Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was released in theaters earlier this year and did incredibly well despite the ongoing pandemic, which prevented many people from going into theaters. Now, the new Shang-Chi concept art offers fans an idea of what Simu Liu could have worn as the titular hero.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is Marvel Studios' first martial arts movie in its long-running franchise of superhero films. The film had an amazing climactic final battle that involved a lot more CGI than many had anticipated, yet it still kept the martial arts formula alive in a cohesive way. The final battle also featured a mystical character known as the Great Protector, which took a great deal of work to bring to life.
Now, Marvel Studios Director of Visual Development Andy Park has taken to Instagram to share two different concepts for Shang-Chi's suit. The first image shows an outfit concept that's close to the actual Shang-Chi costume that the filmmakers went with. Park says, "It was before I incorporated dragon skin/scales, and this had a bit of a modern urban flavor to it with the hoodie and all." The artist added that the Dragon featured in the background was added, "just for fun."
The second photo features a version of the costume that is different from the one seen in the final version of Shang-Chi. The filmmakers evidently didn't use this look, but it's a very nice concept and looks more like a battle suit than his actual outfit did. The all-black design gives a more "spy" look to the character, which is why Park says, "This is some kind of jumpsuit kung-fu hero type look that I got to explore. Perhaps this lent to a more spy MI-6-type mission look."
The concept art helps display the vision that the filmmakers had while they were working on the film. Now that Shang-Chi is on Disney Plus, fans who didn't see the film in theaters can now see how the crew's hard work turned out. The film is a great watch and a nice introduction to the next phase of Marvel Studios movies. The threats are getting bigger, the stakes are raised, and nothing will ever be the same for the heroes of the MCU, even after Thanos' absence. If they're to be prepared for the next threat, the heroes will need to continue to build a bigger team of warriors.
If anyone is interested in checking out more digital artwork or concept art, make sure to check out Park's Instagram. On there, fans can see more concept artwork for Shang-Chi, including designs for the final battle scene, as well as artwork for other heroes such as Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently available on Disney Plus.
Source: Andy Park/Instagram
