Disney is campaigning for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in nearly every Oscar category. Though Spider-Man: No Way Home has stolen much of the spotlight recently, Marvel Studios had a few veritable hits this past year including Black Widow and Shang-Chi. The latter debuted in theaters in September and introduced Simu Liu's titular Master of Kung-Fu to Marvel's ever-expanding cinematic universe. Also playing prominent roles in Shang-Chi's' origin story were Awkwafina as his best friend, Katy, and Meng'er Zhang as his estranged sister, Xu Xialing.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12) with a screenplay he wrote with Dave Callaham (Mortal Combat) and Andrew Lanham (Just Mercy), Shang-Chi follows the title character's journey as the son of the menacing crime lord, Wenwu (Tony Leung), and his escape to the United States where he eventually leads a normal life as a parking valet. Shang-Chi is forced to confront his past when his father, the leader of the Ten Rings organization, draws him and his sister into a search for the mythical city of Ta Lo. The film boasts an impressive supporting cast that includes Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, and Ben Kingsley.

Related: Shang-Chi Ending Explained: 6 Biggest Questions, Answered

With awards season now in full swing, Disney has begun its campaign and they are pushing Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in nearly every Oscar category. Per the Disney Studios Awards website, they are asking the Academy to consider Shang-Chi for a total of 15 categories, which is every major award it is eligible for as a feature-length film. Every aforementioned star is listed in their respective categories, even Yuen Wan, who appeared as Master Guang Bo in limited screen time.

It's completely normal for Disney to push for its films in the Oscar race, as they are doing the same for Marvel's other 2021 releases, Black Widow, Eternals, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, even though they have very little chance of receiving certain nominations. The Academy doesn't traditionally consider major superhero blockbusters in the Best Picture category, though a previous Marvel movie, Black Panther, did receive a nomination for the prestigious award in 2019 because of its immense cultural significance. Green Book went on to win the award that year.

Shang-Chi made similar strides in terms of Asian representation, so it's not impossible the film scores a Best Picture nod, as its critical response certainly stacks up to Black Panther's. Shang-Chi will have to receive enough overall nominations to qualify for Best Picture. For instance, Black Panther received a total of seven. Even if Shang-Chi and other Marvel movies aren't nominated for any major awards, they are always heavy favorites to be recognized in the technical categories like sound and visual effects.

Next: How Many Oscar Nominations And Wins MCU Movies Have Had

Source: Disney

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