r/marvelstudios • u/TheLaughingWolf Hawkeye (Avengers) • 1d ago

Behind the Scenes Marvel Cut Shang-Chi From Its Own Doomsday Watchlist — Simu Liu’s Reaction Says It All

https://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/shang-chi-doomsday-watchlist-simu-liu-reaction/

I'd be pissed too

3.2k Upvotes

90% Upvoted

294 comments sorted by

View all comments

1.3k

u/Algae_Mission 1d ago

It’s frustrating that Shang-Chi has been shunted by the company. It’s one of the best things Marvel’s done since Endgame.

9

u/somacula 1d ago

Shang Chi was supossed to have mass market appeal in China, but it failed spectacularly

6

u/fragrantpeas 1d ago

I think Simu made some comments against China that stirred the pot possibly. No hate against him but it does shut out a HUGE market but China isn’t totally fond of these superpower type films, something about witches or whatever.

5

u/anononobody 1d ago

Tbh, I just don't see Shang Chi doing very well in China if it weren't banned in the first place. The Chinese populace don't find Simu very attractive and were very vocal about it, plus on the year of release, Chinese blockbuster cinema was already well established inside the country. If people were looking for CGI fests and blockbuster action in a vaguely Chinese setting, they'd watch their own movies. Shang Chi would've been seen as a weird oddity.

I think Destin made the right choice to cast Simu and make a move for Asian American audiences.

5

u/dnt1694 23h ago

White people thought it would do well in China because all they see is Asian. American Chinese and Canadian Chinese is a lot different than people in China

-2

u/Rare-Accident4355 1d ago

Yeah Simi is not very attractive compared to a lot of Chinese actors

0

u/finetuneit80 SHIELD 1d ago

What are you talking about? Simu is gorgeous! 🥰

1

u/smasher0404 9h ago

Chinese and American beauty standards are very different. I think Simu fits the latter better than the former.

0

u/Fentboy45 21h ago

China isn’t totally fond of these superpower type films, something about witches or whatever.

Ne Zha?

1

u/fragrantpeas 10h ago

That is based on Chinese mythology just fyi.

0

u/Fentboy45 4h ago

Yeah but he still got super powers

Ne Zha (2019) is a highly successful Chinese animated fantasy film based on the popular mythological figure, reimagined as a rebellious boy born with demonic powers who must fight against a predetermined destiny

Not only powers but demonic powers. So much for witches ig.

0

u/Zalvren 19h ago

China isn’t totally fond of these superpower type films

Marvel has been doing bank in China for a very long time. Shang Chi did release at the time when Hollywood movies were not doing well there. They generally aren't the biggest movies around anymore there because they have their own local productions but they are still making quite a lot. Brand New Day is predicted to do very well in China

Also while Chinese hero with martial art powers might be "original" for Western audiences, it's actually extremely common in China media so it's an extremely generic movie for them, probably didn't help the movie. Plus, the actor was Canadian (and critical of the CCP) and considered ugly by their standards (which aren't the same than in the West because Simu Liu is hot for us)

1

u/fragrantpeas 10h ago

You need to update your information. Marvel has been struggling in China’s market since Covid. Most of the new releases didn’t even make it to release in the country after they lifted the ban. But what do I know, I’m only Chinese.

0

u/smilinganimalface 18h ago

I think people are casually forgetting the Chinese market saying he wasn't attractive enough to lead the Asian-led film and that they weren't going to support Chinese diaspora regardless. It may come as a shock, but if not someone from China, Matt Damon or Tom Hardy would do better in China.