Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings General Discussion and Speculation thread

[Web-Head]

Thread to discuss all things Shang-Chi

 

[Silvermoth]

I’m so excited this is happening. I wonder what his fighting style will be?

 

[Abudefduf]

So what's stopping Marvel from using this movie to introduce some of their most popular martial artists characters? Psylocke, White Tiger... maybe even the real Mandarin.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

With her backhistory, Psylocke is likely going to stay with just the X-Men, at least initially until they're full integrated into the MCU.

 

[MahvelBaby!]

I'm excited for this. This has a real chance to be something special.

 

[Abudefduf]

With her backhistory, Psylocke is likely going to stay with just the X-Men, at least initially until they're full integrated into the MCU.

I don't see how introducing Psylocke in Shang-Chi would be any different than introducing Storm in the Black Panther sequel, though.

She's Marvel's highest-profile Asian hero, it would make sense

 

[chamber-music]

Psylocke isn't really Asian. Betsy got body swapped with Asian Hand assassin Revanche/Kwannon in the early nineties.

Marvel had Betsy switch back to her original body last year and doesn't look like they will change it.

A white woman running around in a Asian woman's body is a hard sell these days and the body swap went on way longer than it should of.

The X-Men have other Asian women such as Jubilee, Surge, Armor and Karma

With her backhistory, Psylocke is likely going to stay with just the X-Men, at least initially until they're full integrated into the MCU.

Either X-Men or Captain Britain

 

[Silvermoth]

There’s a lot to explain though. And she might distract from shang’s story, he has his own cast to spotlight after all

 

[Silvermoth]

I wonder if there will be references to other flicks? They can’t use Bruce lee’s Iconic yellow suit anymore

 

[Abudefduf]

This isn't the comics, it's the MCU. Marvel could make Psylocke Asian from birth and no one would care.

Again, she's Marvel's most popular Asian superhero. It would only make sense to have her appear in their first Asian-led movie... at least here she may have the chance to get a sizable role.

 

[Silvermoth]

Honestly if we see a psylocke somewhere I really hope she’s Asian from birth. The other stuff is just too messy

 

[Zorro]

I've only read Shang-Chi once or twice long ago but I remember liking it. I'll have to dive into the comics soon

 

[Silvermoth]

Yeah, it’s got to be one of the quickest turn around I’ve ever seen. It’s been ages since he’s had longer than a mini and then suddenly bam, big blockbuster movie! Good times

 

[Dark Raven]

For Psylocke, they need to follow Olivia Munn's version and just make her Asian. Simplify it. None of this body swapping. And keep her Asian, as that's Psylocke's most distinctive look. Plus they already have plenty of white superheroes.

But don't introduce her in the first movie anyway, as it needs to be about Shang Chi, without the spotlight on the X-Men.

I wonder if there will be references to other flicks? They can’t use Bruce lee’s Iconic yellow suit anymore

Shang Chi has his own iconic costume though, or his own version of the Game of Death suit. It's his red and gold classic outfit.

 

[Zyraquis]

Ladies and Gents, let me present you Shang Chi

.

 

[Dark Raven]

I think Marvel should make Shang Chi as much like Bruce Lee as possible. Don't shy away from the original inspiration. Give him many of the same characteristics and even the fighting style. Let him use things like Nunchakus and even the Bruce Lee high-pitched screams.

Imagine if you were watching Enter the Dragon but then found out it was actually a Shang Chi movie. They should do something like that. In fact, it should be as if it were a 6th Bruce Lee movie that we never got, almost as if it were a lost Bruce Lee film that has only been discovered.

I think this film could have widespread appeal beyond just comic book movies if done well. If it's a good martial arts movie in its own right, then it could have universal and long-lasting appeal.

 

[Dark Raven]

Also I don't want Shang Chi to have this recent new power of being able to make duplicates of himself. That would totally take away all the tension and suspense.

Would this scene from Fist of Fury have been half as good if Bruce Lee were able to make duplicates of himself rather than taking on the entire Dojo alone?

 

[Web-Head]

Personally, I would like to see the duplicates make it into the movie. As long as it's not overused

 

[Dark Raven]

Personally, I would like to see the duplicates make it into the movie. As long as it's not overused

If he has that ability, why wouldn't he use it every time instead of taking on an entire army by himself? And if he does that, then where's the suspense anymore? The most formidable opponents would always be taken out by multiple versions of himself.

Shang Chi went through most of his comic history without that ability. Save that for someone like Multiple Man. Or even give that power to one of his enemies.

For a martial arts film and a Kung Fu master, you do not want to see him relying on special effects or these kinds of hokey powers. Let him beat opponents by sheer skill. Unless you want him to end up coming across even worse than Iron Fist?

 

[Web-Head]

Not at all. Who knows what they'll do and I'm leaning towards them not going down that route, but maybe it's something he can only do every so often?
I have a feeling they'll want to keep this a bit more grounded and not use that anyway

 

[Dark Raven]

Not at all. Who knows what they'll do and I'm leaning towards them not going down that route, but maybe it's something he can only do every so often?
I have a feeling they'll want to keep this a bit more grounded and not use that anyway

Even in the Matrix Reloaded it was Agent Smith who could multiply, not Keanu Reeves. It wouldn't have been the same if it were Neo making duplicates of himself instead rather than Neo taking on multiple Agent Smiths.

And something like the Matrix just won't do for a proper martial arts film where you want to see the main actor (who should be a proper martial artist) showing that he can really fight.

 

[daddydivine]

First and foremost this film has to top TWS fight scenes. That will be Shang-Chi's defining trait. If we get anything less it won't have an identity.

 

[Dark Raven]

It would be funny if they have a nod to the white saviour trope but where it looks like someone is going to be introduced in that role, he immediately gets killed off in a quick and easy death like a red shirt from Star Trek. It would be as if to say "we don't need that crap around here in this movie!"

 

[Dark Raven]

I hope they call this film "Shang Chi: Master of Kung Fu" rather than just "Shang Chi". Just having "Shang Chi" sounds like "John Carter". It's meaningless and carries no excitement.

"Master of Kung Fu" sounds far more intriguing. As long as he is an actual master of Kung Fu, and not crap like Finn Jones's Iron Fist.

 

[Dark Raven]

Do you think we'll get any people in this movie being racist towards Shang Chi? A group of white guys making fun of him and trying to take him on, and then he beats them all up? Or would that feel a bit too cliched? Maybe that only happens in martial arts films set in older times and not today?

I think they could do without that though. Sometimes I feel that it was the movie/ TV show producers trying to have their cake and eat it. They could get to say all kinds of racist stuff about Chinese, but then just because those people were beaten up it allowed that to pass on film. But it still instils racist attitudes whether or not the perpetrators are taken down.