Marvel's First Movie With An Asian Lead Character Is Moving Forward

Marvel is moving forward on “Shang-Chi,” the comic book superhero studio’s first movie featuring an Asian lead character, building on the success of “Captain Marvel” and “Black Panther” and the studio’s efforts to feature more diverse superhero characters.

The studio has hired Asian-American director Destin Daniel Cretton to direct the project, Deadline reported Wednesday, and The Hollywood Reporter and Variety confirmed.

Plans for “Shang-Chi,” based on a Marvel comic book character from 1973, were first unveiled in December, when Marvel hired Asian-American screenwriter Dave Callaham to write the screenplay and embarked on a search for an Asian director to lead the project.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel also plans to feature a largely Asian and Asian-American cast in the movie.

Cretton is best known for directing the critically lauded indie “Short Term 12” in 2013, starring Brie Larson, who was up-and-coming at the time, as a supervisor of a group home for teenagers experiencing mental health issues and abuse.


https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marvel-first-asian-superhero-movie_n_5c8956abe4b0450ddae6d749