A superhero’s costume means everything. It’s the suit he or she wears into battle, the garb they wear that sets them apart from the comic book counterparts (and helps sell toys, if we are being completely honest). The costume that Shang-Chi has worn in his comic books is relatively dated, usually some form of a robe and a headband -- see the image that is below. The hero gets an upgrade in the upcoming Marvel movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, so when we got a chance to speak with Simu Liu about his first time wearing the outfit, he opened up for a hilarious and highly emotional story. Listen to it above.
By no means is Shang-Chi a household name in the realm of Marvel Comics superheroes. There are only so many Spider-Man and Captain America stories that creators can tell. Eventually, Marvel Studios is going to have to start heading down the comic roster to see who else might be able to hold up a franchise. We’re about to meet Shang-Chi, a master of kung fu who has a very powerful father (Tony Leung) and a mysterious mother, both of whom provide him with unique powers that he’s hesitant to use to their fullest extent.
As you will see in the new movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, our main hero (played by Simu Liu) will have to emerge from the shadows and claim his birthright, eventually stepping into a costume that he inherits. As for the first time that he tried on the costume, Liu spoke about the intense secrecy that swirled around him that day on set, explaining:
They shuttled me in a golf cart to this place… it was like a fortress. There were no windows. I had to put on a cloak going inside. I wasn’t even wearing the outfit yet! And they were like, ‘You have to put on a cloak.’
It might sound extreme to a normal person like us. But Simu Liu is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that comes with enormous levels of scrutiny and fan fascination, so in a way, he understood. Eventually, though, it came time to try on the final suit. The suit, designed by Kym Barrett, came in three pieces, and with each new layer, the sensation felt more and more real for Liu. Until finally, he was wearing it, and he told CinemaBlend:
It just sent chills right up my spine. I looked at myself in the mirror and got kind of emotional Just looking (at it).
We all would feel the exact same way. David Harbour from Black Widow described it to us as having the absolute best Halloween costume on the block. Shang-Chi’s look is the right blend of tradition and update, giving him a worthy suit in which to fight, but also something amazing that young kids will want to wear. See the new Marvel costume in action when Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings opens in theaters on September 3.
