5 Reasons Why You NEED To Go See ‘Shang-Chi’ If You Haven’t Already!
It’s finally here, the theatrical premiere of the next film in the MCU’s Phase 4; with the anticipated debut of Marvel’s newest Avenger, we can’t think of a better way to support the film than to give you 5 reasons why you NEED to go see Shang-Chi if you haven’t already!
The MCU debut of the Simu Liu starring Shang-Chi was this weekend, and many are buzzing about the first theatrical release of Marvel’s highly anticipated Phase 4.
Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Although the film is following the prequel story of Black Widow and its dual distribution method- release simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with the brand’s premier access package- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the first film that will carry the story forward with an exclusive release in theaters.
There are so many reasons why this film was a must-see its opening weekend, and even more reasons why fans will come to adore the beginning adventure of Shang-Chi in the Marvel universe.
And so, without further or do, here are 5 reasons why you NEED to see Shang-Chi if you haven’t already.
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.
5. First Look Into What Phase 4 Will Truly Bring
For every film in the lauded MCU, it is becoming more and more vital that fans consume every Marvel-related project that hits the market; with the ever-growing universe, it feels as though every inch is connected somehow.
It feels that way because it is.
Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is no different; with many pointing to the vitality of the film for Marvel’s continued Phase 4 Plans as evidence of its status as a must-see event.
Whether Shang-Chi will tackle issues that will be sorted out during this Phase 4 film slate, or an after-credits scene that points to a greater threat; the interconnectivity of the MCU films make it cant miss for Marvel fans.
Katy (Awkwafina) 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.
4. Marvel’s Untraveled Realm
Shang-Chi is a very interesting Marvel project for many reasons; not only is it over a decade in the making, but it is the unique ways in which it pays homage to classic Asian fighting films that have become a staple of pop culture since their explosion in the 1980s-1990s.
The newest MCU film pulls inspiration from legendary Kung-Fu films of cinema past, with Shang-Chi representing a long line of Asian performers who have delighted fans with their incredible fight choreography and physical charisma.
Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
For Marvel, what Shang-Chi has attempted is unlike anything the studio has done in the past.
Although fighting and action have always been a core part of these films, never has a Marvel movie made such an effort to honor such an integral genre of film history, especially for Asian Americans.
Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
3. The Mandarin
One of the most intriguing aspects of the film has always been the presence of the ominous and elusive character known as The Mandarin.
With a presence in the MCU since the 2008 Iron Man entry, the Mandarin has haunted the franchise; with the Studio carefully planning for the debut of a character they cared immensely for.
Source: Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Although the villain’s menacing ways will certainly not be lost in the film, The Mandarin will face a story centered on family and loss; leading to conflicts with his son, Shang-Chi, that culminate into immense action set pieces that truly highlight the power of the character.
Adding to the mystique and intrigue of the character is the fact that he is being portrayed by the legendary actor, Tony Leung; whose legendary resume establishing his presence in Marvel’s pantheon mark one of the studio’s most prominent collaborations.
(L-R): Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
2. Simu Liu
One of the greatest stories in the history of Marvel Studios came in the form of Simu Liu’s incredible journey from a Marvel fan, to a full-fledged Avenger.
Years before the arrival of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Simu Liu tweeted at Marvel Studios, making known his desire to represent the first Asian American superhero on the big screen.
OK @Marvel, are we gonna talk or what #ShangChi
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) December 3, 2018
Fast Foward a couple years and Marvel would undergo and conclude an arduous search for their newest Avenger, and the story would come full circle with Simu getting the call that he will be Marvel Shang-Chi.
Simu Liu has been praised for his unquestioned charism and incredible physical performance in the film, and it appears as though Marvel’s newest Avenger has a very bright future ahead of him as one of the studio’s marquee stars.
1 . Supporting The Worlds First Asian American Superhero Film
Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
The final of the 5 reasons you need to see Shang-Chi is you haven’t already, concludes with maybe the most important reason as to why this film deserves our support.
Marvel has always been ahead of the curve as far as its efforts to emphasize representation within the vastness of its cinematic universe.
This has come in the form of superheroes of color such as Black Panther, and female superheroes such as Black Widow and Captain Marvel; that effort of inclusion continued as Shang-Chi represents a superhero from one of the media’s most underrepresented communities.
Source: Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Marvel’s inclusion efforts allow their films to mirror vast kinds of humanity that makeup both this nation and this planet, and their push to include characters of all genders and races as a reflection of the amalgamation of ethnicities and people that make up the planet we inhabit.
Our push to see Shang-Chi this opening weekend is our statement that this kind of inclusion will have our full support and that we are all willing to come out in full support of Marvel’s continued standard of excellence in union with their inclusive efforts.
(L-R): Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Those are our 5 reasons why you NEED to see Shang-Chi if you haven’t already; What do you think? Have we convinced you to get a seat this weekend to witness the debut of Shang-chi in the MCU? Let us know below!
