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Credit: Marvel StudiosMarvel Boss Kevin Feige has addressed the dust-up over Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s comments that described Marvel’s upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) film as an “interesting experiment.” Simu Liu, star of Shang-Chi, publicly shared his displeasure with Chapek’s comments, spurring Marvel Studios president Feige to get involved.
Related: How to See Marvel’s ‘Shang-Chi’ in Theaters Three Weeks Early
The head honcho of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige has been largely absent from the public eye as big-time controversies have swirled throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Reportedly, Feige is “angry and embarrassed” at Disney’s handling of the Black Widow release that led to star Scarlett Johansson suing the House of Mouse. The ongoing drama thus far has been very public and stands to be quite a messy ordeal — with Disney reportedly cutting ties completely with the original Avenger, Johansson.
Related: Disney Insiders Blame Bob Chapek For Scarlett Johansson Lawsuit
Shang-Chi Actor Simu Liu responds to Disney CEO Bob Chapek on Twitter
In the wake of the Black Widow fallout, Disney CEO Bob Chapek made those Shang-Chi “experiment” comments on a Disney investor call, sparking a defiant response from actor Simu Liu. Liu seemingly took Chapek’s comments as a knock against Marvel’s first Asian-led movie. Not long after Chapek’s commentary, Simu Liu responded on Twitter, saying,
“We are not an experiment. 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 **** up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US.”
Related: Marvel Star Fires Back at Disney CEO For Calling ‘Shang Chi’ Film an “Experiment”
Kevin Feige handles damage control at Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings premiere
Feige addressed — if very briefly — the Scarlett Johansson lawsuit, saying he’s all for “amicable solutions.” Though Feige offered a bit more substance than he did with his Black Widow redirect when responding to the Shang-Chi controversy.
Kevin Feige directly weighed in on the Shang-Chi tiff at the premiere of the film, set to debut in theaters September 3. On the red carpet, Feige attempted to do some damage control, and squash the beef between Liu and Disney, saying of Liu’s Tweet,
“I think in that particular tweet you can see, and I think everyone does, a misunderstanding. It was not the intention. The proof is in the movie and we swing for the fences as we always do. With the amount of creative energy we put in and the budget, there’s no expense spared to bring this origin story to the screen.”
Related: Marvel Boss Kevin Feige Confirms Wong Vs. Abomination in ‘Shang-Chi’ Film
The “misunderstanding” Feige mentions refers to the context of Chapek’s “experiment” comment. Chapek was actually describing the Shang-Chi 45-day exclusive theatrical window as the experiment, rather than the predominantly Asian cast of Marvel’s Shang-Chi film. The exclusive theatrical release and 45-day window for the Marvel Cinematic Universe entry is something new for a Disney film. Recent Disney releases like Black Widow, Cruella, and Raya and the Last Dragon, have simultaneously premiered in theaters and on Disney+ with the added price of Premier Access.
Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is set to premiere in theaters on September 3, 2021, marking the first-ever Marvel Cinematic Universe film with an Asian lead, and the first September premiere for the MCU. Simu Liu will take on the titular role of Shang-Chi and will be joined by fellow castmates Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, and Ronny Chieng, Benedict Wong, Ben Kingsley reprising his role from Iron Man 3 (2013), and Tony Leung as the main villain– and Shang-Chi’s father— the Mandarin.
What do you think about the misunderstanding between Simu Liu and Disney CEO Bob Chapek? Let us know in the comments!