KUALA LUMPUR – The wait is finally over. Marvel Studios’ 'Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings' is now available to stream exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar.
In this ground-breaking origin story like no other before it, 'Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings' takes audiences on a thrill ride with never-before-seen action, exciting new characters, and colourful worlds – all with Marvel Studios’ signature style.
The film stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organisation. The film features a star-studded cast, such as Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, and Ronny Chieng.
Take a behind the scenes look into the making of the film to immerse yourself in this action-packed world.
1. Finding Shang-Chi
Finding a modern, cinematic Shang-Chi was a fascinating and complex journey for the filmmakers. When looking at the 1973 version of Shang-Chi, the producers felt the character was exoticised and wanted to make him feel more relatable to a broader audience.
This prompted them to re-imagine the character who is beyond his unofficial moniker, ‘the master of Kung Fu,’ “Shang-Chi/Shaun is just a guy who’s trying to figure himself out in the world.” explained Director Destin Daniel Cretton.
When Simu Liu first auditioned, he never thought he would be in the running to be Shang-Chi as he didn’t come from a traditional acting background, having started his acting career on a whim as a movie extra.
But, Liu’s life changed forever when he got a phone call from an unknown number, which had President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, casting director Sarah Finn, and director Cretton at the end of the other line, who said: “We want you to be Shang-Chi.”
2. Assembling household legends
With this being the first Marvel Studios film with an Asian cast, the creative team assembled a multi-faceted cast, including two legendary Asian faces in the film industry, Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh.
When it came to finding the best actor to portray the true identity of Shang-Chi’s father, Xu Wenwu, the director felt like there was nobody better suited than Tony Leung.
Director Cretton said “I’m so thankful that Tony came on board. It’s so subtle and so brilliant, the way that he can create a character who can be so brutal, but show us that it’s rooted in Wenwu’s desperation to be loved and to show love.”
When working on the film, in true cinematic-legend fashion, Leung took the approach of surprising and convincing the director with his performance on stage, as opposed to having in-depth discussions of the performance beforehand.
The role of Shang-Chi’s aunt is played by Malaysia’s very own Michelle Yeoh. Like many of us, Yeoh grew up looking at Marvel comics but had never seen a superhero that looked like her.
“I’m pleased because it truly is the right time for little boys and girls to see it and say, ‘Look, we’re superheroes too,’ and I’m really happy to be part of it,” said Yeoh.
Liu’s parents, of all people, perfectly summarised the general sentiment of how the cast and crew felt about working with the two cinematic legends.
As opposed to asking Liu about his wellbeing during the shoot, Liu’s parents instead asked, “Did you work with Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh today?” We can’t say we wouldn’t do the same.
3. Honouring Kung Fu cinema
In the same way that Marvel Studios’ 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' drew on conspiracy-thriller genre movies, 'Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings' celebrates the world of martial arts films.
Unlike typical combat-focused scenes, the crew made it a point to ensure that authenticity, emotion, and story-driven moments came through across all the fight sequences in the film.
For example, when Shang-Chi’s future parents Wenwu and Li encounter each other in the forest, they engage in a dance of courtship, at the same time gauging each other’s combative powers.
To make this vision a reality, the producers of the film conducted a worldwide search and brought in stunt coordinators, choreographers, elite horseback riders, and parkour masters from countries such as Mongolia, Australia, and Canada.
“Our goal was to honour the great works of Kung Fu cinema,” said Cretton. “Each one of these fights is not just people punching and kicking each other. Every move tells a story, and it was enlightening for me to witness that.”
4. Not just your typical costume
The attention to detail in the costumes throughout the film is one not to be overlooked. Shang-Chi’s hero suit, which he dons in the village of Ta Lo, was created from the underbelly of a dragon.
The idea being that when the dragon sheds its skin, the villagers harvest and protect it because it’s so precious and resilient.
For the fight costumes, costume designer Kym Barrett was “interested in how a costume could enhance movement and give you a heightened appreciation of the skill of a performer. All the elements on the robe are things that did exist, down to the ties, which were used to attach armour plates to warriors’ robes.”
To ensure that every character’s costume told their unique story, Barrett’s team in Australia had as many as 80 people working on the looks for the film, where 90% of all costumes in the film were made by the team.
To tie the looks together, the crew had a bank of 200 wigs, with up to 50 stylists working on hairstyles at any given time.
Of wearing his hero suit, Liu says, “It was very emotional trying it on for the first time. I understood the gravity and the significance of what it meant, understanding just how precious few people experience that kind of feeling. I felt so fortunate and so honoured. It was an incredible moment.”
'Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings' premiered exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar on November 12, in line with Disney+ Hotstar Day, where Disney+ Hotstar debuted a wide array of new content coming to the platform. Catch it here now!
Malaysians can stream their favourite shows and films now by subscribing to the service directly at DisneyPlusHotstar.my or via the Disney+ Hotstar app on Android and iOS devices, for RM54.90 for three months.
Access Disney+ Hotstar on Astro at incredible deals. Astro Movies Pack customers (CH411 – CH416) must activate via astro.com.my/Disney to start streaming Disney+ Hotstar. – The Vibes, November 20m 2021
_(1).jpg)
