A young man who once trained as an assassin for a Chinese criminal organization discovers just how hard it can be to escape one’s past in the first teaser for Marvel Studios’ upcoming film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings, part of the MCU’s Phase Four. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, it is the first Marvel film to feature an Asian lead—Simu Liu, best known for his role as Jung Kim on the sitcom Kim’s Convenience—as well as a predominantly Asian/Asian diaspora cast and crew.

The title character first appeared in a Marvel comic in 1973, after the company had tried and failed to acquire the comic book rights for the popular 1970s TV show Kung Fu (starring David Carradine). Modeled in part on Bruce Lee, Shang-Chi was originally the son of Chinese criminal mastermind Dr. Fu Manchu, trained in martial arts since childhood to become an assassin. After Marvel lost the rights to the Fu Manchu character, Shang-Chi’s paternity became murkier, but the international crime lord theme was common—although his father was revealed to be an ancient immortal sorcerer in the Secret Avengers storyline.

Shang-Chi has not traditionally had special superpowers, but his training in multiple styles of martial arts and assorted weaponry makes him a formidable opponent and a useful ally. Plus, he is a master of chi, making him even stronger and faster—fast enough to dodge bullets. When he eventually joins forces with the Avengers in the comics, Tony Stark gives him a pair of bracelets to further focus his chi (as well as some snazzy high-tech nunchaku).

Back in the 1980s, Stan Lee had preliminary discussions with the late actor Brandon Lee about portraying Shang-Chi in a film adaptation, but no concrete project ever transpired. The Ten Rings organization was briefly name-checked in 2008’s Iron Man, and the infamous Marvel supervillain the Mandarin made an appearance in Iron Man 3—or rather, Ben Kingsley played Trevor Slattery, an imposter posing as the Mandarin. For Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Marvel created an entirely new character, Wenwu, who has gone by many names over the years—including the Mandarin.

In addition to Liu, the film stars Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians) as Shang-Chi’s best friend, Katy, and none other than Hong Kong superstar Tony Leung (Hard Boiled, Chungking Express, Hero, and so on) as his father, Wenwu, aka the Mandarin. Meng’er Zhang plays Xialing, Shang-Chi’s estranged sister; Florian Munteanu (Creed II, Borderlands) plays Razor Fist; Ronny Chieng (Crazy Rich Asians, Bliss) plays another pal, Jon Jon; and Fala Chen (The Undoing) plays Jiang Li. Michelle Yeoh (Star Trek: Discovery) plays a character named Jiang Nan, having previously played a different MCU role (Aleta Ogord) in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. There’s also a masked character dubbed Death Dealer; Marvel has not yet revealed who plays him.

Based on this teaser and what little is known so far, the film appears to borrow a few elements from the Ultimate Marvel universe, among other storylines, and possibly the wuxia-inspired Secret Wars (2015) as well. We hear Leung’s voice as the Mandarin in a voiceover, admonishing his son for “wasting” the last 10 years. Shang-Chi works as a parking valet for a posh hotel when he isn’t hanging out with Katy singing karaoke tunes.

That carefree existence is about to end. “I trained you so the most dangerous people in the world couldn’t kill you,” we hear the Mandarin say. “But it’s time for you to take your place by my side.” Shang-Chi stubbornly refuses the offer—or is it a command? He just might learn, as his father says, that “you can’t outrun who you really are.”

Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings is currently slated for release on September 3, 2021. As of this writing, it will be solely a theatrical release.

Listing image by YouTube/Marvel

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