Marvel Studios
Despite how fantastical the world of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is, the character of Shang himself is actually quite down to Earth — of all the Avengers we’ve been introduced to so far, he’s easily one of the most relatable, therefore making him something of an audience avatar in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Given Shang’s vague status as an everyman in this world, his interactions with the various mighty Avengers will be all the more entertaining. With that in mind, I couldn’t help but wonder which characters will be the most fun to see Shang not only play off of but potentially face off against.
During an interview with director Destin Daniel Cretton ahead of the film’s release, we asked which Avenger he’d like to see Shang go toe-to-toe with — a la Ant-Man taking on Falcon — given that Shang’s fighting style is so different from anything we’ve seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe thus far.
“Maybe this is the obvious statement because it happens in the comics, but Spider-Man would be very cool. I imagine if they went head-to-head, it’d probably just be a sparring contest or a training exercise. We have a lot of things on the table that is very exciting for the future of Shang-Chi. I think Shang-Chi — in order to have a fair fight with some people — would have to take the rings off because with rings on and rings off would be a very different opponent if they’re able to use their superpowers.”
While Spider-Man’s future in the MCU is currently up-in-the-air, Cretton’s answer suggests he may already have something in mind should Spidey remain in the franchise.
Make sure to check out the excellent Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings when it hits theaters on September 3, and to listen to our full interview with director Destin Daniel Cretton when it drops later this week.
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