Simu Liu is set to be the first actor of Asian descent to play a lead role in a Marvel Studios film, and one of the only Asian actors (he’s actually from Canada) to appear in a significant role in any superhero film, from any studio. In a new interview, though, he said that he wants to create opportunities for other performers, too, as a writer, producer and director. According to a new piece in Men’s Health, Liu apparently has a “multi-season story bible” that he developed for the character of Sunfire, also known as Yoshida Shirō, a character who has been around in Marvel Comics since 1970, and who has had other-media appearances going back to Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends in 1980.
Much has been made of the opportunity that something like Shang-Chi provides for Liu — and certainly, given the ethnic breakdown of the cast, there will be other Asian and Asian American actors who benefit a good deal if the movie is a big hit. Still, he thinks about dusting off that Sunfire story from time to time, as he wonders what he can do to be a source of support for other young actors of Asian descent.
“Ultimately, when it’s all said and done, it will be more than just the roles that I took on as an actor,” Liu told Men’s Health. “It’ll be what I’m able to contribute to the world in terms of stories, in terms of culture.”
Sunfire, created by Roy Thomas and Don Heck, is a mutant and has therefore been largely relegated to the X-Men corner of the Marvel Universe. Probably his most notable role in recent years was to serve as the lead in Sunfire and Big Hero 6 — the comic series that first introduced the concept of Big Hero 6 to the Marvel Universe. It’s arguably not surprising that Sunfire didn’t make it into the movie, since Big Hero 6 (the film) was a very loose adaptation, to say the least.
As for Shang-Chi, the first trailer for the movie was finally released last month and it was revealed this week that the movie will have a 45-day exclusive theatrical window upon its release. In addition to Liu, the movie is set to star Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy, Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as fellow MCU newcomers Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu, and Ronny Chieng.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently scheduled to premiere in theaters on September 3rd.