Kevin Feige Insists Chapek’s ‘Experiment’ Comment is ‘a Misunderstanding’
With Shang-Chi only a week away Marvel is priming their first exclusively theatrical release since Avengers Endgame; with some controversial statements made by Disney CEO afoot, Marvel head Kevin Feige Insists Bob Chapek’s “experiment” comment is, “a misunderstanding.”
With so much riding on the debut of Shang-Chi, and the film already facing a plethora of cultural related questions about the viability of greater representation on-screen- leading us to questions Marvel’s possible hindrance on the film’s success– Disney CEO Bob Chapek certainly didn’t help matters.


Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
The executive was quoted during the company’s Q3 earnings call as referring to the newest Marvel film in a concerning light; referring to the film directly as, “an interesting experiment for us.”
This sort of rhetoric resulted in a response from the film’s star; who made it known that the film he and so many other incredibly talented and dedicated individuals worked so tirelessly to create is, “not an experiment.”
We are not an experiment.
We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year.
We are the surprise.
I’m fired the f**k up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US. pic.twitter.com/IcyFzh0KIb
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) August 14, 2021
In a tweet, Simu Liu made it known to Bob Chapek, and the rest of the world, that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will always carry a chip on their shoulder; that everyone involved in that film wholeheartedly believes in its eventual success, and will anxiously await the surprise they will be to the studio.
In retrospect, it is easy to observe where the lines got crossed in relation to Chapek’s remarks, and Liu’s rebuttal.


Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Kevin finally opened up on the debacle, referring to Simu Liu’s response as, “a misunderstanding” of what Chapek really meant.
Feige told The Hollywood Reporter the following on the incident,


Source: @Shang-Chi
He is not a shy man. I think in that particular tweet you can see and i think everyone does, a misunderstanding,
It was not the intention. The proof is in the movie and we swing for the fences as we alwasy do. With the amount of creative energy we put in and the budget, there’s no expense spared to brin gthis origin story to the screen.


Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Chapek was referring to the film’s exclusive, 45-day, theatrical release as an experiment for the studio to observe where audiences are in terms of their comfort level in consuming films in a theater setting.
With that being said; Chapek is ignorant to the way that his words would come across to a film that is truly breaking ground as the first Asian-American-centered studio film with a predominantly Asian cast and crew.


Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
With the early reviews championing the exceptional movie that Shang-Chi is, one can only point to that fantastic cast and crew for making it happen.
These are individuals who have worked tirelessly to hone their craft and have spent every ounce of talent, time, and focus on making Shang-Chi the greatest film it could possibly be; all while developing a character that has always lacked the exposure of any other Avenger before him.


Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
These are individuals who have never received the chance to make a movie like Shang-Chi before, ad to be made to feel like- in any sense of the world- that your efforts are merely, “an experiment” must feel like a gut-wrenching prospect; a prospect from the Cheif executive of the Walt Disney Company no less.
With Kevin Feige insisting Chapek’s ‘experiment comments were a misunderstanding, what do you think? Will this empower you to go support Shang-Chi on its opening weekend? let us know below!


Wenwu (Tony Leung) and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021.