Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige has clarified some questionable comments made by Disney CEO Bob Chapek about the upcoming release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
During an investor’s call last week, Chapek referred to Shang-Chi as “an interesting experiment” for the company because it will be released on Disney+ after just a 45-day theatrical release. Following his comments, the film’s lead Simu Liu took to Twitter to condemn the idea that the film is an experiment.[related_content first=”1719469″]
“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,” he tweeted.
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 (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) August 14, 2021
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Feige addressed both Chapek and Liu’s comments, asserting that “[Liu] 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 always do. With the amount of creative energy we put in and the budget, there’s no expense spared to bring this origin story to the screen,” he said.
Feige also made a point to mention that Shang-Chi’s premiere was not unlike Black Panther’s in that it felt extremely impactful and important for on-screen representation.
“When you have the opportunity to showcase a hero that looks like a huge segment of the globe that feels like they haven’t been showcased, the magic can happen if you deliver. I think Destin [Daniel Cretton] and Simu have delivered for this movie,” he said.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an historic film for Marvel, being the first film in the franchise’s history to feature an Asian-majority cast, in what can only be described as a huge win for on-screen representation. It’s been an extremely long time coming but it’s great to see superheroes finally starting to resemble more than just white people.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premieres in theatres on September 3. You can read everything we know so far about the film here.