Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) (1 Viewer)

[Joe Wong]

I remember that around the Fourth of July, right before Black Widow opened, there was this idea that we had turned the corner on the virus. We didn't yet realize how bad the surge with the delta variant was going to be. For Shang-Chi to achieve this even though Black Widow came out at a time when there was more optimism about the course of the pandemic feels like a significant accomplishment.

That being said, I also think you have to look at the movie itself.

I enjoyed Black Widow for what it was and had a fun time watching it. However, the fact that it is set in 2016 after Civil War does make it feel narratively inessential because it has no relevance to the present day MCU. Even though it's a good movie, making it after the end of Natasha's arc in Endgame seems like an afterthought. They could have made the same movie at basically any time after The Avengers without significantly changing the story (other than the post-credits scene.) Although there are lots of fun elements of that movie, its placement in the overall MCU renders it a bit of an odd duck. If it had been produced in order, the characters it introduces us to could have been more meaningful throughout the remainder of Natasha's run in the MCU instead of just one-offs she never sees again. I have a few friends who are waiting until October when the Disney+ paywall drops to watch it, and even though I'm really glad I saw it in the theater, I couldn't argue that they would be missing much if they didn't.

By contrast, Shang-Chi feels like the beginning of something new because it is actually progressing the overall MCU story forward with new characters and situations we haven't already seen. I think this is contributing to the excitement around it because it is clearly an important next step for the MCU. Although I also recommended Black Widow, I am recommending Shang-Chi more passionately to my friends because I think it is a more satisfying complete experience.

Fully agree. While Black Widow by itself was not bad, it just felt like an obligation, to fulfil a desire for Natasha to have her own (long-awaited) solo film. It also came with lower stakes, since we know her fate later in Endgame. In effect, we can't look forward to future adventures with Nat. BW is a once-and-done for Nat (especially in light of Scarlet's lawsuit against Disney).

In Shang Chi, however, not only is the tale and action refreshing, the characters have a future which is yet to be revealed. Indeed, social media chatter is already predicting (or, demanding) a sequel. Certainly Feige and team may have mapped out further entries with Shang Chi, but given the uncertainty with how audiences may have responded to him, and the possibility that the film could have performed relatively poorly given the impact of COVID on the current (as well as future) state of cinema, a sequel was not necessarily a slam dunk. Now, it's almost certain there will be a follow-up.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Edit: I went on about Black Widow in this post longer than I expected to and it didn't really involve Shang-Chi much. So I moved my long comments about Black Widow originally written in this post over into the thread for that movie. Below is the part of my original post that I actually wrote about Shang-Chi.

a sequel was not necessarily a slam dunk.

I think both post-credits scenes basically obligated Marvel to feature Shang-Chi again in some capacity regardless of the box office reception to this film. However, if this one had been a complete disaster, they probably could have simply slid him into a cameo inside someone else's movie to tie up those threads. Instead, fortunately, quality won out and it is clear that they're going to be able to go forward in whatever manner they want, which is great. That being said, I do think there's a good chance that Shang-Chi will probably pop up in someone else's film before he gets his own sequel because it usually isn't too long between appearances for Marvel's successful characters.

Guardians of the Galaxy also featured the onscreen promise that "The Guardians of the Galaxy will return" before Marvel knew how that film was going to perform, so they've made this kind of bet before. But again, I think that if the first film hadn't worked, they would have simply brought the Guardians into some other character's film to tie up that story and then be done. Obviously, I'm glad it worked out the way that it did.

Although Feige and the team at Marvel did not know how Guardians or Shang-Chi would perform when they ended their first films in that way, they obviously did know that what they were making was really good. In both cases, the audience clearly responded because a lot of people think the movie is great. Sometimes quality wins out, and that has certainly been the case here.

 

[Joe Wong]

...That being said, I do think there's a good chance that Shang-Chi will probably pop up in someone else's film before he gets his own sequel because it usually isn't too long between appearances for Marvel's successful characters.

Yes, this current phase has shown how wide and expansive the MCU is, and Feige and team have been creative in using supporting characters to pop up in other stories, as well as judiciously introduce new ones.

For example (I've spoilerised a few recent or future ones for those who don't want to know):

* Jimmy Woo and Darcy Lewis (plus the Wanda twins) in WandaVision
*

Spoiler

Wong and Abomination in Shang Chi

*

Spoiler

Echo in Hawkeye

*

Spoiler

America Chavez in Dr Strange 2

I like seeing characters, especially main ones like Shang Chi, Captain Marvel, etc. pop up in other solo entries, as long as it makes sense or doesn't dominate. Since it's such an integrated universe, it shouldn't seem that strange.

 

[Sam Posten]

Here’s what went into the visual effects of ‘Shang-Chi’s’ crazy bus sequence: Part 1 - befores & afters

The film’s VFX supervisor Chris Townsend breaks it down.

beforesandafters.com

 

[TravisR]

I finally got a chance to see this today. It's a solid start for a new character. Simu Liu was good and Awkwafina finally didn't annoy me and I actually liked her performance and character.

Best laughs in the movie came from

Spoiler

Ben Kingsley. His 90/19 misunderstanding made me laugh out loud. And his 'demise' was pretty good too. I had no clue Kingsley was in the movie, was that a secret before the release?

 

[Jake Lipson]

Spoiler

I had no clue Kingsley was in the movie, was that a secret before the release?

Not really. The trailers certainly didn't call attention to his presence but he was at the premiere and was in the cast list on IMDb prior to the film's release.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Not really. The trailers certainly didn't call attention to his presence but he was at the premiere and was in the cast list on IMDb prior to the film's release.

I read no reviews, didn't see anything about the premiere and didn't look at IMDB, so his presence was a major surprise for me!

 

[Sam Favate]

So, if Shang-Chi is going to be on Disney+ (for free) on Nov 12, when do we think the 4K/Blu-ray will be out?

Here’s When Marvel’s ‘Shang-Chi’ Will Be FREE on Disney+

Marvel's 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' will be available for FREE to all Disney+ subscribers SOON!

allears.net

 

[Malcolm R]

I'd expect it about the same time or a week or two after, unless they're following a different pattern since this was not a day-and-date with streaming. Raya and Black Widow were both out on disc around 60-70 days after their theatrical debuts.

I definitely think they'd want it out in time for Christmas shopping unless they run into some manufacturing fulfillment issues.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Disney has been inconsistent with regard to disc street dates versus Disney+ lately.

Black Widow came to disc on September 14 and is dropping the paywall on October 6. Cruella dropped the paywall on August 27 but didn't come to disc yesterday, September 21. Jungle Cruise is dropping the paywall on November 12 and coming to disc on November 16.

I think it is likely that Shang-Chi will come to digital stores like iTunes and Vudu in October so that they can see how much money they can get out of digital rentals and purchases before bundling It into Disney+ with the subscription. A disc release should follow the digital one by a couple weeks.

In any case, we should hear about the release date soon.

 

[TravisR]

I definitely think they'd want it out in time for Christmas shopping unless they run into some manufacturing fulfillment issues.

I imagine that Disney doesn't run into manufacturing issues when it comes to something as big as a Marvel movie. They're the reason that other companies will have manufacturing delays.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I think the disc will be available well in advance of Christmas.

Black Widow came out on disc 67 days after its theatrical release (July 9 to September 14.). If Shang-Chi follows the same pattern, that would put its disc release on Tuesday, November 9, which would still be slightly before its Disney+ debut.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Marvel has posted an interview with Christopher Townsend, the visual effects supervisor on Shang-Chi. If anyone reading this still hasn't seen the film, you probably won't want to watch the video until after you do.

 

[Nigel P]

The timing will be interesting with Eternals coming out on 5th November.

 

[Jake Lipson]

The timing will be interesting with Eternals coming out on 5th November.

I don't really see one as having anything to do with the other because they are different types of releases. Shang-Chi will be promoted as an event in homes at that time and Eternals will be promoted as a theatrical release, so it's not like they will be competing with each other. I love Shang-Chi but there is no reason to believe that it will still be in theaters by then.

Shang-Chi had its theatrical debut on September 3 and Black Widow had its disc debut on September 21 so clearly Disney is not opposed to using the same month.

 

[Sam Favate]

Nov. 30 for the 4k/blu-ray.

 

[Jake Lipson]

That's interesting. This means they have given the film a 70-day theatrical window between September 3 and November 12, instead of the 45 days that was originally announced. October 18 would have been 45 days. They must have been even more pleased with the theatrical performance than we realized. 70 days between theater and digital isn't all that far off the previous standard of 90 days. September 3 to November 30 (physical disc) is 88 days, which is damn near 90 days. Black Widow took 67 days to go from its theatrical/Disney+ Premier Access launch to disc (July 9 to September 14.)

Based on that information, Shang-Chi will appear on digital platforms the same day as Disney+ but its physical media release won't be until after.

I wonder if the availability on Disney+ simultaneously will depress digital sales. We know that many/most Marvel fans have Disney+ in order to keep up with the MCU shows, which would reduce the need for digital purchases if you're just giving it to them on the same date. This speaks to Disney's interest in promoting Disney+ over individual sales.

It looks like I will watch the film next on Disney+ when it becomes available and then of course add the Blu-ray to my collection when it is available.

 

[Sam Favate]

Yeah, it seems to me that this schedule undermines digital and physical media sales. They will issue the discs for collectors, but when the film is already on D+ at no extra charge, they have to know it’s only the collectors that are buying.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Yeah, it seems to me that this schedule undermines digital and physical media sales.

I don't think it will affect physical sales much at all. People like us who are really committed to buying physical discs for our collection will still do that. People who don't care about physical media were never going to buy it because everyone knew it was going to come to Disney+ anyway.

What they've done here is eliminate the window of time between the digital purchase release and the Disney+ debut. So instead of taking money from people who want to rent digitally and then putting it on Disney+ a few months later, they're just giving it to Disney+ immediately.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

That's interesting. This means they have given the film a 70-day theatrical window between September 3 and November 12, instead of the 45 days that was originally announced. October 18 would have been 45 days. They must have been even more pleased with the theatrical performance than we realized.

That's great. Such a deserving film too.

This is one I'm going to buy on disc. Disney+ is great, but I still prefer to own my faves.