Despite shooting still being on hiatus due to the continued effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, rumors are still regularly making their way online about the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Set videos have recently started surfacing that may offer some details about when exactly the movie takes place, but in terms of plot specifics, we still have very little to go on.
The overwhelming majority of the speculation seems to involve an underground fighting tournament of some description, which is something we’ve also heard about from our own sources, giving director Destin Daniel Cretton the ideal opportunity to lean into both the martial arts and mystical elements of the character’s history that will no doubt play a huge part in the story.
We know that Tony Leung’s Mandarin, who might even turn out to be the title hero’s adoptive father, will be Shang-Chi’s main antagonist, but it looks like there could be room for at least a couple more bad guys as well. In fact, according to insider Roger Wardell, who has a solid track record when it comes to MCU-related scoops, a familiar face is set for a return alongside a couple of minor characters from the pages of Marvel Comics.
https://twitter.com/WardellRoger/status/1258040484028694533
Of course, WGTC already told you several months ago that Chiwetel Ejiofor was set to reprise his role from Doctor Strange in Shang-Chi as he sought to acquire the titular Ten Rings for himself, while the inclusion of Black Tarantula and White Tiger would seem to indicate that they’ll be a part of the heavily-rumored tournament plot. After all, the former is a ninja trained by the Hand and the latter made their first appearance in a comic book called Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, and these deep cuts from Marvel history obviously lend themselves ideally to martial arts action.
How Mordo will fit into everything, we can’t yet say, but hopefully we’ll learn a bit more once shooting on the pic resumes. Watch this space.
