Marvel Studios
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings lead actor Simu Liu, taking exception with Bob Chapek referring to the film as an experiment, took to Twitter over the weekend to hit out at the Disney CEO’s comments.
“We are not an experiment,” Liu tweeted on Saturday.
“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. We are the surprise. I’m fired the f**k up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US.”
Chapek, who was appointed as Disney CEO in February 2020, made the comments about Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in reference to the fact that the film will be a theatrical-only release before hitting Disney+ after 45 days. Previously this summer, for films such as Cruella, Black Widow, and Jungle Cruise, Disney was releasing them on Disney+ Premier Access on the same day they hit theaters.
Liu, obviously, did not take too kindly to the fact that Shang-Chi, Marvel’s first project featuring an Asian cast, was being treated like an “experiment.” While Liu is entitled to his opinion, Chapek did make the comments on an earnings call and was talking in terms of the business of Shang-Chi and not its creative merits. Had Chapek come out and said “we’re putting Shang-Chi on Disney+”, I doubt Liu would be all that happy with that decision, either.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — which stars Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, and Tony Leung in addition to Liu — hits theaters on Friday, September 3.
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