Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is almost here. The MCU's first martial arts blockbuster is sure to delight, but it's important to remember that while Shang-Chi himself is a new character for the MCU, the film's villain—the Mandarin, played by Tony Leung—has been featured in the universe before.
The version fans are likely familiar with from Iron Man 3 was Ben Kingsley's red herring character, truly named Trevor Slattery. Slattery was an actor tasked with taking up the role of the legendary and elusive Mandarin. While some fans were highly disappointed in such a classic Iron Man villain being used as a fake-out, it was revealed in a short that the Mandarin was in fact quite real and upset at Slattery's impersonation.
The short, entitled All Hail the King, is now available for most of the world to watch on one of today's biggest streaming services.
DISNEY+ ADDS ALL HAIL THE KING SHORT
All Hail the King, a Marvel Studios One-Shot, was added to Disney+ to help fans prepare for Shang-Chi's debut and the Mandarin's appearance.
The logo features the Mandarin's famous ten rings in logo form, much like the logo seen on a banner in the Shang-Chi trailer.
The official cover art for the short features the logo along with the Trevor Slattery character from Iron Man 3.
A MARVEL ONE-SHOT APPEARS ON DISNEY+
Because Ben Kingsley was recently confirmed to be returning in Shang-Chi as Trevor Slattery, it seems likely that this move was a way to make fans familiar with the false Mandarin and his connection to the real deal.
Perhaps the bigger part of this news is that this marks the first time a Marvel One-Shot has been added to Disney+. The shorts, of which there are five in total, were produced during the early age of the MCU and—as their name suggests—told one-off stories set in the MCU.
It remains unclear if the other four shorts will be added to the service or if All Hail the King stands out from its peers due to its relevance to Shang-Chi.
Exactly how Trevor Slattery will play into the events of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be made clear when the film debuts in theaters on September 3, 2021.
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