Actor Simu Liu is beyond excited to share Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) with moviegoers around the world as he will headline Marvel Studio's first Asian superhero movie. Liu, who takes great pride in the upcoming blockbuster, took to Twitter to call out Disney CEO Bob Chapek on his reported comments regarding Marvel's next release.
Liu's response comes after Chapek allegedly referred to Shang-Chi as an "experiment" during a Disney Q3 earnings call. “On ‘Shang-Chi,’ we think it’s actually going to be an interesting experiment for us because it’s got only a 45-day window for us,” he said. “So the prospect of being able to take a Marvel title to the service after going theatrical with 45 days, would be yet another data point to inform our actions going forward on our titles.”
Chapek said that the studio is to use Shang-Chi to test the 45-day window for future Disney properties being available to watch through streaming as the pandemic continuously threatens traditional release windows, claims The Wrap. Despite the surge in COVID-19 cases, the movie will release in theaters alone.
“We are not an experiment,” Liu caption his post on both Instagram and Twitter that included a photo of the cast and crew behind the scenes. “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.”
Lui said that the film is “an opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to the world following years of stereotypes and caricatures and tired tropes" while discussing the role with HuffPost. “I think seeing yourself represented in that way can have a profound impact on how you view your place in society, your cultural identity, and what you are capable of achieving,” he added. “I’m honored that I played a small part in this fight, and I’m ready to bear that torch if and when it is asked of me.”
With the studio's first Asian superhero movie comes a predominately Asian cast. Tony Leung, Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, Ronny Chieng, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, and Benedict Wong will star alongside Liu. "That world, it just takes your breath away. Right? And we have been waiting for so long to have our own Chinese, Asian superhero. And now we do," Yeoh shared with ET. "I think all of us had so much fun busting our a**es to make sure that the superhero and the heroines around him will live a long and wonderful, adventurous life."
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will release in theaters on September 3, 2021. The movie will spend 45 days on the big screen before headed to Disney+.