As first reactions for Marvel’s Shang-Chi begin to hit social media, calling it “awesome” and the “perfect balance of fun, heart and action”, the film’s star Simu Liu has hit out at recent comments made by Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek, who called the the superhero blockbuster “an interesting experiment” when referring to the company’s decision to use the film to test out the 45-day window for theatrical release. Liu took to Twitter to say:
We are not an experiment.
We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year.
We are the surprise.
I’m fired the f**k up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US. pic.twitter.com/IcyFzh0KIb
— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) August 14, 2021
Unlike Black Widow, Shang-Chi won’t be receiving the Premier Access treatment on Disney+, with fans needing to attend their local multiplex to see Marvel’s latest superhero in action. Box-office tracking has the film opening anywhere between $35-55M, which would make it the lowest grossing MCU debut ever behind 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
Obviously there are plenty of pandemic related caveats affecting the film’s release strategy, but it sounds as though Marvel are getting their excuses in early, which has only prompted Liu to claim “We are not an experiment. We are the underdog; the underestimated.” We’ll find out on September 3rd.
SEE ALSO: Action-packed first clip from Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy) and stars Simu Liu (Kim’s Convenience) as Shang-Chi, Tony Leung (Infernal Affairs) as Wenwu, Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) as Katy, newcomer Meng’er Zhang as Xialing, Michelle Yeoh (Star Trek: Discovery) as Jiang Nan, Ronny Chieng (Crazy Rich Asians) as Jon Jon, Fala Chen (The Undoing) as Jiang Li, Florian Munteanu (Creed II) as Razor Fist, Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange) as Wong and Dallas Liu (Pen15) in an undisclosed role.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is set for release on September 3rd.