Marvel Studios Developing Asian Superhero Film ‘Shang-Chi’

NateD1226

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
https://thedisinsider.com/2018/12/03/marvel-studios-developing-asian-superhero-film-shang-chi/

Marvel Studios is reportedly developing a movie focused on Shang-Chi, a superhero of Asian decent. The studio is currently searching for of an Asian and Asian-American director to helm the project.

According to Deadline, Marvel wants to bring focus to Asian culture much in the same way Black Panther did for African and African American culture. Marvel previously featured Asian culture in Doctor Strange, but the studio came under fire when it hired Tilda Swinton to play the Ancient One, who is an Asian character in the comics.

Shang-Chi is described as a master of unarmed and weaponry-based wushu styles, who eventually joining the Avengers.

“The script will modernize the hero to avoid stereotypes that many comic characters of that era were saddled with,” Deadline said. “The comic launched around the time that Enter the Dragon became a global sensation and martial arts films raged.”

Marvel has apparently hired Chinese-American scribe Dave Callaham to write the screenplay. Callaham co-wrote Wonder Woman 1984 and is currently writing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel, Deadline said. He also created the Expendables franchise. Which confirms reports from our friends at ThatHashtagShow a few months back.

Marvel hasn’t announced concrete plans for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so we will have to wait and see how Shang-Chi factors into the franchise moving forward.
 

champdisney

Well-Known Member
They’ll probably approach James Wong (if they haven’t already) for this one. I find it laughable that Disney puts this much emphasis on hiring a culturally fit director to helm a movie because it’s set in Asia or about someone with Asian decent . Why don’t they focus on hiring someone who just knows the source material to the T? Doesn’t matter if he/she is Asian, just as long as their fans of the character and the world it lives in. If they can find a director that is Asian and is a big fan of lore then that’s great. But honestly, who has heard of this character? Is it even wildly known or currently popular in Asia?

I feel that whichever Asian filmmaker they choose to helm this movie, will snatch at it quick for the sake of patting him/herself on the back for directing the MCU’s “first Asian oriented Superhero”. Despite the person even knowing who the hell Shang-Chi is.

This is just plain ol’ pandering to me.
 

Princess Leia

Well-Known Member
Apparently this movie has been an idea since 2006 (was one of the characters bought with the Paramount deal). The pessimist in me thinks that they’re only doing this for the various Asian box office revenues, but the optimist in me thinks that maybe Marvel is finally learning about diversity.

Also, if they plan this for Phase 4 (or whatever it’s called), Marvel is going in a very different direction than what I thought they would do. So far we have the following films in planning or production stages- Spider-Man: Far From Home, Black Widow, Black Panther 2, Doctor Strange 2, The Eternals, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and probably sequels for Ant-Man & Captain Marvel. That’s 8 movies right there, and apparently Marvel is looking at Ms. Marvel too: www.vanityfair.com%2Fhollywood%2F2018%2F12%2Fmarvel-shang-chi-avengers-4-phase-4-plans-diversity-women-asian-muslim-african-heroes&psig=AOvVaw0jnFgLXCqwk06W0zARnXCp&ust=1544010136280535
And that doesn’t even take into account the X-Men and Fantastic Four coming home to Marvel (my money is on F4 happening first), or the Russos wanting to make Secret Wars.

I haven’t seen Crazy Rich Asians yet, but based on trailers and posters, I’d like to nominate Henry Golding to play the lead:

1543923063778.jpeg


Let’s make him the new Marvel dreamy-looking-guy.

My second choice- Lewis Tan, the guy who played Shatterstar in Deadpool 2. The only way that idea would be complicated is if Marvel keeps the casts from the recent X-Men films (and brings him back to life).

1543923458093.jpeg
 
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SosoDude

Well-Known Member
Wow, the Master of Kung-Fu. I used to read Shang-Chi in the late 70's/ early 80's. Never bought any of his comics, but my cooler older cousin did and I would borrow or trade with him. Shang-Chi wasn't really a super hero, but crossed paths with them from time to time. Seems like he would show up in Marvel team-up from time to time. This sounds promising.
 

erasure fan1

Well-Known Member
I find it laughable that Disney puts this much emphasis on hiring a culturally fit director to helm a movie because it’s set in Asia or about someone with Asian decent . Why don’t they focus on hiring someone who just knows the source material to the T? Doesn’t matter if he/she is Asian, just as long as their fans of the character and the world it lives in.
Welcome to the new world. This annoys me as well, unfortunately that is the culture. I want to see the best movie they can make, not the movie that checks off a set of PC boxes. Like you said, get the best individual for the film, no matter who it is.
 

Princess Leia

Well-Known Member
Crazy Rich Asians is flopping in China right now, so Disney/Marvel making a Shang-Chi movie might not mean success across the Pacific. It might, but nothing’s really certain.

If Shang-Chi has a domestic box office like Black Panther though, it should be fine.
 

erasure fan1

Well-Known Member
The movie now has a director.

This could be really good if they do it right. A lot of great action.
So I wonder what movie he shows up in before his stand alone. This is a pretty obscure character that even bigger Marvel fans have no clue about. It would be smart to throw him into a doctor strange 2 or something to make his introduction. Then let his "origin" story go.
 

Princess Leia

Well-Known Member
So I wonder what movie he shows up in before his stand alone. This is a pretty obscure character that even bigger Marvel fans have no clue about. It would be smart to throw him into a doctor strange 2 or something to make his introduction. Then let his "origin" story go.
I mean, Guardians didn’t really have a pre-standalone film (unless you count the Collector, which I’m not), and neither did Captain Marvel. Or Ant-Man. Or Doctor Strange (outside of a name drop in Winter Soldier). So it’s possible that they just let the MCU brand do the heavy lifting.
 

erasure fan1

Well-Known Member
I mean, Guardians didn’t really have a pre-standalone film (unless you count the Collector, which I’m not), and neither did Captain Marvel. Or Ant-Man. Or Doctor Strange (outside of a name drop in Winter Soldier). So it’s possible that they just let the MCU brand do the heavy lifting.
Yes but even those, aside from guardians, the average marvel fan had at least heard of. This one is digging deep into the library. I'm sure marvel could do it. But it did so much good for spidey and panther eventhough spider-man didn't need it. That it would be a smart move in my eyes.
 

Princess Leia

Well-Known Member
It would continue the tradition of having great actors in only a single movie as a villain but for him it’d be worth it.
I would really like to see that tradition change one of these days. We had Loki for several films, which was great, and we’ll get Vulture in at least two. Thanos will have been the big bad for two movies (though Endgame will technically be his fifth appearance). We had Klaue for two movies, but I wish we had three, since Serkis was terrific, technically had Red Skull for two,
and who really knows what is going to happen with Yon-Rogg since he was left alive

I get that contracts can sometimes only be filled for one film, but sometimes larger stories need to be written.
 

Mouse Trap

Well-Known Member

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