Marvel Studios film to be released in 2021. And it is highly anticipated for a number of reasons.
Shang-Chi was directed by Maui native Destin Daniel Cretton, whose previous projects have heavily tackled family tensions – a focal point in the new Marvel film. Furthermore, apart from introducing Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Marvel’s Master of Kung-Fu, to the MCU’s roster of heroes, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings also promises to shed light on the mysterious villain known as Mandarin, played by veteran actor Tony Leung. Other cast include Awkwafina, Fala Chen, Meng'er Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, and Benedict Wong. As the second film in Phase 4 of the MCU, Shang-Chi will reveal key characters and plot points in the MCU timeline. And because of its stellar cast, the film is also a big step for Asian representation in mainstream superhero cinema.
This is why Simu Liu has taken it upon himself to finally settle the debate on how Shang-Chi is properly pronounced. In a Twitter post by the Shang-Chi actor himself, Liu opens with, “Your friendly #AsianHeritageMonth reminder:” followed by a phonetic spelling of his own name: “SEE-moo LEE-ew,” along with a phonetic spelling of Shang-Chi: “SHONG-chee,” and a reference to his role in the series Kim’s Convenience: “Dad.” Liu tops it off by saying “Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.” Liu has made it clear that learning the proper pronunciation of Shang-Chi (SHONG-chee) is a matter of preserving the Marvel character’s Asian heritage.
This is even more crucial considering how Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is well-positioned to fix the way compared the Ten Rings with Mjolnir, which suggests that the titular weapons – much like Thor’s legendary hammer – will have a larger role to play as Phase 4 of the MCU unfolds.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings might just be the MCU’s biggest movie this year. And pronouncing Shang-Chi properly is a simple way to honor not just the character’s history, but everything else that the new installment represents. Apart from the film’s loyalty to the martial arts master’s Marvel comics origins, this includes Shang-Chi’s mainly Asian cast, many of which are martial artists themselves whose input has been crucial to the film’s success. Indeed, if the reactions to the early screenings of Shang-Chi are any indication, it might be the best action movie that Marvel Studios has ever produced. This isn’t surprising, considering how the legendary Hollywood stunt coordinator Brad Allen was behind Shang-Chi’s fight scenes. Even before its official theatrical release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has been hailed as a game-changer – the least that everyone can do is to pronounce Shang-Chi properly.
