Marvel is pretty much THE dominating force when it comes to pop culture. Sure, other companies make their plays and create great work, but when you think about pop culture defining moments, it’s almost always Marvel. The Avengers, WandaVision, Black Panther, Guardians Of The Galaxy — and the list goes on!
Marvel has a lot of power in society, and using that power to bring Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings to life is going to be a huge move for Asian representation.
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Marvel recently dropped the first trailer for an upcoming addition to the MCU.
The movie follows Shang-Chi, a martial artist who has been trained to be an assassin since he was a child by the Ten Rings who attempts to escape their control and live a normal life in San Francisco.
This is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first Asian superhero, and it’s a big deal.
We remember what *Black Panther* meant to Black audiences in terms of representation.
Not only was it a film with an almost entirely Black cast, it also employed a largely Black crew and behind-the-scenes workers as well.
Not only did this create tons of jobs for Black performers and crewmembers, it allowed Black voices to be the ones telling their own stories.
*Shang-Chi* is similar — the director and screenwriter, Destin Daniel Cretton, is Asian as well as the film having a large Asian cast.
This isn’t lost on fans comparing the impact that Black Panther had and the impact that Shang-Chi might have! “Like Black Panther, looks like mostly Asians worked behind the camera as well!” tweeted one fan.
This is especially important in our current time, where Anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise.
Being able to see yourself and your stories reflected back to you on screen is so important.
Especially when you get to see yourself as a superhero in one of the biggest media franchises pretty much ever!
Are you excited to for Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings ? Let us know in the comments below!
