Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: PRODUCTION Flashcards
(14 cards)
Who was the film produced by?
Marvel Studios (subsidiary of Disney Studios)
What is Marvel Studios?
(Film + T.V Production Company) which is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Company.
==It produces entertainment based on characters and stories from the Marvel Comics Universe (MCU).
Describe the market position of Marvel Studios?
MCU films account for 7 of the top 20 highest-grossing superhero films ever.
What franchise model does Marvel Studios follow?
Phase Model– groups of interconnected narratives (in MCU TV/FILMS), which build towards a big crossover event.
Purpose of each phase?
1. Each phase introduces new heroes,
2. Expands the universe in terms of genre + setting
3. Teases future plots, team ups and cross over events.
What are the economic benefits of the Marvel Studios Phase Model?
- Creates a must-watch eco-system.
- Creates built in/pre-sold audiences
- Ensures box office stability.
- Keeps audiences entertained between films.
Success: Disney+ reached 160M+ subscribers (2023), partly due to Marvel content.
When did Disney aquire Marvel Studios?
Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment (parent company) in 2009 for $4 billion.
What impact does Disney’s ownsership of Marvel have on the production of Marvel films such as Shang-Chi?
Financial backing & Distribution: Disney’s resources enabled SC’s $150–200M budget and global theatrical release.
Cross-Promotional/ Marketing Power Disney leveraged its conglomerate power to market Shang-Chi across ABC, ESPN, and Disney+.
Creative Control & Branding: Marvel Studios has autonomy but aligns with Disney’s family-friendly brand.
Synergy: Disney used Marvel’s IP to boost Disney+ (e.g., Shang-Chi streamed 45 days after theaters).
Name key features of the MCU?
Interconnected storytelling/ character’s appear in each other’s films (10 Rings Organisation was introduced in Iron Man 1)
Genre Blending (Shang-Chi is a blend of action, drama, comedy)
Cultural impact (Shang-Chi= first-Asian led MCU film)
Phase system
USP= No other franchise has linked so many films/ shows so tightly, fan loyalty
Key economic context of Marvel (Competition, globalisation, superhero fatigue debate)
Competition with international/ domestic markerts: Asian Cinema is growing in popularity, meaning its becoming more competitive (Crazy Rich Asians, Squid Game)
Globalisation & cultural politics: SC was banned in china due to political senstivity, Lost 150M+ potential earnings. (Mandarin stereotype deemed offensive)
Superhero fatigue debate: Refers to the debate on whether audiences are growing tired of superhero genre due to its market oversaturation, and percieved lack of innovation.
7 MCU projects in 2023 led bombed perhaps due to audience fatigued (e.g The Marvels)
How was SCLOTR funded?
Main Funding: Marvel Studios (owned by Disney) covered the $150–200 million production budget.
Secondary funding:
Australian goverment= 18 million for boosing economy, generating jobs and tourism.
New South Wales= 8 million
Post- Production elements?
More than 1000 visual effect shots were created fro the film.
Representation and Production- Casting choices
Marvel Hired a predominatley Asian/ Asian-American team for the film so it would remain culturally relevant.
Representation & Production – Cretton’s Pitch
Cretton’s pitch included visual inspiration from different aspects of Asian cinema (Chinese, South Korean, Japenese, Anime).
He aimed to tell a story that would speak to the wider Asian Diaspora, whislst being entertaining.
The film’s opening begins with narration entirely in Mandarin (beginning in a non-English langauge was a bold decision for a MCU film)
Representation & Production (set pieces)
Historically accurate references to Ancient Chinese Culture (Song Dynasty).
Clement Street as the first filming location (considered to be the Old China Town of San Francisco).
