Movies - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Discover the first trailer

By Mulder, 19 april 2021

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Shang-Chi. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, the film is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton from a script by David Callaham and stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, alongside Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Fala Chen, Meng'er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, Ronny Chieng and Michelle Yeoh.

This Shang-Chi-based film entered development in 2001, but this project really came into its own in December 2018, when Callaham was hired. Destin Daniel Cretton Cretton joined him in March 2019, as the project was fast-tracked to become Marvel's first film with an Asian lead character. The film's title and main cast were announced in July, revealing the film's connection to the Mandarin (Leung) and his Ten Rings organization that appears throughout the MCU. Filming began in February 2020, but was halted in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production resumed in August before wrapping in October. Filming took place in Sydney and San Francisco.

As of December 2018, Marvel had fast-tracked the development of the film with the intention of making it their first film with an Asian lead. Marvel hired Chinese-American writer David Callaham to write the script, and began looking for Asian and Asian-American filmmakers to potentially direct the film. The studio's goal was to explore "Asian and Asian-American themes crafted by Asian and Asian-American filmmakers," as they had done with African and African-American culture with Black Panther earlier in 2018. Callaham's script was meant to modernize elements of the character's comic book story, which was first written in the 1970s, to avoid what modern audiences would consider negative stereotypes.

Marvel Studios has hired Japanese-American filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton to direct the film in March 2019. In April 2019, Marvel Studios and Australian Minister for the Arts Mitch Fifield announced that an upcoming Marvel film, believed to be Shang-Chi, would be shot at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney and on location throughout New South Wales. The production has received A$24 million (US$17 million) in one-time funding from the Australian government, as well as A$10 million (US$7 million) in support from the state's Made in NSW fund. Production is expected to generate A$150 million (US$107 million) for the Australian economy and 4,700 new jobs, while benefiting around 1,200 local businesses. Don Harwin, the NSW Minister for the Arts, confirmed in July that the film was Shang-Chi and would be produced back-to-back with Marvel Studios' Thor: Love and Thunder (2022); production on Shang-Chi was to be completed before work began on Love and Thunder later in 2020.

In mid-July 2019, Marvel began testing 20-something actors for the role of Shang-Chi. The studio was adamant that the actors be of Chinese descent to audition for the character. This group included Lewis Tan and Simu Liu Tan who had previously played Zhou Cheng in Iron Fist. Liu tested for the role on July 14 and was officially cast on July 16. Cretton and producer Kevin Feige made the announcement at Marvel Studios' San Diego Comic-Con on July 20, where the full title of the film was announced as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Feige noted that the Ten Rings organization has appeared throughout the MCU since its introduction in the franchise's first film, Iron Man (2008), and said its leader, the Mandarin, would be introduced in this film with Tony Leung in the role. Feige also announced the appearance of Awkwafina in the film.

Principal photography began in February 2020, shooting at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney and on location throughout New South Wales, under the working title Steamboat. Bill Pope served as director of photography for the film. Bill Pope served as director of photography for the film. Cretton chose Pope because he felt the cinematographer's style could be both naturalistic and heightened, and because of Pope's work on The Matrix (1999), which Cretton felt had the right tone for an MCU film centered on Asian and Asian-American characters. In October, filming took place in San Francisco, also under the working title Steamboat. Locations included the neighborhoods of Russian Hill, Noe Valley and Nob Hill, as well as Fisherman's Wharf. Filming wrapped on October 24, 2020.

In December 2020, Marvel revealed the roles of several cast members, including Awkwafina as Shang-Chi's friend Katy, Yeoh as Jian Nan, and Chieng as Jon Jon. They also announced the casting of Meng'er Zhang as Xialing, Fala Chen as Jiang Li, and Florian Munteanu as Razor Fist; Munteanu was chosen after Marvel Studios was impressed with his role in Creed II (2018). In March 2021, the film's release date was pushed back once again to September 3, 2021, when Black Widow was shifted to a July 2021 release date.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is scheduled for release on September 3, 2021. It is expected to have a traditional theatrical release rather than being released simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access like Black Widow. The film was previously scheduled to be released on February 12, 2021, the first day of the Chinese New Year, before being moved to May 7, 2021, and then to July 9, 2021, delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Check out the first official photos on our Flickr page

Synopsis:
In Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Shang-Chi, played by actor Sim Liu, will have to confront a past he thought he had left behind when he is caught in the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
Produced by Kevin Feige
Screenplay by David Callaham
Based on Shang-Chi by Steve Englehart, Jim Starlin
Starring Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Fala Chen, Meng'er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, Ronny Chieng, Michelle Yeoh
Cinematography : Bill Pope
Edited by Nat Sanders, Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, Harry Yoon
Production company : Marvel Studios
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date : September 3, 2021 (United States), September 1, 2021 (France)

(Source : press release)