Simu Liu took to Instagram yesterday to share positive comments he has received from Chinese “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” fans in a show of common ground being found above government and political rhetoric.
What they’re saying: The glowing reviews, which he reportedly received on Weibo, praised his performance in the Marvel blockbuster and expressed regret over its lack of Chinese release.
- “Hello, brother Liu. I couldn’t help but feel excited after watching your movie yesterday. ‘Shang-Chi’ is really a very excellent work, but I feel very sorry that such an excellent work cannot be released in China,” one fan wrote. “Unfortunately, our world is sometimes full of prejudice and misunderstanding. If it can be shown in the cinema in the future, I must go to support it. I hope that one day, all prejudices and discrimination can disappear in the world. I support you.”
- Another wrote, “There is nothing demeaning… in the whole film, but too many people are subjectively positioned into not watching it. It’s a pity that we couldn’t watch it in the cinema. The content is really wonderful and the many dialogues in Mandarin are also friendly.”
- One distraught fan said the supposed ban made them feel like they were living in North Korea: “What a pity. American friends are surprised that it won’t be shown in China! This is essentially a Chinese film! I almost thought I was living in North Korea!”
- “This film could definitely be released in the mainland two years ago and the box office would not be low,” another fan speculated. “Now I feel that it is a victim of the relationship between the two countries.”
- A desperate fan confessed to watching a stolen version of the film but promised to get a Disney Plus subscription. “I really couldn’t help it … Your performance really surprised me! And the whole film felt very different from other Marvel movies,” they wrote. “There are too many Chinese elements, and the pronunciation of all Chinese dialogue is very standard! It’s a pity not to see your first superhero [role] on the big screen.”
Why this matters: Released in theaters across the U.S. and other countries in September, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” received massive support as Marvel’s first Asian-led superhero movie. However, the Destin Daniel Cretton film has never been released in China, allegedly due to Liu’s old comments deemed critical of the Chinese government, as well as a controversy over the lead character’s comic book history.
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- In his Instagram Stories, Liu shared that his Weibo account is filled with more messages of love and support from Chinese fans. The Chinese Canadian actor apparently blamed the public’s lack of awareness of such comments on the media, which he said is focused on “sensationalist geopolitics.”
- “The media only wants to report on sensationalist geopolitics,” Liu wrote. “Take away the government and the policies and rhetoric, and you’ll find that we’re not so dissimilar from each other.”
- This is not the first time Liu — who was born in the Chinese city of Harbin — spoke about the overwhelming support he has received from fans in China. Days after the film’s American release, he also shared similar positive comments from Weibo and criticized the media for “polarizing us and turning us against each other.”
- “I have seen the kindness and the empathy that all people possess,” Liu wrote at the time. “I know that we have fans from all over the world who cannot wait to watch our movie and make history with us!”
- “Shang-Chi” grossed over $400 million worldwide in October. Whether the film gets a Chinese release is yet to be seen.
Featured Image via Marvel Entertainment