Marvel’s Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton shares first photo of the cast just before the coronavirus halted production
Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton shared the first photo of the cast, before production was shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy) took to Instagram on Monday, sharing a black-and-white photo of himself with stars Simu Liu, Awkwafina and Tony Leung.
Filming had started in February at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney before filming was shut down after Cretton himself had tested for the virus though it came back negative.
Cast photo: Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton shared the first photo of the cast, before production was shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak
‘Pre-covid hang with @awkwafina, @simu_liu & the legend Tony Leung,’ Cretton began in his caption.
‘This was our last night out before Corona punched the world in the face,’ he concluded.
It was revealed on March 13 that production was halted on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as Cretton himself went into self-isolation.
Self-isolation: It was revealed on March 13 that production was halted on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as Cretton himself went into self-isolation
The filmmaker just had a newborn baby with his wife, fashion designer Nikki Chapman, with a statement to the film’s crew explaining that the director wanted to, ‘exercise additional caution.’
He was tested for COVID-19 and self-isolated, ‘under the recommendation of his doctor,’ according to the statement.
Cretton revealed a few days later that he had tested negative for the virus, adding that he took the test because he, ‘was working in close proximity with some people who had potentially been exposed.’
Simu: Simu Liu stars as the title character in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, with Awkwafina playing an unspecified character and Tony Leung playing the iconic comic book villain known as The Mandarin
Simu Liu stars as the title character in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, with Awkwafina playing an unspecified character and Tony Leung playing the iconic comic book villain known as The Mandarin.
The 30-year-old Liu will become the first Asian actor ever to play the lead character in a Marvel Studios superhero adventure.
The comic book character was created in the early 1970s by writer Steve Englehart, 72, and artist Jim Starlin, 70, who also created Marvel characters Thanos, Drax The Destroyer and Gamora.
First: The 30-year-old Liu will become the first Asian actor ever to play the lead character in a Marvel Studios superhero adventure
While there still is no word when production will start back up, due to all of the social distancing guidelines in place for COVID-19, Marvel also recently pushed Shang-Chi’s release date.
The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters on February 12, 2021, the first day of Chinese New Year.
The studio has since pushed it back to May 7, 2021, but if production doesn’t resume soon, the date may very well be pushed again.
Release push: The studio has since pushed it back to May 7, 2021, but if production doesn’t resume soon, the date may very well be pushed again