“Shang-Chi” and the unpredictable launch of the first Asian MCU hero

By Ethan Ainley

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” the newest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has finally been released in theaters to high critical praise and cultural impact but it’s success story could be cut short.

The new MCU film debuted on a weekend traditionally not known for box office successes, Labor Day weekend. According to Box Office Mojo, the highest grossing debut was back in 2007 with “Halloween” which earned $30.5 million in its opening.

For over a decade that held as the record opening weekend until “Shang-Chi” reinvigorated the Labor Day weekend box office. The new film earned a little over $94.6 million over the holiday weekend, breaking the previous record.

All this while the film continued to have a successful second weekend with, according to AP News, “the best second-weekend gross of any film during the pandemic.”

This news isn’t only great for the industry, which is still recovering from pandemic losses, but also shows the cultural impact this new Asian-led MCU superhero film is having on American audiences.

Before the film’s release, Hollywood was worried that one of its most successful franchises would fumble and not be able to deliver. Due to an unestablished character and the pandemic their worry was this film could outright flop. 

“Shang-Chi” might’ve had a successful opening that was higher than original expectations, but a possible ban from release in China could end this surprise success story. This could be a huge hit to the film’s global gross as China has the largest box office gross next to the United States.

Even though “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is an incredible love-letter to Asian cinema and culture, the film may not be seen by most Chinese audiences. This is due to past comments made by Simu Liu, the actor who plays the title character, that criticize the Chinese government.

This wouldn’t be the first time an American film has been banned from release in China due to their restrictive censorship and political values.

At this point it is unclear if “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” can continue its trail of success without the Chinese box office. Most current blockbuster films rely on that revenue to make a profit and return of investments. 

Even if the blockbuster film doesn’t gross as much as Disney would like, there is still opportunity for success in other areas. This includes a path to awards’ gold after the similar culturally ground-breaking film “Black Panther” received several nominations and some wins.