Marvel movies have ended up happening at the right time. Because if we had tried to make this movie five or ten years ago, Simu would have been too young and Destin would not have been in the position to direct it and Tony might not have been interested in doing a Hollywood movie,” he added.

    “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” also stars Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu and Benedict Wong.

  • Fans give thumbs up to Marvel’s new superhero ‘Shang-Chi’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The resounding cheers and applause at a special screening of MCU’s latest film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” brought back the memories of watching a superhero movie on the big screen in the pre-pandemic days.

    In a year where the threat of the coronavirus pandemic continues to loom large, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) aficionados on Sunday evening thronged the PVR ECX theatre in Chanakyapuri here that hosted the showcase of the upcoming tentpole from the studio.

    Fans queued up in long lines at the entrance of the theatre, socially distanced and patiently waiting for a chance to get in and watch the first Marvel movie to release in India since the beginning of the pandemic.

    Theatres in Delhi have been allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity and the organisers adhered to all the COVID-19 guidelines, mandated by the authorities, during the screening.

    The fan frenzy inside the cinema hall was quite palpable and for many, it was a moment to relive the good old days of watching a film in a massive dark hall.

    As the film commenced with the Marvel Studios signature logo appearing on the silver screen, the hall with over a 100-strong audience reverberated with loud applause.

    Starring Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu, “Shang-Chi” is one of the most anticipated films of this year.

    The movie, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, marks Marvel’s first project with an Asian lead.

    Cretton and Dave Callaham have penned the story.

    Set after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), the movie follows Shang-Chi (Liu) who is drawn into the clandestine Ten Rings organisation, headed by his estranged father (Tony Leung), 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.

    The newest superhero was a hit among the audience members who started rooting for him right from the moment he threw his first punch in the movie.

    Such was the excitement that even a casual reference to Robert Downey’s Iron Man, one of the tallest heroes of the MCU, was met with loud cheers.

    The film’s breathtaking action pieces and intimate storyline also ensured that the fans were in for a quintessential Marvel treat.

    When the movie ended after a run-time of just over two hours, the audience members remained glued to their seats so that they don’t miss the end-credits scene, a staple in a Marvel film which often gives an insight into the future of the ever-expanding cinematic universe.

    And, there are two end credit scenes in “Shang-Chi”.

    Post screening, Ashwin, an audience member, said “Shang-Chi” was the next best thing from the MCU after the late Chadwick Boseman-starrer “Black Panther”.

    “After ‘Black Panther’, ‘Shang-Chi’ is the film where the visual effects and action are amazing. It has some great characters and its story moves at a brisk pace. What I liked about this film was that this wasn’t a stereotypical representation of Asian people. It had a lot of heart and soul,” he said.

    Purvi, another audience member, said that “Shang-Chi” can only be enjoyed as a theatrical experience.

    “I’m not the quintessential superhero movie fan but I had a blast here. I really liked the movie, mainly its storyline and how they inculcated the Chinese legends and mythology into the plot. This movie could not have been a great watch anywhere other than a cinema hall. It is meant for theatres,” she said.

    Kshitij came to the screening to watch his favourite actor and Hong Kong star Tony Leung, who plays Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father and the main villain in the movie.

    “I came here to watch this movie only for Tony Leung and he did not disappoint me at all. I had seen him in ‘The Grandmaster’ doing some cool action but this trumps everything.”

    “I sat through the very last moment of the film as I believe it is a sin for a Marvel fan to miss the end credits scene,” the college student, who was wearing a Hulk T-shirt, said about the veteran actor known for international classics like “In the Mood for Love” and “Chungking Express”.

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

    In India, the film will be released on September 3 in English, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada.

  • Kevin Feige addresses ‘Shang-Chi’ star Simu Liu’s response to Disney CEO’s ‘experiment’ comment

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: In an unusual set of circumstances for Marvel Studios, the premiere of ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ was recently held just 48 hours after its lead, Simu Liu, took aim at Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who had described the film’s release as an ‘experiment’ for the company.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, on Monday night, the stars of ‘Shang-Chi’ had gathered in Hollywood to celebrate the upcoming tentpole from the Disney-owned studio.

    Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, put out a tweet during the premiere, and talking about Liu, said, “He is not a shy man. I think in that particular tweet you can see and I think everyone does a misunderstanding. It was not the intention. The proof is in the movie and we swing for the fences as we always do. With the amount of creative energy we put in and the budget, there’s no expense spared to bring this origin story to the screen.”

    Disney CEO Bob Chapek, on August 12, fielded a question during an investor’s call about keeping ‘Shang-Chi’ and ‘Free Guy’ as theatrical exclusives rather than putting the day-and-date on Disney Premier Access, as the company had previously done with ‘Black Widow’, ‘Cruella’ and ‘Jungle Cruise’.

    Chapek called Shang-Chi “an interesting experiment for us” as the film only has a 45-day theatrical window. He added, “the prospect of being able to take a Marvel title to the service after going theatrical with 45 days will be yet another data point to inform our actions going forward on our titles.”

    Responding to the comment from Chapek, Liu via a statement on Twitter, said, “We are not an experiment,” adding, “We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year. We are the surprise. I’m fired the f**k up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US.”

    We are not an experiment.We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year.We are the surprise.I’m fired the f**k up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US. pic.twitter.com/IcyFzh0KIb
    — Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) August 14, 2021
    Feige further also noted that the film’s premiere had a similarly impactful feel to that of the celebrations of ‘Black Panther’. “When you have the opportunity to showcase a hero that looks like a huge segment of the globe that feels like they haven’t been showcased, the magic can happen if you deliver. I think Destin (Daniel Cretton) and Simu have delivered for this movie,” he said.

    The Marvel Studio’s boss even added that he noticed a superhero quality in Liu after “a lot of reads, a lot of auditions” adding “there’s no magic formula” in finding the right person for a Marvel hero.

    He explained, “It’s a feeling. It’s a sense of both the ability to be relatable and grounded and, at the same time, take your place in that pantheon of heroes should everything go so well in an origin story they will end up with the other pandemic heroes.”

    As for what could potentially be next for Liu’s ‘Shang-Chi’, Feige noted “there is a direct line of where he heads to next.”

    This movie marks Disney’s second live-action tentpole featuring Asian leads, which was released amid the pandemic. The first was ‘Mulan’, which was released on September 4, 2020. That film was available on Disney Plus Premier Access the same day.

    Apart from Liu, ‘Shang-Chi’ also stars Tony Leung, Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng. The movie will arrive on Disney Plus 45 days after its September 3 release.

    Liu’s comments came as another Disney star has been at odds with the company, which is in the midst of a bombshell lawsuit with ‘Black Widow’ star Scarlett Johansson, who sued Disney over its decision to release the Marvel title simultaneously in theatres and on Disney+ Premier Access.

    Johansson claimed the move hurt the box office in favour of juicing Disney’s streaming service. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Feige addressed the lawsuit at the premiere, noting he is “all for amicable solutions.”