![]() ![]() That obscurity, however, is partly what allowed the filmmakers to rewrite Shang-Chi in their own vision. (July’s release of the female Avenger’s first solo film brought in $80 million domestic in its first weekend, and was also available on Disney+.) Projected to easily win the Labor Day weekend box office, “Shang-Chi” comes armed with stellar reviews and a 91% Rotten Tomatoes score, but audiences are much less familiar with the character than, say, Black Widow. He’s focused on rallying audiences around the film, which could nudge the door open wider for inclusive stories to come - or not. Whether or not it was a “ misunderstanding,” as Marvel head Kevin Feige said - when smoothing over the pre-release bump at the film’s world premiere - Liu won’t confirm. Liu now has over 1 million followers on social media, and when Disney CEO Bob Chapek recently referred to its release strategy as “an interesting experiment,” the star subtweeted a rebuke: “We are not an experiment. ![]() Opening exclusively in theaters, “Shang-Chi” won’t arrive on the Disney+ streaming service for 45 days, a first for a Disney-produced film during COVID-19. He’s prepared for the moment and the responsibility that comes with visibility, using his platform to speak out for the Asian American community and readying to springboard his own projects.īut the stakes are high when you’re making history, even more so in a pandemic. Now Liu, 32, is seeing himself reflected in the biggest ways: on billboards, on posters and on the big screen in a wuxia-inflected superhero origin story filled with otherworldly heroics. “And how much more incredible would it be if I saw myself reflected on that screen in some way?” Times’ Asian Enough podcast ( listen to the full episode here). “You were starting to see the MCU forming into what it is today, feeling like, ‘Oh my God, this is incredible,’” Liu described on the L.A. What was behind that tweet all those years ago? A mix of frustration and desire familiar to anyone who’s ever felt pushed to the margins of pop culture, or culture at large. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (whose decidedly non-blockbuster resume includes “Short Term 12” and “Just Mercy”), “ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” sees Liu stepping into a career-making turn as the eponymous Shang-Chi, a hero running from the shadow of his warlord father (played by simmering Hong Kong screen icon Tony Leung). This week, after 24 films and over a decade, Marvel finally delivers its first Asian-led superhero stand-alone. “Now how about an Asian American hero?” Liu asked, tagging Marvel. (Actors named Chris were in high demand.) The blockbuster comics-inspired series was only making room for one kind of hero: white men. I mean it just doesn't get better than that.In the summer of 2014, Canadian actor Simu Liu - still a few years away from his breakout role on the comedy series “ Kim’s Convenience” - sent off a tweet to what he jokingly describes as “maybe 14 followers.”Īt the time, Iron Man already had three movies of his own in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "I met some of the most incredible people and got to pick the brains of cinematic legends and icons in Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh and also was able to fly my parents down to LA and have them walk beside me on the red carpet in Hollywood with a poster with my face on it. "All I can be is grateful because honestly this role has changed my life," said Liu. ![]() Turns out, what director Destin Daniel Cretton was really looking for was someone who could upgrade his martial arts skills. I was nowhere near that level in my martial arts training. Going into the audition process there were all sorts of assumptions built into my mind: They're looking for a literal Kung Fu master. HOLLYWOOD - Actor Simu Liu was as surprised as anyone when he earned the title role in Marvel's newest movie "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." He didn't have much of a martial arts background when he auditioned for the very physical film. 'All I can be is grateful because this role has changed my life.' Chinese Canadian actor Simu Liu joins the Marvel Universe as its first Asian superhero. ![]()
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