Disney Studios dominated the box office again this weekend as their latest Marvel Studios film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). It's the first Marvel movie with an Asian lead and the first Marvel film with an Asian lead. It's playing exclusively in theaters and, unlike Black Widow (2021), won't be available to streaming customers for another few weeks.
A veritable army of talented artists worked on the film and we've started seeing some of the massive work done for the film. I'll share some of the best I've seen in this post.
Click on the images to enlarge
Shang-Chi by Andy Park
Shang-Chi's costume has changed significantly in comic books. Originally he wore a traditional Karate costume called a Gi. Then he got a more updated superhero costume. The movie went with a design that reflected his newer costume. Andy Park is a Marvel Studios Director of Visual Development and a professional concept artist.
Death Dealer (Li Ching-Lin) by Jackson Sze
Li Ching-Lin was a high-ranking warrior of the "Ten Rings" and a loyal follower of Shang-Chi's father Xu Wenwu. Professional concept artist Jackson Sze shared the final approved design for the character on his personal Instagram site.
Dweller-in-Darkness by Jerad S. Marantz
The final showdown features an evil entity that threatens to destroy the world. Known only as "Dweller-in-Darkness" it's a terrifying creature and one of the designers, Jerad S. Marantz, shared some illustrations for the film.
"My biggest hurdle with my work at Marvel is that I tend to lean too scary, Marantz said on his official Instagram page. "I often get that note and have to dial things back a bit. Surprisingly, this time not so much. I still can’t believe this guy got on screen. He was actually pretty terrifying. My favorite elements of the design are the many tales/tendrils coming off of his back and wings. I knew that the creature would be too large to have any real interaction with the human characters if he didn’t have something that he could actually use to fight them. I was looking at a lot of Chinese Kites for inspiration there, trying to tie in some cultural element to the design."
Abomination by Anthony Fransisco
One surprise character that appeared in the trailers is Emil Blonsky aka Abomination. He was the central villain in The Incredible Hulk back in 2008. He returns to fight in a cage match with Wong and has a more comic accurate look from his last appearance.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten-Rings (2021)
Artist Anthony Fransisco shared an illustration showing the character.
"This green guy who [I] have drawn countless times in my high school days," Fransisco said on his official Instagram page. "[Cuz] he always fought Hulk."
The Great Protector by Tully Summers
The hidden village of Ta Lo has a mythical creature that protects them and fights against the "Dweller-in-Darkness". Tully Summers shared a lovely design for the dragon.![]()
Here is a list of official websites for the various artists in this post.
- Andy Park's official website http://www.andyparkart.com
- Tully Summers' official website https://zerply.com/TSummers
- Jackson Sze's official Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/jwsze/
- Jerad S. Marantz' official blog is http://www.jeradsmarantz.blogspot.com
- Anthony Fransisco's official site is https://www.art-af.studio
Click on the links if you want to see more of Andy Park, Anthony Fransisco, Jerad S. Marantz, Jackson Sze's work, or Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings artwork on my blog.
About Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Official synopsis: "Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization."Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
Cinematography by Bill Pope
Production Design by Sue Chan
"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" stars Simu Liu, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, Awkwafina, Ben Kingsley, Meng'er Zhang, Fala Chen, Michelle Yeoh, Wah Yuen, Florian Munteanu, Andy Le, Paul W. He, Stephanie Hsu, Kunal Dudheker, Tsai Chin
"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" was released on August 16, 2021 (United States)
What do you think of the concept art? If you've seen Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings what do you think of the look?