Marvel made giant strides last year when they released Black Panther, creating a film that the African American community could identify with. Now they are trying to do the same thing with the Asian American community by introducing Shang-Chi into the MCU. While Shang-Chi is not a popular character, I think that Marvel will still give him an excellent movie, and I have a few actors picked out who could do the role justice.
Lewis Tan
Lewis Tan has already been in the MCU, playing a one-off character on Iron Fist, but I don’t think that will exempt him from being considered for Shang-Chi. Not only is he a talented actor, but he is a legitimate martial artist as well, and that could play a huge strength when playing The Master of Kung-Fu. Tan will likely be the fan-favorite to star in this MCU film, and I would love to see him turn into an A-list star.
Daniel Wu
Lewis Tan has just recently joined the AMC show Into the Badlands, but Daniel Wu has been the star of the martial arts based show for three years now. Wu undoubtedly has the fighting experience to play Shang-Chi, but his acting has gotten better over the years, and he is becoming somewhat of a star. While Wu may be a little old for the character, I think that his acting method would make up for that.
Steven Yeun
Steven Yeun isn’t Chinese American, but he is still Asian American, and I feel like that should be the only qualification for Shang-Chi. Perhaps seeing someone of South Korean descent play a traditionally Chinese character would lead to even more empowerment, and truly blur the lines of diversity. Yeun is an amazing actor, and he is such a popular figure after playing Glenn on The Walking Dead that I don’t think anyone would object to seeing him play a superhero.
Henry Golding
Henry Golding is perhaps one of the most popular breakout stars of last year, and I expect to start seeing him everywhere. It is only a matter of time before Golding gets picked up for a superhero role, and I can’t think of anyone better for him to play than Shang-Chi. He is a brilliant actor, and I would love to see him alongside another A-list star in the MCU.
Ludi Lin
Ludi Lin is the exact kind of actor I expect to see as Shang-Chi, as he is both talented and young. Lin is most popular for playing the Black Ranger in the newest Power Rangers movie and while that film wasn’t great, I think that he showed a great amount of acting prowess. He could make an excellent Shang-Chi if given the chance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Marvel was seriously considering him.
Osric Chau
Osric Chau is known for playing the lovable, harmless Kevin Tran on Supernatural, but I think he is a ranged enough actor to play someone like Shang-Chi. He practices martial arts and parkour recreationally and is a younger actor that looks the part. This role would likely turn him into a huge star, and he could end up being a favorite of the Marvel universe.
Daniel Henney
Daniel Henney is an actor that has been around for years, yet he hasn’t played a lot of popular roles. However, many Marvel fans may recognize him as Agent Zero from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and certainly remember his voice from Big Hero 6. Henney is an older actor to cast as Shang-Chi, but I think he would be good enough as the character to make up for that aspect.
Bob Morley
Bob Morley may not look it, but he is half Filipino, and that may actually create even more of a buzz than casting an actor who is obviously Asian. However, I wouldn’t be suggesting Morley unless he had the acting prowess to back up the appearance. He has been on The 100 for years now and has shown that he has what it takes to be a daring action hero, so I think that could work nicely as Shang-Chi.
Ryan Potter
Ryan Potter has become a popular young actor, playing both Hiro in Big Hero 6 and Beast Boy on Titans, and that may be enough to earn him the role of Shang-Chi. However, he may actually be a bit too young. Potter is not physically intimidating by any means, but he does know some martial arts, and he may be believed as Shang-Chi if given the right script.
Manny Jacinto
Manny Jacinto is a fan-favorite actor known for his role on The Good Place, and while he isn’t superhero material on that show, his body certainly is. Jacinto is in amazing shape and has actually gained commercial recognition, being cast in the highly anticipated sequel Top Gun: Maverick. He is the type of actor that Marvel loves to make stars out of, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him be cast as Shang-Chi.
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Shang-Chi is the star of Marvel’s upcoming, and highly-anticipated, film which is expected to be released in 2021. The character has been around since 1973 and has grown through several particularly interesting story-arcs. As you might expect, Shang-Chi is an expert martial artist with expert skills in hand-to-hand combat and many hand weapons.
Something that might come as a surprise is Shang-Chi’s ability to create copies of himself. A truly powerful skill and a fearsome one for his enemies!
In later years, Shang-Chi even joined the Avengers where his unique abilities could be tested against more powerful foes.
Expect the Shang-Chi movie to be a massive hit with both Asian and general audiences when it is released in 2021. This is the first time Marvel has cast an Asian lead so this will create a major buzz. Expect massive Box Office numbers in China if the movie releases without controversy.