The countdown has already begun: on September 2 it arrives in available cinemas Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings, a new epic adventure from Marvel Studios which revolves around the mysterious organization of the Ten Rings and introduces Shang-Chi, a new superhero within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
In the film, Shang-Chi embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting the past he believed he left behind when he became trapped in the web of the Ten Rings, an organization linked to his childhood and family.
Read too: Meet the cast of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The film, in its trailers and clips, shows incredible action scenes with martial arts, its great visual impact and the elements of humor and emotion that characterize all Marvel movies, but it is also leaving its mark on the MCU by being the first story linked to Asian-American culture, with a collection of characters played by talented actors and actresses of Asian origin.
Additionally, the project features an Asian-American creative team behind the camera, in line with the studio's strong commitment to telling representative stories, with an authentic and respectful look both in front of and behind the screen.
an authentic story
To find the starting point of Shang-Chi's story, the creative team at Marvel - led by the producers Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz – traced its origins by delving into 1970s Marvel comics, heavily influenced by the kung-fu cinema of the time.
“While the art and action in these comics are amazing, Shang-Chi needed a major update. Seeing it today, forty years later, and seeing how the stories are told, Shang-Chi didn't seem right for modern audiences. We had to think about how we wanted that voice to be heard in an MCU movie.”, explains Schwartz.
In this origin story, the reimagined Shang-Chi lives in San Francisco, where he works as a valet in a hotel parking lot. When a group of assassins steal a pendant his mother gave him when he was young, Shang-Chi and his best friend Katy abandon their safe lives and travel to Macau to warn Shang-Chi's sister, Xialing, that danger is also looming. approaches her.
As the film progresses, Shang-Chi must face the past he thought he left behind. When he finds himself drawn into the network of the mysterious Ten Rings organization led by his father, Shang-Chi realizes he must stop him and the members of the Ten Rings.
“Shang-Chi's core problem lies in not knowing who he really is. Over the course of the film, he must learn to own every part of himself. Inside are the remnants he didn't deal with, the traumatic things that happened to her as a child. This story is, in essence, seeing a young man deal with his problems for the first time. He must look within and understand that there are negative things in his story, but there are also many positive aspects to it. If he doesn't allow himself to see everything, the good and the bad, the light and the dark, he won't reach his full potential.", describe Destin Daniel Cretton, Movie's director.
Ultimately, it is these essentially “human” characteristics and dilemmas that make history authentic. “We wanted to tell this story the right way and see each character as a multidimensional human being to try to avoid all the stereotypes that have long existed around Asian and Asian-American characters.”, concludes Cretton.
Cast
From the beginning, the creative team behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings he knew that the story must be told by talents that faithfully reflect the spirit of the characters and their circumstances.
Under this premise, the filmmakers have assembled the first primarily Asian cast in a Marvel film, with the vast majority of actors and actresses of Asian descent or origin.
“Having a cast of Asian faces representing both US and Chinese culture was amazing. Seeing how these young Asian characters live their lives is something that has never happened to me before.”, confesses Cretton.
Led by Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu, who plays Shan-Chi, the cast includes renowned actress and comedian Awkwafina (“Katy”), the legendary Hong Kong actor Tony Leung (“Xu Wenwu”), Chinese-American actress Speak Chen (“Li”) and the iconic Chinese-born Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh (“Ying Nan”).
For Simu Liu, the Asian representation in the film is a key point that he is extremely proud of. “This is the MCU's first Asian-American superhero. This is an important milestone for us. We've waited a long time for a moment like this, seeing ourselves portrayed this way on screen. Many of us children of immigrants have never been able to see ourselves authentically on screen. We saw caricatures and stereotypes. I'm excited to see what's been going on over the last couple of years and I believe this movie will be an important part of that conversation.”, explains Liu.
On the same line, Awkwafina adds: “It will be very important for that boy and girl who don't see many people of Asian origin, or other minorities, on screen. When you see a superhero, you see yourself. I think this is the great importance of films like this. They allow boys and girls to feel that possibility. Following that idea, I hope it opens the door for more films like this one.”
Team
The Asian representation in the film was also, from the beginning, present behind the camera, as the creative team at Marvel went in search of an Asian-born director to tell the story.
Hawaii-born Cretton expressed interest in directing the project after hearing that Marvel was looking for an Asian-American director to bring the story to life. The director says: “In my childhood, my friends were Filipinos, Chinese and Japanese. In Hawaii, if you're Asian, you're in the majority. When I traveled to the continental United States, it was the first time I felt out of place. It was the first time someone in a bar came up to me and called me Bruce Lee. That's when I realized and thought: 'Oh, yes, here I am different.'
Cretton shared the experience with the filmmakers and linked it to Shang-Chi's journey in the film. Marvel responded enthusiastically to his vision, and Cretton was quickly drafted into the director's chair.
Since then, the process has become collaborative and Asian-American DNA has been quickly imprinted on the project. The studio hired Dave Challaham, screenwriter of the Chinese-American film, and also brought in production designer Sue Chan, born in New York and of Chinese descent. The editing team has Harry Yoon, of Korean-American origin.
With the Asian representation as the true protagonist, Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings is writing an important page in the history of Marvel Studios, while setting a valuable precedent for projects to come. In turn, the audience prepares to enjoy the film with their five senses and connect once again with a story that, full of action, mystery and emotion, bears the indisputable seal of Marvel so loved by fans.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings opens on September 2nd only in available theaters.
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