As the production of Black Widow goes full force with filming in the beautiful landscapes of Europe, the production of Shang-Chi is still diligently in the process of casting. We’ve known for a few weeks now that in addition to the titular character, Marvel Studios is eyeing two particular key roles; an “elder statesman” between the ages of 40 and 60 and a female warrior. And according to That Hashtag Show, that elder statesman may be played by martial arts legend Donnie Yen, who has piqued Marvel Studios’ interest.
As for the titular role, names of up and comers Ludi Lin and Ross Butler are in the mix to meet with Marvel Studios. Lin is most known for his main role in the recent Power Rangers reboot while Butler is known as one of the stars of hit teen show Riverdale. Butler also made an appearance in Shazam as part of the Marvel family. Lin and Butler are also both of Chinese descent, hinting at a specific search for Chinese talent, as opposed to a general Asian-American search.
With this movie, Disney will be essentially creating a new film superstar, similar to how Thor propelled virtual unknown Chris Hemsworth to superstardom, so the studio is likely at all kinds of talent, known and unknown. Personally, I’d rather see a complete unknown who hasn’t starred in a tentpole blockbuster film yet. I’d also very much like to see Donnie Yen kickass in the MCU. Be it the rumored Mandarin role or a new character.
Source: That Hashtag Show
