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What Marvel's Shang-Chi means for Asian Representation 🪭

  • gueneverechin08
  • Sep 11, 2021
  • 4 min read

Updated: Jan 1, 2024

Written by: Guenevere Chin

September 11th, 2021



With the hit sensation, “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2018 directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Kevin Kwan it led to a void in Hollywood that wasn’t fulfilled for many years. That void is the lack of representation in films for all cultures including Asians. While Asian actors have been in Hollywood, they haven’t been the center of those projects but rather the side characters who fought to have their names in the credits while their co-stars were automatically always included. The spotlight always shined on those who didn’t have to work ten times as the other creatives in the industry who didn’t get that same glory. Today that spotlight has since shifted and now can shine on those who represent and can deliver the story on the big screen more authentically.


Marvel Comics has lacked representation in its films and comics for some time now with their hit movies only casting the same sort of people. With the release of “Black Panther” in 2018 that changed everything for Marvel Studios. The icon that Black Panther became for the African American community showed that Marvel was missing that authenticity in its stories. That included the accurate portrayal of its characters as they are meant to be and not what society thinks they should be. This led to Shang-Chi the first ever Asian superhero in Hollywood being the representation for the Asian community needs from Marvel. To have a character you can look up to and relate to because they represent how you look is a feeling almost every Asian child and adult has missed from movies. Marvel has stepped up where Hollywood couldn’t in the past and it’s great to see the diverse line up of characters and actors that will be featured in future Marvel projects.


Despite Marvels step towards the future, Disney’s CEO, Bob Chapek has another thing to say about Shang-Chi’s release. According to Insider.com, Chapek tweeted that he called the theater release strategy of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” an “interesting experiment.” Simu Liu, the actor who plays Shang-Chi tweeted back stating “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.” With Chapeks tweet it made Marvel fans realize the lack of marketing behind both Black Panther and Shang-Chi which were movies that had POC actors as the main lead. Although Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President stated that, “[Chapek] is not a shy man. I think in that particular tweet you can see – and I think everyone does – a misunderstanding. It was not the intention.”


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. - Simu Liu

Feige went on to state that he felt the same impact that Black Panther’s release had. “When you have the opportunity to showcase a hero that look like a huge segment of the globe that feels like they haven’t been showcased, the magic can happen if you deliver,” he said of the Asian representation that Shang-Chi brings. The story, characters, and the cultural backstory behind Shang-Chi will introduce audiences and Marvel fans to the origin of Shang-Chi. With Marvel’s Shang-Chi many have noticed it has done much better in the box office than Disney’s Mulan which released in 2020 during the pandemic. This is because the actors in front of the camera are Asian but also the crew behind the camera. Having representation on both sides of the screen is how representation of a community should be. This allows the authentic story to be told and have those who are also of that background. This not only keeps the integrity of the origin story but allows the character to fully represent the community they are a part of.


When you have the opportunity to showcase a hero that look like a huge segment of the globe that feels like they haven’t been showcased, the magic can happen if you deliver. - Kevin Feige

Shang-Chi’s story is more modernized and focused on his story rather than the original comics. The first Shang-Chi comic was published in 1972 and the story was based on the racism of Asians in America at the time. With villainous characters such as Fu Manchu which popularized anti-Asian stereotypes and became the symbol for the racist “yellow peril” scare in the United States. When Marvel writers were beginning the process of rewriting this story, they immediately removed that storyline and replaced Fu Manchu, the original father of Shang-Chi with Tony Leung’s character, Xu, Wenwu who is now based on the Marvel comics character, the Mandarin first seen in “Iron Man 3” filmed in 2013. With this it creates a new story for Shang-Chi’s origins to come from and sheds a light on representation but also what this character’s origin story was before it changed.


Since its release on September 3rd, 2021, Shang-Chi has already broken records in the box office making $94 million over the Labor Day weekend. This film has already been named the number one movie in the world and rated highly with a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. At this rate, Shang-Chi will continue to break records and be successful. There has already been an announcement at the end of the film that Shang-Chi will return meaning there will be a second movie. With the future of Marvel and their projects fans hope to see this wave of representation continue even with other Hollywood projects. Representation matters for everyone because it is a necessary part of storytelling when authentically giving a POC character a backstory. Hollywood is full of creatives and storytellers and it’s up to them to tell a story the correct way.


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