Shang-Chi Appreciation 2021

[Ascended]

Been avoiding this thread for fear of spoilers (or even theories that turn out to be true!) but had to pop in and throw all the love at this trailer. The first one didn't really blow me away (it was fine, looked good but nothing I haven't seen from Marvel before) but this one....that hit all the right notes for me, and I'm even more hyped for Shang's film! I'm now at the point where I'm gonna avoid all future trailers, commercials, whatever. I'm sold, I've seen enough, I'll be there opening weekend. And yeah, it's hard to avoid spoilers when you visit sites like this one, but I've gotten pretty damn good at it over the years.

Someone asked what we thought about the rings. My guess is that each one doesn't have a specific power, that'd be too close to the Infinity Stones. I think they have a single powerset shared among all ten, and if you don't have all the rings the powers either don't work at all or work at a highly reduced level.

My theory is that they're magical relics (like the items from Dr. Strange) made from vibranium (perhaps a splinter that broke off the Great Mound as it fell to earth?). The energy signature around the rings looks a lot like the energy cascade from when T'Challa does one of those kinetic-buildup blasts, and the color schemes used in the last T'Challa-Killmonger fight are damn similar to what we see in this trailer (not identical, but close). My guess is that, on top of the usual things vibranium can do, these rings were enchanted to manipulate the classic elements of fire, earth, air, and water. That's a hell of a powerset with tons and tons of applications without bogging things down with a long list of random abilities. And from what I know of Chinese mythology, the "four elements" thing is fitting.

And I do think Shang will end up with the rings. If he's going to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other MCU heroes, he's gonna need something other than raw martial arts. Even Hawkeye has a pretty robust arsenal of arrows, after all. And those rings look badass enough to put Shang on par with anyone who isn't an Asgardian or walking Infinity Stone (like Carol and Wanda). That said, if Marvel plans on Wenwu being a big, multi-film antagonist and Shang isn't gonna appear in any team films for a while, I can see him not getting the rings until his sequel. I think it'll happen in this first movie, but I won't completely rule out the idea of Marvel making us wait and using Wenwu/the rings for a future installment.

Oh, and yeah I do get a certain "Iron Fist/Hong Kong cinema" vibe from the trailer that I don't really associate with Shang Chi. Shang is more like Bruce Lee fused with James Bond, and is pretty grounded by the standards of comics, while Iron Fist leans heavily into Eastern mysticism and the more fantastical aspects of mythology. I expect dragons and magic from Iron Fist, not from Shang. But I'm not complaining either, that trailer was dope AF.

I do get a vague Jackie Chan vibe from the trailer too, with all the stunts. Might just be me but I feel like Jet Li and Bruce never had ridiculous stunts that seemed to be played for laughs like Jackie and this trailer do.

[Tien Long]

Been avoiding this thread for fear of spoilers (or even theories that turn out to be true!) but had to pop in and throw all the love at this trailer. The first one didn't really blow me away (it was fine, looked good but nothing I haven't seen from Marvel before) but this one....that hit all the right notes for me, and I'm even more hyped for Shang's film! I'm now at the point where I'm gonna avoid all future trailers, commercials, whatever. I'm sold, I've seen enough, I'll be there opening weekend. And yeah, it's hard to avoid spoilers when you visit sites like this one, but I've gotten pretty damn good at it over the years.

I admire your patience bro. Me, I've seen these trailers several times already. I'm getting a sense of what the plot will be like. However, I'm still excited and ready for the unexpected.

Someone asked what we thought about the rings. My guess is that each one doesn't have a specific power, that'd be too close to the Infinity Stones. I think they have a single powerset shared among all ten, and if you don't have all the rings the powers either don't work at all or work at a highly reduced level.

Perhaps. Marvel wouldn't want the Ten Rings to be too close to the Infinity Stones. But man I'd like to see that diverse power set.

My theory is that they're magical relics (like the items from Dr. Strange) made from vibranium (perhaps a splinter that broke off the Great Mound as it fell to earth?). The energy signature around the rings looks a lot like the energy cascade from when T'Challa does one of those kinetic-buildup blasts, and the color schemes used in the last T'Challa-Killmonger fight are damn similar to what we see in this trailer (not identical, but close). My guess is that, on top of the usual things vibranium can do, these rings were enchanted to manipulate the classic elements of fire, earth, air, and water. That's a hell of a powerset with tons and tons of applications without bogging things down with a long list of random abilities. And from what I know of Chinese mythology, the "four elements" thing is fitting.

Ah now if the rings can manipulate elements, that's something a bit different. Now you can manipulate more of reality. That's cool and diverse. Still, need to make a slight correction here. Chinese don't have 4 elements, but rather 5. Check it out:
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/int...e-elements.htm

And I do think Shang will end up with the rings. If he's going to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other MCU heroes, he's gonna need something other than raw martial arts. Even Hawkeye has a pretty robust arsenal of arrows, after all. And those rings look badass enough to put Shang on par with anyone who isn't an Asgardian or walking Infinity Stone (like Carol and Wanda). That said, if Marvel plans on Wenwu being a big, multi-film antagonist and Shang isn't gonna appear in any team films for a while, I can see him not getting the rings until his sequel. I think it'll happen in this first movie, but I won't completely rule out the idea of Marvel making us wait and using Wenwu/the rings for a future installment.

Oh, and yeah I do get a certain "Iron Fist/Hong Kong cinema" vibe from the trailer that I don't really associate with Shang Chi. Shang is more like Bruce Lee fused with James Bond, and is pretty grounded by the standards of comics, while Iron Fist leans heavily into Eastern mysticism and the more fantastical aspects of mythology. I expect dragons and magic from Iron Fist, not from Shang. But I'm not complaining either, that trailer was dope AF.

Absolutely, Shang needs something to stand against the other MCU heroes and villains. Skill is good, but he needs a little extra against the more dangerous foes.

I do get a vague Jackie Chan vibe from the trailer too, with all the stunts. Might just be me but I feel like Jet Li and Bruce never had ridiculous stunts that seemed to be played for laughs like Jackie and this trailer do.

Bro, it was the bamboo on the building, right ? Rush Hour 2 vibes there. Still, you touched on a key point here. The choreorapher of the movie is Brad Allen who was a key member of the JC Stunt team. I believe other members of the team are part of this movie as well.

[Tien Long]

And in the midst of all of this craziness over the Shang-Chi trailer, remember everyone, issue 2 of the Shang-Chi series comes out this Wednesday (6/30). Check out the preview!

[Tien Long]

Preview cont'd



Great preview. I'm seeing a humorous tension. Shang is attempting to outbid all of these other groups. He's also fighting against assumptions over his involvement with Captain America. Who probably will get into a conflict with Shang as well. Finally, we get to see The Hand in here as well as the Inner Demons (what did the Hand do to the Inner Demons? Did they do something with Mr. Negative?) Hoping this will lead to a crossover among The Five Weapons Society, the Hand, and the Inner Demons.

[Ascended]

Ah now if the rings can manipulate elements, that's something a bit different. Now you can manipulate more of reality. That's cool and diverse. Still, need to make a slight correction here. Chinese don't have 4 elements, but rather 5. Check it out:
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/int...e-elements.htm

Ah, my mistake and thanks for correcting me. Dammit, now I look foolish and ignorant!

Absolutely, Shang needs something to stand against the other MCU heroes and villains. Skill is good, but he needs a little extra against the more dangerous foes.

I mean, I'd be down for a totally street level, non-powered Shang Chi....but we've got dragons and giant....lions?....in this trailer so yeah, he's gonna need something to help him punch up. But just from this trailer, if he does get the rings like we all assume? That's one hell of an upgrade. Those things look like they pack one hell of a punch.

Bro, it was the bamboo on the building, right ? Rush Hour 2 vibes there. Still, you touched on a key point here. The choreorapher of the movie is Brad Allen who was a key member of the JC Stunt team. I believe other members of the team are part of this movie as well.

Ha! I knew something felt familiar! And yes, it was totally the bamboo. But I think I've seen Jackie do the "hanging on the side of a bus" trick too.

Can't wait to see the film. Hard to avoid spoilers for months, but when I'm really invested in a movie I don't wanna ruin the surprise/s.

And that comic preview looks like a lot of fun. See, that's the kind of stuff I expect from Shang, and I wish we had a little more of it in the MCU. I'm cool with all the fantastical stuff in this trailer, but I feel like the closest thing the MCU has to real street level right now is Cap and Spidey; and Sam's wearing a flying suit made by a sci-fi super nation and Spidey's been to space and controls a giant murder satellite he controls with a pair of sunglasses. I miss the real street level, like we got from the Netflix Defenders.

[CosmiComic]

I honest don't care as much about street level types in Marvel as I do the more mid/high-level heroes like the Avengers, so this doesn't really bother me, although I wouldn't mind seeing a more comic accurate Shang-Chi in the MCU either.

[king of hybrids]

Didn’t comics Shang-Chi manage to hold his own against a guy it took the Annihilators plus Annihilus to take down?

[Sutekh]

And that comic preview looks like a lot of fun. See, that's the kind of stuff I expect from Shang, and I wish we had a little more of it in the MCU. I'm cool with all the fantastical stuff in this trailer, but I feel like the closest thing the MCU has to real street level right now is Cap and Spidey; and Sam's wearing a flying suit made by a sci-fi super nation and Spidey's been to space and controls a giant murder satellite he controls with a pair of sunglasses. I miss the real street level, like we got from the Netflix Defenders.

I'm torn. I like comics-accurate, for the most part, although the MCU can be fun while avoiding 100% copies (MCU Cap having weak super-strength, for instance), but at the same time, I also kind of want the first Asian hero to have some oomph to him and not just be a dude who knows kung fu. (I do wish Marvel had a deeper bench of Asian heroes, and not just 'the Asian Spider-Woman' and 'the Asian Hulk.' Someone with something unique and visually dynamic, like an Asian answer to Monica Rambeau or Storm.)

It could be interesting to split the difference and say that the 10 rings are 'too tempting' to abuse, and have Shang keep them around for big events like Thanos drops by for a visit and all hands on deck, while stowing them somewhere safe to avoid temptation and sticking to his martial arts skills for day to day stuff. So he gets to be 'street level' most of the time, but when the Avengers call and the world is being threatened, he can pull out the big guns and contribute alongside people like Thor and Dr. Strange.

[CosmiComic]

I'm torn. I like comics-accurate, for the most part, although the MCU can be fun while avoiding 100% copies (MCU Cap having weak super-strength, for instance), but at the same time, I also kind of want the first Asian hero to have some oomph to him and not just be a dude who knows kung fu. (I do wish Marvel had a deeper bench of Asian heroes, and not just 'the Asian Spider-Woman' and 'the Asian Hulk.' Someone with something unique and visually dynamic, like an Asian answer to Monica Rambeau or Storm.)

I don't really see 'Asian Spider-Woman' or 'Asian Hulk' as a problem. IMO what matters is having more Asian characters with non-stereotypical and non-problematic portrayals, and not be left to the sidelines like they were for so long. But I definitely see the hesitation with the first solo MCU Asian hero being a martian artist. The problem is for so long Asian heroes were ignored and sidelined and not even developped.

It could be interesting to split the difference and say that the 10 rings are 'too tempting' to abuse, and have Shang keep them around for big events like Thanos drops by for a visit and all hands on deck, while stowing them somewhere safe to avoid temptation and sticking to his martial arts skills for day to day stuff. So he gets to be 'street level' most of the time, but when the Avengers call and the world is being threatened, he can pull out the big guns and contribute alongside people like Thor and Dr. Strange.

Interesting idea. Him varying his abilities according to the situation could show him having good judgement and not being gung-ho about wiping out enemies just because they stole a purse or something, while also making him a potentially formidable Avenger and not just a martial artist, cool as that may be. Sometimes I feel the PoC heroes not based on previous ones aren't given interesting power sets

[Tien Long]

Ah, my mistake and thanks for correcting me. Dammit, now I look foolish and ignorant!

No problem bro .



[quote] I mean, I'd be down for a totally street level, non-powered Shang Chi....but we've got dragons and giant....lions?....in this trailer so yeah, he's gonna need something to help him punch up. But just from this trailer, if he does get the rings like we all assume? That's one hell of an upgrade. Those things look like they pack one hell of a punch. [/quote}

Oh yeah, always need a little something. Actually, those rings remind me a lot of the rings used by the Tailor in Kung Fu Hustle:
https://youtu.be/FoM78QKXsmI

Still, the rings are Marvelized in a way. They can deal big powerful blows AND seemingly move on their accord and do some energy attacks. Awesome.

Ha! I knew something felt familiar! And yes, it was totally the bamboo. But I think I've seen Jackie do the "hanging on the side of a bus" trick too.

Yeah, right from Police Story! https://youtu.be/bDceBesQcEk

That's what we're getting with this Shang-Chi film, all these cool Hong Kong action and Chinese culture elements but in the context of the MCU. Awesome!

Can't wait to see the film. Hard to avoid spoilers for months, but when I'm really invested in a movie I don't wanna ruin the surprise/s.

And that comic preview looks like a lot of fun. See, that's the kind of stuff I expect from Shang, and I wish we had a little more of it in the MCU. I'm cool with all the fantastical stuff in this trailer, but I feel like the closest thing the MCU has to real street level right now is Cap and Spidey; and Sam's wearing a flying suit made by a sci-fi super nation and Spidey's been to space and controls a giant murder satellite he controls with a pair of sunglasses. I miss the real street level, like we got from the Netflix Defenders.

Shang can still hang out in the streets, no problem.

[Sutekh]

I am pleased that these 'ten rings' seem even better positioned to be part of an alien spaceships engine or something, as opposed to the ten random energy projecting rings in 616. (How exactly does the ice ring or the vortex ring or the darkfield ring work as part of a ship engine? I can certainly see it, in that this ring is from the cooling system, and this from the one that negates destructive energy buildups or whatever, but it seems kinda wonky.)

And while I wouldn't mind *something* in the MU or MCU someday exploring the five Chinese elements of Earth, Fire, Metal, Water and Wood, I don't really see how they'd fit here. The ten rings don't seem like they'd be suited to having Wood/plant control, in particular, but also Water or Earth, for that matter. (Metal/magnetism and Fire at least kind of make sense for a starship engine's components to have effects that relate to!)

[Frontier]

I want to see more of Lady Iron Fan...

[CosmiComic]

I am pleased that these 'ten rings' seem even better positioned to be part of an alien spaceships engine or something, as opposed to the ten random energy projecting rings in 616. (How exactly does the ice ring or the vortex ring or the darkfield ring work as part of a ship engine? I can certainly see it, in that this ring is from the cooling system, and this from the one that negates destructive energy buildups or whatever, but it seems kinda wonky.)

And while I wouldn't mind *something* in the MU or MCU someday exploring the five Chinese elements of Earth, Fire, Metal, Water and Wood, I don't really see how they'd fit here. The ten rings don't seem like they'd be suited to having Wood/plant control, in particular, but also Water or Earth, for that matter. (Metal/magnetism and Fire at least kind of make sense for a starship engine's components to have effects that relate to!)

I do like the individual powers though.

I also hope the movie doesn't focus on too many side characters

[Englehart Humperdinck]

And in the midst of all of this craziness over the Shang-Chi trailer, remember everyone, issue 2 of the Shang-Chi series comes out this Wednesday (6/30). Check out the preview!

This is ridiculous. Wouldn't someone with a cosmic cube just use it to create more money for themself than anyone could bid for it? And why do they call it the cosmic cube not a cosmic cube when they admit that more than one exists?

[Tien Long]

Kevin Feige proves it everyone, the Abomination and Wong are BOTH in the Shang-Chi trailer. Here's what Rotten Tomatoes has to say https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com...g-chi-trailer/:

“Yes, we just recently released the final trailer for Shang-Chi,” said Feige. “Some fans said, ‘This looks like a character they hadn’t seen in many years named The Abomination, fighting a character that looks like Wong. And I can say that the reason it looks like that is because that is Abomination fighting Wong.”

Feige went on to say that the ability to bring back characters like The Abomination is one of the joys of his work on the MCU. “[It’s] a fun thing to have a character that we haven’t had on screen in over a decade show up again in the MCU. And to see fans on that little tag of the trailer recognize that and embrace that is great fun.”

Also, here are Feige's thoughts on finally bringing the REAL Mandarin to the MCU:

Shang-Chi also affords Marvel Studios a second go, of sorts, at another storied villain: The Mandarin. The character, which was teased in Iron Man 3 but who, in that film, turned out to be bumbling actor-for-hire Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) – much to some fans’ chagrin – will make a proper debut in the upcoming solo film.

“That’s what’s fun about the MCU at this stage,” Feige told Rotten Tomatoes. “We can do something like Shang-Chi, introducing a brand new hero into the MCU and into the world at large. But that subtitle, The Legend of the Ten Rings, actually connects it back to the very beginning of the MCU, the Ten Rings being the organization that kidnapped Tony Stark at the very beginning of Iron Man one. And that organization was inspired by a character called the Mandarin in the comics.”

“And going back to Iron Man one: We’ve been talking about that when we do bring this character to the screen, [we] only wanted to do it when we felt we could do it supreme justice and really showcase the complexity of this character, which frankly we couldn’t do in an Iron Man movie because an Iron Man movie is about Iron Man; an Iron Man movie is about Tony Stark. So [Iron Man 3 director] Shane Black, in his film and his script that he co-wrote, came up with this fun twist that we love to this day, and it turned out to be Trevor Slattery. Just because that version wasn’t real didn’t mean there’s not a leader of the Ten Rings organization, and that is who we meet for the first time in Shang-Chi.”

So, in a way, Shang basically has roots in the very beginnings of the MCU? Yes!