Credit: DisneyDisney released the first full trailer for their latest Disney+ series, American Born Chinese, with all the Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) vibes fans could ask for.
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American Born Chinese is based on Gene Luen Yang’s 2006 graphic novel published by First Second Books. The comic features three different stories, including the legendary Monkey King from Chinese folklore, that eventually tie together by the end. The series will follow Jin Wang, a Chinese-American teenager who struggles with his identity in a predominantly white school. Still, his world is flipped upside down when he befriends another Chinese student who needs help. Suppose the series is a faithful adaption of the graphic novel. In that case, audiences can expect three different storylines happening simultaneously and eventually intertwining as the Monkey King and Jin Wang end up crossing paths in the source material.
The trailer feels like a combination of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), and Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022). The main reason is Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh’s presence in the series, but also because the action sequences so far appear to be heavily focused on martial arts. Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan and Award nominee Stephanie Hsu are also in the series, further adding to the EEAAO aesthetic. Coincidentally, the show began shooting before the Academy Award-winning film was released in theaters. The studio did not cast the actors after its success but right before it, proving both Disney and the Daniels saw something special in that particular cast.
Based on what audiences have seen, the show looks pretty refreshing, considering it centers around Chinese and Asian culture. It’s a form of representation that viewers don’t get to see often but has recently begun to emerge. Disney recently released Chang Can Dunk (2023), which also centered around an Asian American high school student trying to fit in. Director Destin Daniel Cretton, Shang-Chi, and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) are one of the leading directors for the American Born Chinese series and Charlie Angele’s Lucy Liu. It’s great to see Disney highlighting their stories.
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If the show becomes a success, this will shine more light on the power of telling stories from different cultures and viewpoints. The fans have been leaving overwhelmingly positive comments so far, so here’s hoping Disney+ has a new hit on their hands.
Fans will discover the world within American Born Chinese when the series is released on May 24.
Are you excited about this new show coming to Disney+? Let us know in the comments.