His 2013 indie Short Term 12 boasted a wealth of acting talent that has gone on to win Oscars, and, in the case of star Brie Larson, also join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now director Destin Daniel Cretton is following her to Marvel's ranks, signing a deal to make the studio's first Asian-American fronted film, Shang-Chi.
The character first arrived on the Marvel scene in 1973 in the wake of Enter The Dragon's success. Created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin, he is the son of Fu Manchu, who raised and educated his son in his reclusive compound, closed off to the outside world. The lad trained in the martial arts and developed unsurpassed skills. He is eventually introduced to the wider world to do his father’s bidding, and then has to come to grips with the fact his revered father might not be the humanitarian he has claimed to be and is closer to what others call him: The Devil’s Doctor.
Chinese-American writer and producer Dave Callaham has worked on the script, and the emphasis will be on diverse talent both in front of and behind the camera, while the film will update the setting and characterizations from the 1970s original. This also marks Marvel's latest hiring of a director more known for smaller dramas to head up one of their big superhero films.
His trip into the MCU will have to wait a little while, though, as he's finishing up work on legal drama Just Mercy, which features Larson and fellow MCU player Michael B. Jordan.
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