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Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi star Simu Liu was warned not to read the Marvel Comics by the director (but he eventually did anyway)
Simu Liu is a fan of Marvel’s Shang-Chi comics, despite being told not to read them during the filming of the movie
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Comic book movies have come a long way. Decades ago, superhero films seemed like they were almost ashamed of the source material. There’s the famous story about comics being banned from the set of the 2000 X-Men film, and how associate producer Kevin Feige had to sneak them into the studio.
Today, Feige is the head of Marvel Studios, whose films have embraced the comic book source material. However, some Marvel directors are still cautious about the actors reading the comics. During the filming of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, director Destin Daniel Cretton told Simu Liu to avoid the comics. Speaking to a crowd at Fan Expo Canada, Simu Liu recalled the instructions he was given.
“One of my first questions was what comics should I read. Destin [Daniel Cretton] was like, ‘Don’t read them. It’s better if you start with a blank slate.’”
Once filming wrapped, Liu dove into the comics, and was intrigued by what he read.
“Since the movie, I’ve actually kind of gotten into it. Especially because it has kind of coincided with a new run of comics for Shang-Chi, so I feel like he’s doing a lot. He’s getting busy in the comic world, which is nice. And there’s some exciting stuff in them. You never know, maybe one of those things will potentially make it into...I don’t know, I feel like anything I say could turn into a soundbite. All I’m saying is you never know. A character or a storyline or something could always make its way into a sequel.”
Marvel’s untitled Shang-Chi sequel is currently in the development stage, but no release date has been announced. Who knows, maybe the film will adapt one of the storylines Liu read. I have a particular fondness for the Game of Rings storyline.
Consider this a meta post-credits scene for Marvel fans - the four key articles you need to read next to continue the thrills:
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