Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'Shang-Chi' Star Claps Back At Disney CEO In Fiery Social Media Posts For Calling Film An 'Experiment'

'Shang-Chi' Star Claps Back At Disney CEO In Fiery Social Media Posts For Calling Film An 'Experiment'
Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney

Following Scarlet Johansson's lawsuit over the hybrid release of Black Widow, Disney is mired in yet another controversy with their latest Marvel venture featuring the studio's first Asian superhero.

This time, Disney CEO Bob Chapek was slammed for referring to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), an "interesting experiment."


Actor Simu Liu, who plays the title role of Shang-Chi, spoke out on social media in a passionate response to comments made by Disney CEO Bob Chapek.

Chapek confirmed during Disney's quarterly earnings call on Thursday his studio will release the film exclusively in theaters for 45 days.

This strategy is a break from Disney simultaneously releasing previous blockbuster films, like Johansson's Black Widow, in theaters on the same day as well as on their streaming platform, Disney+.

Chapek said Shang-Chi was intended to be released in a "much more healthy theatrical environment," but when concerns around the surge of the variant virus grew, it was too late to modify plans for releasing the film because of "the impracticality of last-minute changes."

Studios typically commit money allocated towards advertisements and marketing campaigns at least two months prior to the release of a film.

Said, Chapek:

"On 'Shang-Chi,' we think it's going to be an interesting experiment. The prospect of taking a Marvel title to [Disney+] after just 45 days would be an interesting data point."

In response, Liu rebuked the notion that his history-making film was being labeled as an "experiment."

He took to social media and posted behind-the-scenes photos from the movie expressing his pride in his work in Shang-Chi.

"We are not an 'interesting experiment,'" he said, quoting Chapek's description of the film.

He continued:

"We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year."
"We are the surprise. I'm fired the f**k up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US."






Although much of the comments expressed support for Liu, not everyone was sure about the point of contention with the CEO's comment.



Others remained pumped to see the film, despite the controversy.




Liu had campaigned to play the titular kung fu master years before being cast to lead the film.

When it was announced he would play Shang-Chi, he told Huffington Postin an interview that the movie was "an opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to the world following years of stereotypes and caricatures and tired tropes."

He added:

"I think seeing yourself represented in that way can have a profound impact on how you view your place in society, your cultural identity and what you are capable of achieving."
"I'm honored that I played a small part in this fight, and I'm ready to bear that torch if and when it is asked of me."




Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings features a predominantly Asian cast, including Awkwafina, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, and Tony Leung.

It will be released exclusively in theaters on September 3 for 45 days before becoming available for streaming on Disney+.

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

Lynda Carter; Screenshot of Donald Trump
Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images; Newsmax

Lynda Carter Hilariously Channels Wonder Woman In Response To Trump's Claim About 'Undetectable' Planes

After President Donald Trump touted the U.S. military's "stealth" planes that he described as "undetectable," Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter responded to his claim with a funny quip sure to delight fans of her iconic character.

Earlier, Trump boasted about the military's capabilities in remarks to reporters in the Oval Office amid heightened concerns about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict that is sending shockwaves throughout the Middle East and around the world:

Keep ReadingShow less
red flag with pole on seashore
Seoyeon Choi on Unsplash

People Break Down The 'Silent Red Flags' Folks Tend To Ignore In Relationships

A red flag has come to mean any warning sign in life, in addition to the literal red flags that are placed on beaches or industrial sites to warn people of danger.

People will respond to situations by saying, "That’s a red flag." But before that language evolved, they'd just call them "warning signs."

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz; Tucker Carlson
The Tucker Carlson Show

Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Get Into Shouting Match Over Iran In Bonkers Interview Clip

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz—a harsh Donald Trump critic-turned-MAGA minion—sat down with fired Fox News personality Tucker Carlson for the conservative influencer's self-produced online content,The Tucker Carlson Show, for the Tucker Carlson Network.

On Tuesday, Carlson shared a 1.5-minute clip revealing that things got contentious when the pair touched on the Trump administration's escalating tensions with Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Barack Obama
Suzanne Plunkett-Pool/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images

Resurfaced Trump Tweet Criticizing Obama Over Iran Comes Back To Bite Him

Amid tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump was criticized for hypocrisy after social media users resurfaced a 2013 tweet in which he accused former President Barack Obama of planning an attack on Iran because of his "inability to negotiate properly."

Trump has declined to clarify whether the U.S. is edging closer to launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a warning from Iran’s supreme leader against any attack and a rejection of Trump’s demand for surrender.

Keep ReadingShow less
​​Elon Musk
Allison Robbert/AFP via Getty Images

Anti-Elon Banner at Stanford

Stanford University graduates were given creative advice from above as an airplane flew over the graduation ceremony with a banner reading, “CONGRATS! DON’T WORK FOR ELON.”

The moment was captured last Sunday during the university’s 134th Commencement ceremony, where the Class of 2025 received their degrees at Stanford Stadium.

Keep ReadingShow less