Sometimes, Marvel merchandise that is revealed ahead of a film can offer hints into what fans could expect to see once it hits the big screen. This could be the case with a recent toy leak for Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which potentially confirms the character designs for the main cast as well as the possible arrival of a newcomer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Images of Funko Pops for the upcoming film appear to show new looks for the titular character, played by Simu Liu. Toys for other characters including Katy (Awkwafina), Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu), Jiang Li (Fala Chen), Wenwu (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung), Xialing (Meng'er Zhang), and Death Dealer were also featured in the images; each of them wearing never-before-seen outfits. Considering the fact that an official Shang-Chi trailer has not yet been released, these toys could be our first glimpse at the film's character looks.
Perhaps the most exciting image in the leaked set of photos is that of a dragon who is believed to be Fin Fang Foom, the Great Protector from the comics. The red-and-white mythical creature, who was introduced by Marvel in 1961 in the Strange Tales comic books, seems similar to a previous toy leak that also showed a dragon figure, making this rumor all the more compelling.
Of course, all of this is still just speculation at this point - Marvel has not yet come out with any statement confirming Fin Fang Foom's appearance in Shang-Chi, so it's advisable to take these theories with a grain of salt. After all, it looks like Shang-Chi will already have his hands full, as the inclusion of Wenwu indicates the arrival of Mandarin, one of the greatest scientific minds in the comics. Mandarin previously made an appearance in Marvel Studios' Iron Man 3; however, he was later revealed in the film to be a fake.
According to Marvel.com, the plot of the movie will involve Simu Liu's Shang-Chi confronting his past when he "is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization." While Shang-Chi does not generally possess any superhuman abilities (older versions of the character could duplicate himself), he is known to be a master of martial arts, including Kung-Fu, which makes him an apex human similar to Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow and a force to be reckoned with. Fans can therefore expect the film to be full of action-packed fight scenes and stunning visual choreography.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is due for release sometime this September 2021.
Source: ShangChiBR/Twitter