Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings Assembles Cast, Scores Release Date

"It is said that every pilgrim's journey begins with but a single step. This, then... was mine."

Marvel Studios took the first step toward Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, where it announced the official title, main cast, and release date for director Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi movie. 

To start, the flick isn't simply titled Shang-Chi. It's actually Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — a name that proves without the faintest glimmer of a doubt that the Marvel Comics-based film about the titular martial arts master will heavily feature the destruction-hungry terrorist organization known as the Ten Rings, first seen in the MCU through Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man trilogy.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings stars Canadian-Chinese actor Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who was cast in the role just days ahead of Marvel's Comic-Con presentation. According to lucky Marvelites in attendance at the panel (including the fine folks at io9), Liu screen-tested for the part on Sunday, July 14 and was officially cast on Tuesday, July 16 — one day prior to San Diego Comic-Con's preview night that began on Wednesday, July 17. 

Tony Leung is also on board to play the Mandarin, the incredibly influential terrorist and master of the Ten Rings crime syndicate. It's been confirmed that Leung's Mandarin is the real one — not the phony-baloney persona Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) created and assumed in Iron Man 3 to cover the muddy tracks he left behind when committing crimes. The Mandarin in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings also has no ties to English dude Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), whose likeness Killian used to put a face to the Mandarin name. So make no mistake: the Mandarin coming in Phase 4 of the MCU is the true-blue one, a revelation that should relieve fans after the intense controversy over all the "gotcha!" twists surrounding the character that they had to endure previously. 

The last piece of the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings puzzle for the time being is Crazy Rich Asians and The Farewell actress Awkwafina. She's attached to the film, but details on who she's set to play have yet to surface. 

And finally, here's the release date for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: February 12, 2021.