Category: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Simu Shares Messages From Chinese Fans
A few months ago, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings hit theaters (95%), and unlike Eternals (58%) – which divided critics and audiences – the film starring Simu Liu was a box office success and received praise from critics and fans. However, both films have something in common – they were banned in China by the government, and it is a pity in the case of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as it is a true tribute to the culture and cinema of that country.
Although it did not make it to theaters, many in China saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and they recognized how it addresses its traditions in an epic and respectful way. Globally, the film grossed US $ 430 million, and it is very likely that it would have been a success in the Asian country, given that most of the Marvel films triumph in the territory. There are several reasons why it was banned in China, but the best known are the character of Wenwu, inspired by Fu Manchú and El Mandarín, two problematic and racist representations.
For his part, he insists that one should not pay attention to politics or believe the tabloid headlines, as his Weibo (Chinese social network) is full of messages of love. This was the screenshot he shared in an Instagram story accompanied by this text.
The media only want to report on tabloid geopolitics. But my Weibo is absolutely full of messages of love and support like this one from our Chinese fans. Take away the government, politics, and rhetoric, and you find that we are not that different from each other.
Although most do not understand what the messages say in Chinese, the emojis of hearts and the actor’s words are enough to verify that the film was well received among the public in the country. Precisely today, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings arrives at Disney Plus, so that it can be enjoyed by all those who have not seen it in theaters or by those who long to see it again. We hope that the sequel and its release date will be confirmed soon.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand and reveal new threats that are beyond what The Avengers have faced thus far. In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, we had a post credits scene where we are shown that the rings sent a signal that alerted such important characters as Wong, Doctor Strange’s assistant, and Captain Marvel. It is believed that this signal will alert its true owner, an extraterrestrial being, where its powerful artifacts are located.
On the other hand, in Eternals, we saw the potential new villain of the franchise, the Celestial known as Arishem, the Judge, as big as a planet, and apparently with a power that goes beyond what has been seen so far. How will Marvel heroes deal with these threats? Although there are very powerful characters on the side of the good guys, it seems that they will have to join forces to take on the new villains.
This year, three Marvel Studios films and four series have already been released, the fourth series with Hawkeye will arrive very soon, and in December we will have Spider-man: no way home, which promises to be as big as Avengers: Endgame.
The People’s Choice Awards have revealed their 2021 nominees, and Simu is featured in two different categories!
Simu has received his individual nominations for Male Movie Star and Action Movie Star for his role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He is competing against Vin Diesel, John Cena, Florence Pugh, Daniel Craig, and fellow MCU actors Chris Pratt and Scarlett Johansson.
Additionally, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is nominated for Best Movie and Best Action Movie.
The awards ceremony will air live on NBC and E! on December 7 at 9 p.m. ET. Voting is currently open on the People’s Choice Awards website until Nov. 17.
According to a new report about the MCU’s upcoming slate of projects, Shang-Chi 2 is already in development and could film in 2023.
Shang-Chi 2 is reportedly already in development at Marvel Studios. Back in early September, the MCU’s second movie out of Phase 4, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, took the world by storm in its theatrical debut. Originally scheduled to release earlier this year, Shang-Chi quickly became a bona fide box office sensation, breaking Labor Day records in its first weekend to become the highest-grossing domestic movie of this year with $221 million at the time of this writing. The movie stars Simu Liu as the titular hero in his first live-action appearance and charts the history of his upbringing as it intersects with his present.
As with any Marvel project, a sequel has been extremely likely for Shang-Chi even before it premiered. It’s rare for the MCU to give a character just one solo project, and the post-credits scenes of Shang-Chi teased a much bigger future for Liu’s character. Marvel boss Kevin Feige confirmed just before the movie came out that he and his creative team already had ideas for Shang-Chi 2, and it looks like it’s finally becoming a reality.
According to GWW as part of a larger report on upcoming MCU projects, Shang-Chi 2 is now in development at Marvel Studios. Few details were given, but it’s said a 2023 production date is eyed for this sequel. This comes from the same report that announced a Thunderbolts movie is in development, along with a solo project for the Marvel hero Nova. Marvel has neither confirmed nor denied this report.
Assuming Shang-Chi 2 is still in very early development, it’s still unclear as to who could return for the sequel. Liu will almost certainly be back as Shang-Chi, and there’s a good chance Awkwafina and Meng’er Zhang will return as Katy and Xialing, respectively. On the creative side, hopefully Destin Daniel Cretton will be back in the director’s chair, though there is precedent for Marvel swapping directors from one movie to the next. Cretton has expressed interest in returning, though, so it seems likely he’ll be tapped for Shang-Chi 2.
With a potential 2023 production start on the table, Shang-Chi 2 might not release until 2024. That seems a long ways off, but it isn’t too shocking. The MCU is completely set for next year and already has a busy 2023 with movies like The Marvels, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In the meantime, Shang-Chi could turn up in other MCU projects to keep his story going as the wait continues for his second solo movie. Hopefully, Marvel will see fit to reveal some details about Shang-Chi 2 soon.
To say that the pandemic has been tough on theaters is an understatement. We’re still working through it, but the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is proof that movie theaters aren’t going anywhere just yet. Marvel Studios’ martial arts flick has become the first film to cross the $200 million mark at the domestic box office, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Unlike Disney’s other spring and early summer offerings, Shang-Chi premiered exclusively in theaters. Black Widow, Jungle Cruise, and Cruella both debuted simultaneously on Disney+ Premier Access and in theaters, calling any box office numbers they scored into question.
THR notes that Shang-Chi has been doing well not just by pandemic-era standards but all on its own, too. The film set a new Labor Day record with its 94.7 million four-day opening, and as the second-biggest opening of 2021, behind Marvel’s own Black Widow.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has surpassed $360 million in global ticket sales, and is heading for Black Widow’s $378.4 million box office number. Make sure to check out our feature, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Explained: What Does It Mean For Phase 4? Also scheduled for this year from Marvel are Marvel’s Eternals, set for November 5, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, which premieres on December 17, 2021.