The internet was buzzing yesterday after Marvel Studios surprised star Simu Liu on his birthday by dropping the debut trailer for September’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Naturally, it didn’t take long for people to start digging through the actor’s social media history to try and have him canceled for admitting a decade ago that he isn’t a fan of Nicki Minaj’s music, which is a thing that actually happened less than 24 hours ago.
For the most part, though, the reactions to the first footage from Shang-Chi were hugely enthusiastic. The visuals and action sequences promise something different to what we’ve become used to seeing from the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years, even if the broad strokes of the narrative are firmly on familiar ground by having a title hero reconcile with his troubled past to embrace his destiny in the present.
However, the debut promo also saw Netflix’s Iron Fist trending, as fans sought to make comparisons between the two martial arts Marvel projects. It goes without saying that Shang-Chi already looks vastly superior to Danny Rand’s streaming series, which was comfortably the weakest to come out of the relationship between Netflix and the comic book company by far. And the fans clearly agree, as you can tell from the reactions below.
https://twitter.com/KhameekJ03/status/1384150236684161024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1384150236684161024%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fepicstream.com%2Fnews%2FBriConstantino%2FIron-Fist-Trends-Following-Shang-Chi-Trailer-Premiere-as-Marvel-Fans-Compare-Both-Heroes
Iron Fist watching that new #ShangChi trailer like pic.twitter.com/iNdVsJWtvW
— NeoGameSpark (@NeoGameSpark) April 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/jamalontrial/status/1384142253669584906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1384142253669584906%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fepicstream.com%2Fnews%2FBriConstantino%2FIron-Fist-Trends-Following-Shang-Chi-Trailer-Premiere-as-Marvel-Fans-Compare-Both-Heroes
LOL why is Iron Fist trending? LMBAOOOOO pic.twitter.com/84XY0ZRYpj
— It Was All a Dream, I Used to Read Wizard Magazine (@UpToTASK) April 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/thebardsandbees/status/1384154801986932740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1384154801986932740%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fepicstream.com%2Fnews%2FBriConstantino%2FIron-Fist-Trends-Following-Shang-Chi-Trailer-Premiere-as-Marvel-Fans-Compare-Both-Heroes
SHANG-CHI is what IRON FIST would’ve been if Netflix weren’t as cheap as Mr. Krabs
— Dalton (@RedDragon733) April 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/Bertitude/status/1384142835994161163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1384142835994161163%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fepicstream.com%2Fnews%2FBriConstantino%2FIron-Fist-Trends-Following-Shang-Chi-Trailer-Premiere-as-Marvel-Fans-Compare-Both-Heroes
I first started my twitter Back when everyone wanted Asian Iron Fist. I said “Nah wait for a Shang-Chi film. Iron Fist ain’t it”. Everyone told me no way and dissed me. Even called me racist. A wise man said in times of great victory it’s best to be still. Well I’m not that guy. pic.twitter.com/XVYEW7OXBE
— It Was All a Dream, I Used to Read Wizard Magazine (@UpToTASK) April 19, 2021
We ain’t forgot about that Iron Fist mess and making the Ancient One a white woman in Doctor Strange for no damn reason, but we will be tuning in for this. Maybe you can be redeemed. https://t.co/QYIMCDo0CS
— MUSE BY JIMIN 07. 19. 24 ⁷ (@jmstaehyungie) April 19, 2021
All these tweets comparing Shang Chi to Iron Fist reminds me of how painful the Iron Fist Netflix show was. Binging that was some of the worst of Marvel I ever experienced. pic.twitter.com/DmXVM5qouH
— Knux333 (@knux333jw) April 19, 2021
Even though I still have Marvel fatigue I’m a give Shang-Chi a watch. Pretty sure it’s gonna make up for Iron Fist 😂
— Idris Elbow 💪🏾 (@YallLuvCris) April 20, 2021
Not gonna lie, people reflexively mass-clowning IRON FIST after the surprise drop of SHANG CHI’s teaser made me smile pic.twitter.com/UjLkC4bbro
— Jeff Yang 🫶 FOLLOW ME @ORIGINALSPIN ON THREADS/IG (@originalspin) April 19, 2021
Shang-Chi did in 2 minutes what Iron Fist couldn't do in 2 seasons pic.twitter.com/hY9qf1jvxG
— Hadeed "Bhaijaan" Butt (@mhadeedbutt) April 19, 2021
Now that the rights to Iron Fist have reverted back to Kevin Feige’s outfit and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is poised to introduce mystical martial arts into the franchise, there’s every chance we could see a rebooted Rand appear in a future sequel to Destin Daniel Cretton’s upcoming blockbuster, something that’s already been rumored more than once in the recent past.