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Tag: Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Concept Art Offers Closer Look at Abomination’s Redesign

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Concept Art Offers Closer Look at Abomination’s Redesign

    Shang-Chi surprised many when one of its trailers revealed the grand return of Abomination. While we knew he’ll make an appearance in She-Hulk, we only heard that Tim Roth will reprise the role. There was no mention if he’ll show up in his human form, or if he’ll look similar to what he did in 2018’s The Incredible Hulk. The trailer changed all that when we got a more comic-accurate design for the character. Many didn’t even believe it was the same character at first, but the film’s recently released revealed that it is indeed the transformed Blonsky.

    The new design still kept elements from the original, and Marvel Studios Senior Visual Development Artist, Anthony Francisco, took to Instagram to share a closer look at the character’s new design. He did get the more comic-accurate ears and green skin. Yet, the concept art reveals he still retains the protruding bones from his first design. It’s somewhat difficult to make out in the film but we might get a closer look once the Disney+ series drops.

    It’s a great design and Marvel Studios likely will utilize these assets in the Disney+ series with some minor tweaks here or there. We’ll see if they point out the new design in the series, as Mark Ruffalo‘s Bruce Banner might be surprised. It would be perfect if Blonsky fights back by pointing out that he looks different from their last encounter. Hopefully, the wait isn’t too long until we get our first look at the legal comedy and the wacky part of the MCU it’ll introduce us to.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Actor Florian Munteanu on Razor Fist & His Loyalty to Wenwu

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Actor Florian Munteanu on Razor Fist & His Loyalty to Wenwu

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings only recently hit theaters, but star Florian Munteanu is already talking about what didn’t make the cut. During a recent interview with ComicBookMovie, the former heavyweight boxer revealed that fans will be seeing much more of him when the film hits Blu-Ray. While Munteanu‘s presence was undoubtedly felt throughout the movie, his role essentially just functioned as an over-the-top bodyguard. Now, “Big Nasty” claims that he filmed a few Razor Fist scenes that would have expanded on the character’s backstory and motivations.

    His spoiler-filled explanation begins,

    We had that big end battle, and you [originally] would have seen a bit more there from Razor Fist. I’m looking forward to people seeing that because there was a reason why he replaced his blade with the dragon sword and fights with two swords, but I don’t want to spoil too much and I don’t want to give away too much.

    The last we see of the Ten Rings’ foremost mercenary, he’s aligned himself with the organization’s newest leader – the formidable Xialing. Munteanu continues his informative recount by stating that deleted scenes would have given audiences a better idea as to why Razor Fist was so loyal to both Xialing and his former boss, Wenwu.

    I always call [him] stepdad because, at the end of the day, Wenwu gave him a new life and purpose and a home. He trained him and took him away from the streets. That’s also something you will see in the bonus material. [Xialing’s] his daughter, so there’s more meaning to that than just following a new leader, but we’ll have to see what happens.

    It would appear that Razor Fist, often presented as the butt of the joke, may have a more tragic origin than initially believed. Luckily, he made it out of Shang-Chi alive, so there’s still hope some of that could be explored in a future MCU project. That is if it’s not on the DVD bonus features first.

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is in theaters now.

    Source: ComicBookMovie

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Dominates Second Weekend, On Par With Pre-Pandemic Performance

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Dominates Second Weekend, On Par With Pre-Pandemic Performance

    The numbers are finally in and Shang-Chi continues to impress. In its second weekend, the Simu Liu-led film dropped around 53% from its first weekend and is on par with pre-pandemic performances by Marvel Studios. It currently stands at $35.8M in its second weekend after setting a new Labor Day weekend record. That is quite a difference from Black Widow‘s harsher 70% drop. To be fair, the latter also had a digital release simultaneously that managed to garner $125M on top since its premiere.

    Its performance put it at the top spot for a second week in a row and gave Disney the confirmation to keep the rest of their 2021 slate as theater-only releases, which includes the ambitious Eternals. The only real competition the latest Marvel film had to face was the horror film Malignant that released to a very lukewarm $5.57M. With a C-grading on CinemaScore, it’s difficult to say how it’ll perform long-term. It’s also the first horror film to have a weaker performance in the pandemic.

    The film’s performance definitely feels like the jolt of energy the Box Office needed. Even Black Widow‘s success was followed by some concern regarding the future of theater experiences. It’s also currently on par to surpass the first Phase 4 film’s overall Box Office to become the raining champ until the next major release. Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s trailer viewership may pin it as the champion to take the top spot for 2021, but Eternals could still become quite a contender once it releases in November. We’ll have to wait until predictions are in Marvel Studios kicks of their marketing plan.

    Source: Variety

  • From Ta Lo to Atlantis: How Marvel Studios Might Introduce Namor’s Home

    From Ta Lo to Atlantis: How Marvel Studios Might Introduce Namor’s Home

    Following the release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become home to yet another fictitious location, Ta Lo. With Namor scheduled to make his MCU debut as early as next year in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it’s likely that audiences will get to see yet another mythical location, the undersea kingdom of Atlantis. While little is known regarding how the studio will introduce Atlantis on the big screen, it’s fair to assume that its upcoming introduction may take some hints from Shang-Chi. Like with Ta Lo, Atlantis will need to touch on how it’s imprinted with its cultures’ mythology, how it has managed to stay hidden up until now and even its access points.

    With over a decade of movies under its belt, Marvel Studios will need to take a new approach when introducing fantastical new locations in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Part of Marvel’s problem is that, after twenty-five films, audiences may be confused as to why a location is only recently being referenced. And even though there are locations that could have only gained relevance due to The Blip, not all can fit those criteria. Due to this, many, especially ones that have been around for millennia, need a more careful approach regarding their MCU debut, and Ta Lo is a perfect example of that.

    What is Ta Lo?

    In the comics, Ta Lo was a small “pocket” dimension adjacent to Earth, and it appears to be something quite similar in the MCU. It is described as a mystical dimension, inhabited by Chinese mythological creatures, that have managed to stay hidden not only by being difficult to access but especially by making it unclear to the outside world if it’s even a real place or not.

    It can be accessed from Earth through a portal located in China, which is shielded by an enchanted bamboo forest, that only allows safe passage on the first day of the fifth solar term of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, the first day of the traditional Qingming Festival. Besides The Great Protector, its giant guardian dragon, several other Chinese mythological creatures are shown to live inside Ta Lo. From Dijiangs (Morris’ kind) to several Phoenix and Nine-tailed Foxes, Guardian Lions and Qilins.

    The way Marvel Studios managed to enrich the movie by embedding it with the spirit of such a vivid concept of what Chinese mythology should be about, managed to take the project to a whole new level. By intertwining these ideas with a real-world setting, they became a more credible concept within the MCU, contributing to the world-building Phase 4 seems to be all about. And this is where one is left to wonder if, knowing what Marvel Studios might be hinting at by casting Tenoch Huerta as Namor, and Mabel Cadena as Namora, Kevin Feige and his team are preparing to do something similar in its approach towards Atlantis.

    How does it relate to Atlantis?

    Following Ta Lo’s example, Marvel could treat Atlantis as a place beyond earth’s dimension. Doing so would allow for an easy explanation as to why it hasn’t been addressed previously. The founders of Atlantis, as some write, were half-god and half-human, so it wouldn’t be unheard of to make it a mythological place of its own, almost inaccessible, rooted in the mythology of a civilization. With both Huerta and Cadena both having distinct central American heritage, that seems to be playing a part in the uniqueness Marvel should want for its take on Atlantis, something like the Aztec Empire serving as the grounded real-world connection to a fictional lost underwater city sounds like a possibility.

    Tlālōcān

    When diving into Aztec history, one learns of their ancestors’ (the Olmecs) presence in the Yucatan Peninsula. Lying between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Sea to the east, it’s a place said to have a profound connection with the Aztec water Gods, who ruled over a paradise world called Tlālōcān. This world is said to be the home of those who died through drowning or lightning, ruled over by the rain deity Tlāloc. In the present day, it’s more of a concept embracing the subterranean world and its denizens. Aztec shamans were supposedly able to access this otherworldly realm through whirlpools, something very similar to the way Ta Lo was accessible to Shang-Chi.

    To understand how those whirlpools might come into play, we should remember that the Yucatan Peninsula is, amongst other things, famous for its cenotes, a.k.a. sinkholes. These were likely to have been formed several million years ago through the impact of an incredibly large meteor in the region. As a result, they are filled with shocked quartz, a byproduct of the extreme impact. One of the characteristics of this type of pressurized quartz is that it can convert Earth’s natural electrical vibrations into a form of energy, and it’s been theorized that it could be used in the creation of wormholes, through an electromagnetic reaction called the Casimir effect.

    A modern take on Atlantis

    Cenote Angelita

    We now have the idea of a mysterious location, deeply rooted in Aztec mythology, much like Ta Lo. We also have clearly defined access points. These access points prevent accidental outside access, defined by the geomorphology of the region. By taking a realistic approach to Atlantis, Marvel Studios can introduce its own fresh take on the world. More importantly, though, it also allows Marvel to preserve the verisimilitude of its universe by grounding it in real-world cultural concepts going back generations.

    Could we have found or Atlantis in Tlālōcān? Going back to Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings, Michelle Yeoh’s character, Ying Nan, suggests that there might be other cities in pocket dimensions. Will this be how audiences come to meet the kingdom of Namor the Sub-Mariner?

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings is in theaters now, while Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in production and expected to hit theaters on July 8, 2022.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Fala Chen Talks Tony Leung and Being the Heart of ‘SHANG-CHI’

    EXCLUSIVE: Fala Chen Talks Tony Leung and Being the Heart of ‘SHANG-CHI’

    Shang-Chi and The Legend Of The Ten Rings features plenty of action. Each action set piece is bigger than the last until the film’s explosive third act. Now everything that leads into that action is surrounded by the heart of the movie: Jiang Li, mother of Shang-Chi, played by Fala Chen. Murphy’s Multiverse was fortunate enough to talk with Chen recently about her role, working with Tony Leung and more.

    Chen’s Jiang Li makes a big impact as the moral center of the film. Chen addressed how she stepped into that central role:

    I feel it was very natural for me to step into that role. I got to spend a lot of time with the cast prior to the beginning of filming. We trained together for so long that we hung out after our training sessions. We got to really know each other so well and we became best friends. So I think that really helped me to imagine some of the character I didn’t get to play with on screen but have a relationship with that was really helpful.

    Chen gave director Destin Daniel Cretton credit for not only helping her create what is an entirely original character but also creating an authentic vibe for Ta-Lo, they mystical realm from which Jiang Li hails.

    Then Destin (Director Destin Daniel Cretton), I have to give him so much credit for spending so much time with me to map out the journey of my character. He explained the backstories, and asked me what ideas I had for the character. There are imaginary backstories that we mapped out together. I feel like I was very lucky to not only play the character but have a lot of personal input as well. Here’s a small example particularly with the language. My character spoke Chinese in the film, and there are so many dialects in the Chinese language. Even with Jiang Li coming from Ta-Lo, which is a mystical village we wanted to be very specific about every word that she was using. It’s precise, it’s part of the spirit. The language we used is such an ancient, nuanced language we wanted to make sure it’s authentic. In order to do that we spent a lot of time with a translator. I had a lot of personal input in the translation of that. It was a lot of collaboration amongst us all.

    Chen absolutely stole the show in her role, a role, as it turns out, she never auditioned for as Marvel Studios was eager to work with her.

    I was offered the role and never had to audition for it, which was like, “What? “I was so honored and so happy. I almost didn’t even get the call that came through, because they’ve been tracking my availability. For a long time we didn’t know what the project was about. I had heard in the news that Shang-Chi was in the making, so I’ve been tracking it. We never know because they (Marvel) have been so secretive. I then went on a honeymoon with my husband. Then suddenly, my agent was trying to reach me and I didn’t hear from them for the longest time. Eventually we got a call from a satellite phone as we were literally out of this world, and they made an offer.

    Jiang Li’s tragic story was such a necessary part of this movie. It provides the context for Shang-Chi, Xialing, and specifically Wenwu’s journeys. The opening scene between Chen’s Jiang Li and Tony Leung’s Wenwu was a beautiful homage to Asian cinema. Chen talked about that scene and working with Hong Kong legend Leung:

    I have to say that was the most difficult scene to play but also the easiest thing to play. The difficult part obviously being the physical fighting. It was the intricate choreography and also being 50 feet in the air flipping around. Doing all that physically is really difficult as well as pretending to be such a master of a high power. At the same time the easiest part is looking into his eyes and just being a fan girl.

    Chen also echoed the sentiments of much of the film’s Asian and Asian-American cast when asked how she felt being a part of the production that brought Marvel Studios first Asian hero the big screen

    While I was a part of making this, I’m still kind of in disbelief that I’m lucky enough to be a part of this amazing story that’s going to be an historic film. Obviously not only for the Marvel Universe, but for especially the Asian-American community.

    Marvel Studios Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings is in theaters now.

  • Shang-Chi: New Avenger

    Shang-Chi: New Avenger

    As we find out in Shang-Chi and The Legend Of The Ten Rings, the titular hero is up to the task. With some help from his sister and the good people of Ta-Lo, a disaster of epic proportions is avoided. When the film wraps up we see Shang-Chi and Katy being picked up by Wong for a trip to the sanctum. What occurs next is a big step for not only the MCU, but Shang-Chi’s development as a new Avenger.

    As Wong is explaining to Shang-Chi and Katy the nature of the ten rings, we get a nice surprise. Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner are there via video screen a la Endgame. They’re also advising on the situation. The rings are described as very old and very powerful, as we saw Wenwu use to devastating results in the film. Something in those rings apparently acts as a beacon sending a signal. What that scenario means for the future of the MCU is a great question, but the immediate story here is fascinating: Shang-Chi is an asset to the team.

    The Avengers after the events of Endgame are all off dealing with smaller issues. We have plenty of individual stories that have begun to reconnect the larger group: the events happening on Earth, in the multiverse, and eventually space. How all of these things connect to an eventual bigger team up will be quite the undertaking. Seeing Shang-Chi after his first film essentially make his way to the team is our first hint at the future.

    Wong’s role in the film as a teacher is another story to watch. It’s clear that Wong in the fight with the Abomination is giving pointers to him like a trainer. Wong then advises Shang-Chi and Katy while also welcoming them to the team. It’s clear that Wong’s MCU role has also expanded. What that might mean for Dr. Strange is quite the topic down the line. Nonetheless, Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is more than just an introduction. It’s a sign that things in the MCU are evolving, with new faces and new Avengers.

  • ‘Shang-Chi’ Shatters Labor Day Record With $89.2 Million Opening

    ‘Shang-Chi’ Shatters Labor Day Record With $89.2 Million Opening

    Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is off to an impressive start at the box office. While Disney is reporting an estimated $83.5 for the four-day weekend, industry experts are expecting the film to nab $89.2 million over the holiday weekend.

    The latest Marvel Studios entry opened to an estimated $71.4 million for Friday-Sunday. That includes the $29.6 million opening day total, with 37% of that total coming from large-format and/or 3D screens. It is, however, expected to near $90 million as moviegoers continue to hit theaters this holiday weekend. While Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings had a lower opening than Black Widow‘s $80.4 million, the film did beat out the likes of Fast and the Furious 9 and A Quiet Place 2.

    “Shattering Labor Day box office records with an origin story new to many fans, Shang-Chi delivers an emphatic statement: people really want to get back to the movies,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of Imax in a statement released to the press. “It’s clear that great filmmaking plus an exclusive theatrical release is a winning formula at the box office, and this groundbreaking film has successfully launched an exciting new cinematic journey for Marvel and a strong fall blockbuster slate for the industry.”

    Internationally, Shang-Chi took in an estimated $56.2 million. Bringing the movie’s opening weekend to a projected $145.4 million, including the four-day estimates.

    Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings is in theaters now.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Sets Meng’er Zhang on the Path to Stardom

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Sets Meng’er Zhang on the Path to Stardom

    As Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings opens across the globe this weekend, Marvel Studios’ fans are being introduced to an incredible roster of characters. Star Simu Liu brings charisma and a likability to a character neatly modernized for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Awkwafina, who seems to be making an impression on every available medium, makes a splash and commands a return appearance as Shang’s BFF Katy. And Hong Kong legend Tony Leung, the film’s true protagonist, gives a rich and unforgettable performance. Standing out among them all, however, is newcomer Meng’er Zhang.

    WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW

    From Tweets, Tricks And Superhero Poses: Shang-Chi Cast On How They Nabbed Their Marvel Roles | Geek Culture

    Zhang plays Xialing, estranged sister and daughter to Shang-Chi and Wenwu, respectively, and a character every bit as formidable as her headlining brother despite her father’s efforts to relegate her to the background. Zhang’s performance as Xialing sets her on an ascending pathway that sort of resolves itself in the film’s post-credit stinger while also setting the stage for Zhang to reappear, potentially in the near future, as the lead in her own project.

    And the best part about Zhang’s potential next appearance is that, despite her willingness to cooperate with her brother in the film’s final act, it will probably put her at odds with Shang-Chi. As the film concludes, Shang-Chi is under the impression that Xialing has set about the business of dismantling their late father’s thousand-year-old organization, the legendary Ten Rings; however, as the film’s stinger reveals, Xialing has gone her own way, reimagining the organization rather than destroying it.

    Disney Plus has opened new storytelling avenues for Marvel Studios. WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Loki have all proven to be successful efforts in continuing the stories of non-lead characters. In light of this, the next chapter in Xialing’s story feels like a perfect fit for Marvel Studios’ continued dive into the streaming world. A Xialing-centric series would be a perfect addition. It would offer an opportunity to establish not only Zhang’s breakout character’s place in the MCU, but also backfill the history of the organization she now finds herself heading up, all while advancing the story for her inevitable confrontation with her brother.

    All of this, of course, thrusts newcomer Zhang into the spotlight. And for that, she seems especially prepared. Zhang has remained cool and unphased during her ascendancy to stardom, handling her interviews with equal parts rookie enthusiasm and veteran smoothness. As has often been the case for the studio over the years, Marvel Studios seems to have struck gold with the casting of Zhang, allowing it to move confidently towards the future of her character in an interconnected universe that can only be made stronger. Zhang has blazed a bright trail into the future both for herself and for Xialing, and audiences should rightfully be looking forward to what’s next.

    Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is in theaters now.

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’ Eviscerates Labor Day Box Office Record, Now Targeting $85M+ Opening Weekend

    ‘SHANG-CHI’ Eviscerates Labor Day Box Office Record, Now Targeting $85M+ Opening Weekend

    Marvel Studios Shang-Chi and The Legends of The Ten Rings is on pace to potentially double early opening weekend box office predictions, destroying the previous Labor Day record along the way. Good word of mouth and return viewers have pushed the predictions, which were originally set around $45M range, to an expected $85M or more for the long 4-day weekend. The film has already surpassed the opening weekend take for The Suicide Squad and now has Black Widow in its sights.

    Shang-Chi took in a combined $29.6M between Thursday night previews and Friday’s full day. With it being a holiday weekend in the U.S., even one where audiences traditionally don’t flock to theaters, the buzz around the film could lead to some pretty impressive numbers Saturday and, especially, Sunday, given that people don’t have to head back to work on Monday.

    The origin story has been equally popular with fans and critics, holding at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, where it has a 98% audience score. That score lines up nicely with the the A grade from Cinemascore. All this comes at a time when studios are divided between exclusive theatrical and hybrid releases. Shang-Chi’s success (it’s still possible it could beat pandemic box office champ F9’s opening take) will be a significant data point in the discussion about how to proceed for the remainder of 2021 and early 2022 as the Delta variant surges around world will impact theaters.

    Source: THR

  • EXCLUSIVE: Why The Classic MI6 Characters Aren’t in ‘SHANG-CHI’

    EXCLUSIVE: Why The Classic MI6 Characters Aren’t in ‘SHANG-CHI’


    Early last year, I shared the news that Marvel Comics characters Leiko Wu, Black Jack Tarr and Clive Reston, MI6 operatives and allies of Shang-Chi from the Master of Kung Fu comics, were set to be included in Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. As those of you that have seen the movie will know, none of those characters appear in the film and there is no mention of MI6, the British Secret Intelligence service who, in the comics, was after Shang-Chi’s father.

    Our own Charles Villanueva was able to talk to executive producer Jonathan Schwartz and asked if those characters were a part of the early development process of Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings.

    Not really. I think that very early on we decided that we wanted to move Shang-Chi in kind of a different direction and surrounding him with that cohort just never really felt quite right. It would’ve meant kind of loading the movie up with British Caucasian characters rather than having a movie that is primarily, or almost entirely, Asian or Asian-American characters, and that version just felt more exciting, fresher and cooler.

    As integral as those characters were to Shang-Chi’s development in the comics, their absence was certainly not noticeable in the film. Marvel Studios did an incredible job of creating an entirely new world for the character to inhabit and new characters to help shape and guide him along the way. With Kevin Feige indicating they already have plans for a sequel, it’s possible that we might see MI6 pop up there or in a potential Ten Rings project. As Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings proved (Abomination and Wong were certainly not on anyone’s list of characters expected in this film), characters can show up any place at any time.