Shang-Chi's Simu Liu To Disney CEO Bob Chapek: "We Are Not An Experiment"

Actor Simu Liu has pushed back against comments from Disney CEO Bob Chapek suggesting Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings's release will be an "experiment" for the company. Chapek's comments were to investors in a recent quarterly earnings call about the company's pandemic-caused need for a new strategy regarding theatrical and streaming releases.

On the call, Chapek said Shang-Chi is "actually going to be an interesting experiment for us because it's got only a 45-day window for us… so the prospect of being able to take a Marvel title to the service after going theatrical for 45 days will be yet another data point to inform our actions going forward on our titles."

In a tweet you can read above, Liu pushed back at the characterization on Twitter, saying: "We are not an experiment. We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year." Liu also added that he is "fired the f*** up to make history" when the film is released theatrically on September 3.

In the Marvel movie, Liu plays Shang-Chi, a seemingly normal man living in San Francisco. But he has a dark family history--his father is Wenwu--and The Mandarin--a mysterious and powerful villain who once had plans for his son to join him in the criminal life. Shang-Chi rejects this, but finds himself coming into conflict with him once more and tapping into amazing powers of his own. Awkwafina plays Shang-Chi's friend Katy, and the movie looks like a spectacular mix of mystery and wild martial arts-inspired action.