|
|
Post by codystarbuck on Dec 9, 2018 23:37:29 GMT -5
Thing is, a Shang Chi Film has been in development hell for over a decade, for most of the reasons cited. It even had the involvement of Yuen Woo-Ping, who is beloved in the Hong Kong Cinema world, at one stage.
I don't think it is that hard of a sell, if you stick to basics.Shang Chi needs to be a moral hero, whose mastery is due to dedication and spiritual growth. His father needs to be a corrupted person, whose vice is offset by his son's virtue. They must be yin and yang. After that, throw in some James Bond action; but make any westerners subordinate to Shang. Shang is, essentially, Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon. You can add a different twist by making it an Asian intelligence organization that approaches Shang with the truth of his father; heck, make it the Asian branch of SHIELD or some similar Pan-Pacific cooperative security organization. You make it more about Shang and Leiko, maybe even Shen Kui, and Shang's father (possibly his sister, too) and keep Reston and Black Jack as just support (though fun characters) and I think the Asian audience will be happy. A Chinese villain is less the problem than a stereotype. Look to Black Panther as a guide and you can't go too far wrong.
Just make sure it still has some classic James Bond mayhem and some Bruce Lee combat and audiences will be happy.
|
|
|
|
Post by berkley on Dec 10, 2018 4:29:12 GMT -5
I never understand why people who aren't directly involved in the industry should spend much time thinking about the commercial aspects of things - in this case, how a Shang-Chi movie would do in the Chinese market, etc. I mean, yes, you have to be aware of these things and acknowledge their importance, but I don't see why they should be the focus of a discussion amongst fans of the comics. I'm much more interested in hearing what everyone would like to see in a Shang-Chi film, no matter how unlikely it might be to ever see those ideas on the screen.
|
|
|
|
Post by brutalis on Dec 10, 2018 7:51:12 GMT -5
Modernization schmoderation. Take a leap and Make Shang-Chi as he worked best: smack dab in the middle of the 70's! Radical times after the 60's psychedelia (still prevalent) and the groovin' and movin' social/moral/sexual changes of the 70's occurring. Shang in his red jammies to start then into full on sexy sweaty shirtless mode, retro 70's music (Fleetwood Mac MUST be a main play list) blasting and base it in London with full on Brit' Spy games and shenanigans. Better include Black Jack Tarr, Leiko Wu and Clive Reston as main supporting cast. Zaran and Razor Fist as henchmen/fighters for whatever substitute for Fu Manchu they want. Maybe turn Mordillo Island of thrills and chills as a front being manipulated by the Fu substitute?!?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dizzy D on Dec 10, 2018 11:26:14 GMT -5
Done right, Sunfire could potentially work as a standalone movie. Or is he tied up with the X-Men rights? Cei-U! I summon the sizzling samurai! Tied up with the X-men, as are most Asian Marvel characters.
The only ones that are not connected to those and still have enough history to support a solo-film (IMHO) are Colleen Wing (see Iron Fist Netflix series) and Jimmy Woo (see Ant-Man and the Wasp). (Maybe I'm forgetting a major Marvel Character of Asian decent?)
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2018 11:35:27 GMT -5
Done right, Sunfire could potentially work as a standalone movie. Or is he tied up with the X-Men rights? Cei-U! I summon the sizzling samurai! Tied up with the X-men, as are most Asian Marvel characters. The only ones that are not connected to those and still have enough history to support a solo-film (IMHO) are Colleen Wing (see Iron Fist Netflix series) and Jimmy Woo (see Ant-Man and the Wasp). (Maybe I'm forgetting a major Marvel Character of Asian decent?)
Amadeus Cho? -M |
|
|
|
Post by EdoBosnar on Dec 10, 2018 13:53:31 GMT -5
Modernization schmoderation. Take a leap and Make Shang-Chi as he worked best: smack dab in the middle of the 70's! Radical times after the 60's psychedelia (still prevalent) and the groovin' and movin' social/moral/sexual changes of the 70's occurring. Shang in his red jammies to start then into full on sexy sweaty shirtless mode, retro 70's music (Fleetwood Mac MUST be a main play list) blasting and base it in London with full on Brit' Spy games and shenanigans. Better include Black Jack Tarr, Leiko Wu and Clive Reston as main supporting cast. Zaran and Razor Fist as henchmen/fighters for whatever substitute for Fu Manchu they want. Maybe turn Mordillo Island of thrills and chills as a front being manipulated by the Fu substitute?!? Before Marvel Studios (or whoever masterminded it) developed Iron Fist and Luke Cage for television, I *so* wanted them to do a Heroes for Hire (Luke, Danny, Misty and Colleen) movie as a period piece, i.e., set in the mid-1970s, and done as an homage to both the martial arts movies and Blaxplotiation movies of that decade. |
|
|
|
Post by brutalis on Dec 10, 2018 16:43:57 GMT -5
Modernization schmoderation. Take a leap and Make Shang-Chi as he worked best: smack dab in the middle of the 70's! Radical times after the 60's psychedelia (still prevalent) and the groovin' and movin' social/moral/sexual changes of the 70's occurring. Shang in his red jammies to start then into full on sexy sweaty shirtless mode, retro 70's music (Fleetwood Mac MUST be a main play list) blasting and base it in London with full on Brit' Spy games and shenanigans. Better include Black Jack Tarr, Leiko Wu and Clive Reston as main supporting cast. Zaran and Razor Fist as henchmen/fighters for whatever substitute for Fu Manchu they want. Maybe turn Mordillo Island of thrills and chills as a front being manipulated by the Fu substitute?!? Before Marvel Studios (or whoever masterminded it) developed Iron Fist and Luke Cage for television, I *so* wanted them to do a Heroes for Hire (Luke, Danny, Misty and Colleen) movie as a period piece, i.e., set in the mid-1970s, and done as an homage to both the martial arts movies and Blaxplotiation movies of that decade. You and me both Edo! Skip all of the origin dump and jump feet and fists first right into them being a team. Sweet Christmas the downtown duo would be fantastic getting their groovin' and kung fu movin' while whooping street thug ass! Put in all the classic Hero for hire villains fighting for their piece of the action while K'un-L'un lord Master Khan is using them all to build a power base for then he bridged the gap between worlds. Eventually the NY villains side with H4H against Khan and stop the merger. This Bad Mammajama MUST include Colleen Wing and Misty Knight, Shades, comanche, Cottonmouth, Diamondback, Black Mariah, Mr. Fish, Boomerang, Steel Serpent. Save the rest for a sequel!!! |
|
|
|
Post by BigPapaJoe on Apr 21, 2019 11:00:25 GMT -5
I never understand why people who aren't directly involved in the industry should spend much time thinking about the commercial aspects of things - in this case, how a Shang-Chi movie would do in the Chinese market, etc. I mean, yes, you have to be aware of these things and acknowledge their importance, but I don't see why they should be the focus of a discussion amongst fans of the comics. I'm much more interested in hearing what everyone would like to see in a Shang-Chi film, no matter how unlikely it might be to ever see those ideas on the screen. Marvel Studios has been doing this for over a decade, and all of their movies at worst have still been hits around the globe that have brought in a ton of revenue. I have no reservations about them moving forward with Shang Chi, and how things will play out in the Chinese market. I think it's going to be another hit. I'm excited personally, and even before this was announced, I was hoping that the success of Black Panther, and Crazy, Rich, Asians would get the wheels rolling for Marvel to capitalize on having the first big Asian lead superhero film. I can't wait. |
|
|
|
Post by rberman on Apr 21, 2019 14:08:36 GMT -5
Setting aside the Fu Manchu associations, a Shang Chi film is still going to be a hard sell in China for the same reason Taco Bell was a hard sell (that failed) in Mexico. Not too hard to see the math here. This was my first reaction. The character was just Westerners trying to do an Eastern character for the Western market. Aren't they producing enough wuxia to satisfy their own market already? I get it that Disney/Marvel were flailing around for a non-white character to be more appealing to multicultural future of cinema, but why not do it with one of the existing characters? Miles Morales shows moviegoers are happy with non-white versions of tentpole characters, if the story is good. |
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Apr 21, 2019 14:47:25 GMT -5
Setting aside the Fu Manchu associations, a Shang Chi film is still going to be a hard sell in China for the same reason Taco Bell was a hard sell (that failed) in Mexico. Not too hard to see the math here. This was my first reaction. The character was just Westerners trying to do an Eastern character for the Western market. Aren't they producing enough wuxia to satisfy their own market already? I get it that Disney/Marvel were flailing around for a non-white character to be more appealing to multicultural future of cinema, but why not do it with one of the existing characters? Miles Morales shows moviegoers are happy with non-white versions of tentpole characters, if the story is good. I’m confused about your “existing characters” comment. It’s not as if Shang Chi hasn’t existed as a character for forty years. |
|
|
|
Post by rberman on Apr 21, 2019 14:52:09 GMT -5
This was my first reaction. The character was just Westerners trying to do an Eastern character for the Western market. Aren't they producing enough wuxia to satisfy their own market already? I get it that Disney/Marvel were flailing around for a non-white character to be more appealing to multicultural future of cinema, but why not do it with one of the existing characters? Miles Morales shows moviegoers are happy with non-white versions of tentpole characters, if the story is good. I’m confused about your “existing characters” comment. It’s not as if Shang Chi hasn’t existed as a character for forty years. Sure. I was thinking of a non-white version of a white hero; that way we're not trying to sell a knock-off of a Chinese character back to China. How did the "Big Hero 6" film play in Japan? |
|
|
|
Post by brianf on Apr 21, 2019 15:41:34 GMT -5
I'm very excited about seeing a Shang Chi film. My only hope is they keep him just a normal person whos power comes from his own training, and not super power him up. Going in a James Bond direction (like the best Moench comics) would be ideal. they found a director & Kevin Feige is talking about the movie, so this sounds like a sure thing. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2019 19:45:42 GMT -5
Good to know ... brianf and thanks for ^^^ this information. |
|
|
|
Post by BigPapaJoe on Apr 22, 2019 0:01:12 GMT -5
Shang Chi's origins are from mainland China correct? I hope that whoever they get to portray him, can speak Mandarin well without an accent that is really off from the character's supposed origins. When Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was released, Michelle Yeoh apparently got a lot of hate due to her Mandarin speaking (she's Malaysian) not being believable enough for someone who was from mainland China. Especially in a period piece. Disney is coming out with a live action Mulan film soon, and just looking at the cast list, they seem to taken that aspect more seriously. At least with the main character.
|
|
|
|
Post by Randle-El on Apr 22, 2019 10:26:30 GMT -5
Shang Chi's origins are from mainland China correct? I hope that whoever they get to portray him, can speak Mandarin well without an accent that is really off from the character's supposed origins. When Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was released, Michelle Yeoh apparently got a lot of hate due to her Mandarin speaking (she's Malaysian) not being believable enough for someone who was from mainland China. Especially in a period piece. Disney is coming out with a live action Mulan film soon, and just looking at the cast list, they seem to taken that aspect more seriously. At least with the main character. Black Panther took some heat for accents. Audiences in Africa apparently thought that the accents used in the film were all over the place -- a Nigerian accent here, a Kenyan accent there. Also the Korean-American actress from the scene in Busan got roasted pretty bad too. Although ethnically Korean, it was pretty clear that she didn't speak the language in general, and was not accustomed to the particular regional accent she was using. |
|
