Get to know Shang-Chi from the latest MCU film ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’

Shang Chi, played by Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience), is Marvel’s first Asian-American superhero with a standalone movie. The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy, The Glass Castle).

Holy bajeezus pic.twitter.com/rrDPk4R0Mp

— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) September 1, 2021

As the film is now showing in theaters overseas, here is what you need to know about Shang-Chi in the movie and his comic book origins.

Background

Shang-Chi's father trained him to become a member of a terrorist organization, but he devotes himself into a master of kung-fu and other martial art abilities.

Abilities

Shang-Chi is considered as the best in hand-to-hand combat due to his mastery of martial arts abilities. Originally in the comics, Shang-Chi does not have any superpowers unlike other Marvel heroes. But recently, Marvel has developed Shang-Chi with an ability for super strength to break metals, and quick reflexes to dodge bullets.

From comics to film

It can be seen in some Shang-Chi comic titles in the mid-2000’s that he either fights against or teams up with other Marvel superheroes such as Spider-Man, Captain America, and other members of the Avengers.

In 2018, Marvel decided to have a standalone movie for Shang-Chi, following the cultural impact of Black Panther. And in 2019, Cretton was hired to direct the film.

Shang-Chi and the legend of the The Ten Rings is only available in theaters abroad, and local theaters in the Philippines are still closed due to the pandemic regulations. It will not be premiered on Disney Plus like Black Widow’s was, as Disney went back pre-pandemic to have a 45-day theatrical run before releasing in their streaming app, hopefully around mid-October. (Lourence Ong)

(Images from Marvel and Marvel Studios)