There’s a chance that Disney/Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings won’t be released in China after all. This situation, which is still developing, stems from comments made by Simy Liu in 2017 that have caused a stir on Chinese social media platforms. The comments in question come from an interview Liu did with the CBC (via Deadline), where he mentioned his parents telling him of conditions under Communist rule. During this portion of the interview, Liu referred to China as a “third-world” country, where people were “dying of starvation.”
Of course, it was only a matter of time before the Chinese government caught wind of Liu’s comments. Needless to say, they are not pleased, and they’re also in charge of what films get released. Does anyone recall when the Chinese government stepped in and prevented the release of Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland? This is like that situation all over again. It’s also worth noting that Zhao’s Eternals might not be released in China as well. That’s a lot of money to be left on the table for Disney/Marvel, even though they have plenty to spare. For now, it remains unclear whether Zhao or the Chinese government is looking to resolve the matter. Let’s also remember that Black Widow never got a theatrical release in China either.
Things are tough all over in the world of theatrical releases, and I’m sure that this won’t be the last we hear about Shang-Chi‘s China release. We’ll be sure to bring you any updates concerning this situation as it develops.
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