Shang-Chi (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Shang-Chi | |
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Marvel Cinematic Universe character | |
First appearance | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) |
Based on | |
Adapted by | |
Portrayed by |
|
In-universe information | |
Full name | Xu Shang-Chi |
Alias | Shaun |
Occupation | |
Affiliation | |
Weapon | |
Family |
|
Relatives | Chinese-American |
Xu Shang-Chi | |
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Hanyu Pinyin | Xú Shàngqì |
Wade–Giles | Hsü2 Shang4-ch'i4 |
Yue: Cantonese | |
Yale Romanization | Chèuih Seuhng-hei |
Jyutping | Ceoi4 Soeng6-hei3 |
Xu Shang-Chi (English:
Shang-Chi has been noted as being the first Asian superhero to lead a large-budget film, and Liu's portrayal has been positively received. He first appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), and will return in the film's sequel. An alternate version of the character is set to appear in the animated series Marvel Zombies (2024).[1]
Concept and creation
The character was conceived in late 1972 by writer
Shang-Chi first appeared in Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973).
According to
According to
Characterization
Inspirations and dispelling stereotypes
Both being of Asian descent, Cretton and Callaham were cognizant of some of the racial stereotypes surrounding Shang-Chi in the comics, with Liu saying everyone involved was "very sensitive to not have it go into stereotypical territory". Cretton believed the resulting script for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was a "really beautiful update" to the character from what began in the comics, and was an authentic story about Asian identity.[31] Callaham added that there is "no single Asian American voice", and he and Cretton contemplated how the film could speak to "the wider Asian diaspora" and would be "exciting and entertaining, but also personal to all these people".[32] Cretton likened Shang-Chi to Will Hunting from Good Will Hunting (1997), who is a "mixture of masculinity and vulnerability", noting both characters had secrets and superpowers they do not understand while Liu believed that Shang-Chi's struggles with identity were the core of the character, rather than his martial arts skills.[32][33]
When he was contacted to portray the role, Liu wanted the film to "allow society to see Asian men as powerful, desirable and an aspiration of possibility." Liu used experiences as a child battling stereotypes and microaggressions as being relatable to Shang-Chi's character arc of coming to terms with his heritage. He also sought to dispel stereotypes originating from Bruce Lee films in the 1970s that all Asian men know martial arts, making it clear in an Instagram caption that "Asian actors don't just do kung fu; but Shang-Chi does. It's one of the many things that flesh out his personality, but it's easily the most challenging from a physical perspective."[34] Despite knowing little about the character at first, Liu was reassured early in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings's production that "it was very clear from the get-go that [Cretton] was committed to telling an origin story of a hero [that] was not stereotypical, not a trope, who was fully three-dimensional and had a fully modernized [2021] origin story. In addition to Bruce Lee he also cited Jet Li as one of his inspirations when approaching the character.[35]
Character journey and fighting style
Shang-Chi leaves the Ten Rings organization for a normal life in San Francisco,[28][31] with director Destin Daniel Cretton characterizing Shang-Chi as a fish out of water in the U.S. who attempts to hide that with his charisma,[31] and does not know "who he really is".[36] Shang-Chi changes his name to "Shaun" while living in San Francisco.[37][38] Of Shang-Chi's decision to live a normal life, Liu found that "what he does is a little bit extreme. And it's also because he was raised under very extreme circumstances...I can't really fault him from taking extreme measures to get out of that situation."[39] Cretton described Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as "a journey of stepping into who [Shang-Chi] is and what he's meant to be in this world".[40]
Since the character does not wear a mask, Liu performed many of his own stunts,
For an early sequence in the film where Shang-Chi fights off assassins form the Ten Rings, Cretton took heavy inspiration from the works of Jackie Chan, working closely with choreographers Brad Allan and Andy Cheng, who were both trained in Chan's stunt team. Cretton stated that his favorite moment of the sequence was "The jacket stunt...when he's able to take his jacket off, spin it around and throw his jacket back on. It's a straight nod to Jackie Chan from the stunt team of Jackie Chan."[46]
Fictional character biography
Early life
Xu Shang-Chi was born to
Confronting his past
10 years later, in present-day, Shang-Chi is attacked by the Ten Rings led by
The trio escape the compound with the help of
After the Dweller escapes its seal, Wenwu sacrifices himself to save Shang-Chi from the Dweller and bequeaths the ten rings to Shang-Chi, who uses them and the Ta Lo fighting style to destroy the Dweller. Shang-Chi later makes a paper lantern and lights it in memory of his father.
Back in San Francisco, Shang-Chi and Katy are summoned by the sorcerer
Reception
Karen Rought of Hypable praised the decision to have Shang-Chi already know who he is and what he can do from the very beginning, contrasting with many familiar origin stories seen in other comic-book movies. Of this, Rought noted that "yes, this is an origin story, but it was more about self-acceptance than self-discovery...that was a breath of fresh air for the first film about a new character in the MCU." She described Liu's take on the character to "offers us a perfect dichotomy in his role...He's a kind-faced, goofy, normal guy who hides a secret."[47] Justin Chang of NPR was drawn into the character by his complicated relationship with Wenwu, saying that "[Shang-Chi] has a complicated, vaguely Oedipal rivalry with his father, who turned him into the fighting machine he is and subjected him to all manner of cruel manipulation and abuse", demarking the character's "depths of...trauma".[48] Herb Scribner of Deseret called Shang-Chi "absolutely excellent" and that "he needs to be around for Marvel films for the foreseeable future." Scribner felt that "as Shang-Chi, Liu walks the line of a young man trying to find his way and a vulnerable young boy trying to find his family" and compared the character favorably to other leading characters in the MCU including Thor and Bruce Banner.[49]
After comments from a 2017 interview in which Liu referencing that his parents told him that China was a "third world" country where people were "dying of starvation", a Chinese release for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings thus became unlikely. This led many Chinese fans to express disappointment that they would not be able to see the movie, citing the film's decision to remove controversial character elements related to Shang-Chi as a positive.[50][51]
Awards and nominations
Awards and nominations received by Liu for his performance as Shang-Chi include:
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | People's Choice Awards | Male Movie Star of 2021 | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | Nominated | [52] |
Action Movie Star of 2021 | Won | ||||
Unforgettable Gala – Asian American Awards | Breakout Actor on Film | Won | [53] | ||
2022 | Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards | Game Changer Award | Won | [54] | |
Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actor in a Superhero Movie | Nominated | [55] | ||
MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Hero | Nominated | [56] | ||
Best Fight | Nominated | ||||
Saturn Awards
|
Best Actor in a Film | Nominated | [57] |
Future
Liu has said that he has "no knowledge whatsoever of any of the future Marvel plans for this character or any other character" but would like to return for an adaptation of "Spider-Island", a comic he described as being a "very famous story in which Shang-Chi and Spider-Man have a little team-up moment" and that he would like for Shang-Chi to train Spider-Man in the "Way of the Spider".[58] In an interview on the podcast Phase Zero, Liu also showed interest in starring in a future episode of What If...? as that would allow him to experiment with the character in ways he wouldn't be allowed to approach in film.[59] In January 2022, one month after the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was announced, Liu said that he wanted the film to explore what his character would do with his "newfound power" of the ten rings, as well as how he fits into the larger MCU.[60]
See also
Notes
References
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Capitalizing on the popularity of martial arts movies, writer Steve Englehart and artist/co-plotter Jim Starlin
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In #19, Shang-Chi runs afoul of the monstrous Man-Thing, who can burn anyone who experiences fear while touching him. He is saved by a mysterious stranger...[comics illustration]
The stranger then introduces himself as Lo Sun...[comics illustration]
But because we have eyes, we all know that he is obviously based visually on Carradine's Caine...[comics illustration]
This allowed Englehart to have his new creation have a heart to heart with the character that inspired him...[comics illustration]
However, Marvel felt that it was TOO obvious of a likeness, especially since Kung Fu was a show about, you know, kung fu, so after Gulacy finished the issue, Marvel had someone draw a mustache on to Lo Sun throughout the issue. Moench later recalled to Jon B. Cooke in TwoMorrows' Comic Book Artist #7, while noting that no one had ever bothered them during their time together on the series (when they had cameos and facial likenesses of a number of major characters), "There had been an earlier problem when Paul drew David Carradine and they actually had to go over Paul's artwork and put a mustache on the David Carradine character, but for some reason, when we were doing it, it all slipped by and there was never any problem." - ^ Cooke, Jon B. (February 2000). "A Master of Comics Art - Artist Paul Gulacy and His Early Days at Marvel". Comic Book Artist. No. 7. TwoMorrows Publishing. Archived from the original on October 21, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
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External links
- Shang-Chi on Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki, an external wiki
- Xu Shang-Chi on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki