I don’t know about the rest of you, but I miss the movie theater experience. I miss the popcorn, the slightly-too-loud bass that vibrates in your chest, I even miss when people yell at the characters or clap at the end of the movie. With the exception of streaming platforms, we’ve been stuck in a movie-less void because of the pandemic. We’re all hoping that somehow 2021 will be less of a sh*tshow than 2020 and that our beloved characters will return to the big screens along with the fortune of a better year. Despite the unknown, Marvel Studios has set release dates for some very big 2021 movies and I’m excited.
Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Set to release next summer, Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be another step forward for Asian-American representation in popular film. Canadian-Chinese actor Simu Liu (known for his part in the TV Series “Kim’s Convenience”) will play the first ever Asian lead in a superhero film. The movie will also feature a 98% Asian cast, according to Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios. This film will be a major milestone in Hollywood history in terms of Asian-American representation, so we can only hope the movie will live up to its expectations. Also, if you’re an Awkwafina fan like me, you can now proceed to do your happy dance because she will also be playing a part in this film.
The movie is based on the comic book series of the same name about a hero named Shang-chi or “the master of kung fu” who specializes in hand to hand combat. He will be fighting against his antagonist, “The Mandarin,” played by Hong Kong actor and singer Tony Leung Chiu-wai. The series was written during the 1970s martial arts craze in the U.S., when Bruce Lee and films such as Enter the Dragon were all the rage.
The Eternals
If you were a Guardians of the Galaxy fan, Eternals may be something to look forward to in the next phase of the MCU. Set to release in February, The Eternals are a group of immortals who have been on Earth for 35,000 years, living amongst our beloved Avengers and other heroes in secrecy. The movie takes place after Endgame, and the Eternals must now come out of secrecy to help face mankind’s most ancient enemies, the Deviants (a very fitting name for the “bad guys,” don’t you think?) The movie will further push the MCU into its intergalactic phase and will star famous actors such as Kit Harington from Game of Thrones, Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani and Salma Hayek.
