Spoiler Warning: This article contains possible plot details about Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
As fans wait patiently (or impatiently) for daily life to return to normal, there are still a few industries hard at work preparing for the future. In the world of entertainment, nearly every major studio is in the same situation with films' release dates delayed and shooting/productions forced to halt until further notice. Marvel Studios is right in the middle of the craziness with a bigger group of planned productions than nearly every other major studio.
Phase 4 of the MCU is set to include eight new movies premiering in theatres and eight mini-series debuting on Disney+. While many of these productions will continue the stories for heroes that have already thrived in the MCU for years, the new phase will bring a whole new set of characters set to join the upcoming fights with Earth's Mightiest Heroes. A recent exclusive has just arrived revealing exciting plot details for one of the franchise's newest heroes, set to make his debut next summer.
NEWS
POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW:
A new exclusive from FandomWire has shed new light on plot details for Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, set for worldwide release on May 7, 2021. It details that Shang-Chi has a special power in the movie, with the ability to clone himself as he fights. This is based off of his powers in the comics which allow him to make clones of himself to do anything he wants at any time, and these powers are fully noticed by the film's primary antagonist, the Mandarin.
Because of Shang-Chi's power, he is raised in a very special orphanage for kids that are trained to fight, which is run by the Mandarin. Shang-Chi manages to escape the orphanage before running into the Mandarin again as an adult. The Mandarin promises the hero a chance at money and power, and he gives a guarantee that he will stop chasing Shang-Chi if he agrees to fight in an epic and magical tournament, the very tournament that every kid in the orphanage trains their entire life to train for.
The tournament is set to feature all-new characters never before seen in the MCU, featuring the likes of wizards, aliens, fighters, and even more well-known characters that are still a mystery at this time. The winner of this tournament wins the legendary 10 rings as the grand prize, which give the wearer a new level of power. The Mandarin enlists Shang-Chi to fight in this tournament and try to win the rings for him since his best days of fighting are behind him at this point in time.
The film will also address the outstanding issue of Marvel fans' ire with the Mandarin twist from Iron Man 3 . The exclusive doesn't divulge much on this issue, only that it will be dealt with at some point during the new film.
The report also reveals that Awkwafina will be playing Fah Lo Suee in the movie, who will be re-purposed as a love interest for Shang-Chi as the daughter of the Mandarin. The character originally was portrayed as Shang-Chi's sister in the comics.
WHAT THIS MEANS
This is clearly a huge amount of information to process, and it sets up a story and plotline never before seen in the MCU. It is still unclear how exactly Shang-Chi gains his superpowers, but it seems clear that the movie will explore his entire life growing up in the orphanage before escaping and finding his way through the world as an adult. With the plot pitting Shang-Chi in such a big tournament, testing his abilities against foes who seem to be at the very least on his level, the fight sequences and action that this film will bring should be among the most exciting the franchise has ever seen.
The team at Marvel Studios also seems to be very intent on fixing their Mandarin problem. After revealing that Trevor Slattery was a fake during the events of Iron Man 3 and showing that the real Mandarin was out there and looking for revenge during the Marvel One-Shot: All Hail The King , the super villain is set to make a monumental return to the MCU and show just how powerful and threatening he really is.
The production for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently shut down due to the Coronavirus, and the film is set to release in theaters worldwide on May 7, 2021.
