Shang-Chi Star Wants To See Even More Asian Superheroes In The MCU

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star, Simu Liu, said there should be more Asian representation across the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Before getting the leading part in the upcoming MCU film, Liu already had some credits to his name. Most recently, he played Jung in Kim's Convenience and had a small part in Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens. He also starred in the Taken TV series in the role of Faaron.

The film follows Shang-Chi, who becomes involved with a secret group known as the Ten Rings organization. Marvel's upcoming movie is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12), while the screenplay is written by David Callaham (Wonder Woman 1984), Cretton, and Andrew Lanaham (Just Mercy). Liu stars as the title character, with the supporting cast including Awkwafina (The Farewell), Tony Leung (The Grandmaster), Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians), Meng'er Zhang, Florian Munteanu (Creed II), and Ronny Chieng (Crazy Rich Asians).

In an interview with EW, Liu talked about his experience being cast in the next big Marvel role. Especially given the current social and political climate where Asian people have been targeted with hate, Liu explained how important representation is. He called Shang-Chi "a celebration of our culture." However, he further mentioned how this is not the end of the battle for visibility in media. See below for Liu's comment:

Just because there's one Asian American superhero in the MCU, it does not by any means imply that our fight is finished right there. When we don't have to celebrate every single win, I think we'll be a little bit closer to our goal, but until then, there's just so much left to do. I'm ready to be in a position where I can effect real change, amplify voices, and put people in positions to get stories told that wouldn't ordinarily get that opportunity. So, yes, all of that stuff I'm ready for. It couldn't come fast enough, actually.

While Shang-Chi will be the first Asian lead in the MCU, he isn't the first to star as an Asian character in one of the films. However, they have generally been pushed into supporting roles. This list includes the likes of Wong (Benedict Wong), Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), and Minn-Erva (Gemma Chan), among others. There is a wide array of Asian superheroes who could be introduced in the future, including Amadeus Cho, who is an iteration of Hulk, Jubilee, and Silk. However, audiences do have Kamala Kahn's introduction to look forward to.

The majority of superheroes getting the silver screen treatment over the years have been white, male leads. Marvel has been championed for bringing more diverse stories over the course of their more recent installments. With films including Black Widow, Captain Marvel, and the Oscar-winning Black Panther, there has been more of a focus on allowing more diverse narratives to be included in the MCU. Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige, had to fight to make some of these projects happen, but this representation is extremely meaningful. Shang-Chi is a big step forward, but there's still a long way to go.

Next: How Shang-Chi Sets Up An Ant-Man Crossover Movie

Source: EW