From the outset, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was met with backlash and became the subject of controversy in China, one of the world's most valuable regions in terms of box office worth. With the film approaching its long-awaited release, Marvel Studios President/Marvel Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige addressed these issues and attempted to assuage fears.
In a discussion with Sina Movie, Feige was asked about Shang-Chi's comic book relationship with Fu Manchu, the racist caricature that came to embody the "Yellow Peril" in the early 20th century. Feige made it a point to state first that while Fu Manchu was a part of Shang-Chi's story in the early comics, he not a Marvel character. "Fu Manchu is not a character we own, or would ever want to own." Regarding Shang-Chi's story, Feige explained, "That was changed in the comics many, many, many years ago." He went on to say, "Definitively, Fu Manchu is not in this movie."
Feige also went on to address concerns among Chinese audiences that Shang-Chi would represent a different form of anti-Chinese sentiment through the westernization of its central Asian character or characters. When asked about those concerns and whether or not the superhero would abandon his Chinese roots, Feige explained, "As with all of our Marvel Cinematic Universe films, we often change stories from the comics. That's certainly one of the elements that we've changed. There is conflict between them."
He then clarified the upcoming film's true focus, stating, "What this movie is about is a hero who did have conflict with his father and his father's legacy as he was growing up and wanting to run from that. The movie is about him returning to it and learning the deeper truths about what happened when he was a child and who his father really is."
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was lauded early on for marking a turning point in representation, not only in the MCU, but in mainstream cinema overall for its introduction of a prominent Asian superhero. However, the conversation differed greatly between Chinese-Americans and Chinese people, with online discussions showing that the film's reception in China was largely negative, though it's worth noting that this isn't necessarily indicative of Shang-Chi's success in China.
Early reactions to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings have been largely positive, with critics praising the action sequences, many suggesting it is different from anything the Marvel Cinematic Universe has offered audiences in the past.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is set to premiere exclusively in theaters on Sept. 3.
Source: YouTube