- [Narrator] A mysterious martial arts maven
has double jump kicked his way
into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Who are you?
- [Narrator] We're getting to that, all right?
On this IMDbrief, presented by USAA,
we break down the comic book history,
potential cinematic future, and everything we know about
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
First off Shang-Chi, played by Canadian actor
and stunt performer, Simu Liu,
is both the hero of this tale
and the son of the story's super villain, the Mandarin,
AKA Wenwu, played by Hong Kong screen legend
of In the Mood for Love and Hard Boiled, Tony Leung.
- [Voiceover] You can't outrun
who you really are.
- [Narrator] Now the Mandarin may ring a bell
because a different bad dude impersonated him
in Iron Man 3,
Ben Kingsley's cowardly, Trevor Slattery.
But this was all an elaborate ruse
to blame the movie's death
and destruction on the Mandarin's peace hating terror group,
the Ten Rings, an evil organization
that has actually been hiding in plain sight since
the very first MCU film, 2008 Iron Man.
- Tony Stark.
- [Narrator] Ten Rings members have popped up
in all three Iron Man movies,
and one disciple was seen in Ant-Man.
Which makes sense considering Shang-Chi also takes place
in Scott Lang's hometown of San Francisco.
- Thinks for thanking of me.
- [Narrator] But now let's go Gollum and talk rings.
- My precious!
(Gollum screams)
- [Narrator] Whoa, chill dude.
Besides the wicked cabal,
the film's titular Ten Rings also refers
to the fancy, sometimes glowing,
bands around the Mandarin's forearms.
In the comics, he derives special skills from these rings
that actually fit on his fingers.
But for some reason, the film has made them much bigger.
Each one traps the soul of an ancient warrior,
imbuing the ring with a specific power like fireballs,
electro blasts, or the ability to manipulate matter.
(dramatic music)
Wenwu wanted his son, Shang-Chi,
to follow in his evil footsteps,
but this master of Kung Fu left that life behind
a decade ago for the semi-normal existence
of valeting cars and karaoke bars
with best pals played by Ronny Chieng and Awkwafina.
- We make a good team!
- [Narrator] The film explores Shang-Chi's
traumatic childhood and his cruel tutelage
by the masked Death Dealer
as it retcons past comic book storylines
that contain stereotypes
and negative depictions of its Asian characters.
The problematic Dr. Fu Manchu has been completely removed
as Shang-Chi's father
and replaced by the Mandarin
who we'll see as an almost immortal figure
who has spent centuries battling for power.
Fellow Phase 4 film, Marvel's Eternals
will likewise traverse the long ago,
which could make for a point
of connection between these two late 2021 releases.
With perhaps even a past showdown between the two forces.
- It's beautiful, isn't it?
- [Narrator] Considering the San Francisco setting,
Ant-Man could also swing by,
or he may have made himself extra tiny
to lurk in the film's trailer.
Actually, Ant-Man could be hiding
in the room you're in right now.
- Cool. Yeah.
If it ain't broke.
- [Narrator] Ant-Man aside,
writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton
sites old school action influences like Jackie Chan
and Bruce Lee,
plus the elegant, almost ethereal Wushu fighting style
from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,
even casting that film's star Michelle Yeoh,
in the secretive role of Jiang Nan.
Cretton and Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige,
also hired The Matrix cinematographer Bill Pope,
to bring a little of that movie's
mind-bending martial arts magic to Shang-Chi.
- Whoa.
- [Narrator] For more Marvel mayhem and trending tales,
stay glued to imdb.com/imdbrief.