Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings is a new installation in the MCU in which martial arts master Shang-Chi must confront his past when he is drawn into the dealings of The Ten Rings organization. Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ranked as the ninth-highest grossing film of 2021, and recently earned a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 2022 Academy Awards. The film’s success has earned it a sequel. Naturally, some questions have arisen about potential story ideas for the sequel as well as new additions to the cast, with some even hoping to see martial arts legend Jackie Chan in the line-up.
With over 150 films under his hapkido black belt, Chan has become a Hollywood legend, known for his Kung Fu films and his skill at performing his own stunts. His roles range from a wise master, as in the remake of The Karate Kid, to voicing a Kung Fu-fighting monkey, like in Kung Fu Panda. It seems there is no role Chan won’t take on. It’s possible that Shang-Chi 2 could hold a place for Chan. Here are five reasons why Jackie Chan should join the Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings sequel.
His Martial Arts Experience
Jackie Chan earned his black belt in hapkido, a Korean-hybrid martial art that focuses on self-defense. Early in his career, he appeared alongside Bruce Lee in hit Kung Fu flicks like New Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon. Chan, in fact, has a long history of on-screen fighting dating back to the 1960s, and while he is over 60 years old, Chan has proven that he has the skill and the know-how to successfully conquer any action film, adding his own unique style and flair to his performances.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton Wants Him On Board
The director of Shang-Chi has gone on record saying that he wants to cast Jackie Chan in the sequel. In an interview with CinemaBlend, Cretton was quoted as saying, “if we could get Jackie into a movie that would be a lifelong dream of mine.” This gives Chan an advantage to do what he wants on-screen as Cretton would give Chan more creative freedom, seeing as how many fight sequences seen throughout the series have mirrored Chan’s iconic fighting style. Not only would it add to Cretton’s personal dreams, but it would fulfill the audience's need to see the creator of the fight choreography.
He Would Add Comedic Relief
Well-known for his comedic slap-stick films like Rush Hour and the highly underrated Drunken Master, Chan adds a layer of comedy to any role he plays. A master of meshing action and comedy together, Chan is able to find that balance between well-choreographed action sequences and comedic timing. For example: in his cameo appearance as himself in The Cannonball Run, Chan gets out of the car to fight the bikers in a well-choreographed action scene, and towards the end of the scene, he does a split kick which tears the crotch of his jumpsuit, causing him to awkwardly walk off-screen. His comic timing would be amazing when combined with the charming comedy that Marvel is so known for.
He Has His Own Stunt Team
In the 1970s, Jackie Chan formed his own stunt team called “The Jackie Chan Stunt Team," a group of experienced martial artists who work exclusively with him on his stunts. If he were to join the cast of the Shang-chi sequel, Chan could bring his stunt team with him, adding more thrilling stunts performed by Chan himself and his team. Even if Chan’s role were to be less action-based and more dialogue-heavy, he would still be able to contribute to the choreography of the action through his stunt team, if he chose to do so.
Less Action, More Emotion
As Chan has gotten older, he’s taken on more emotional roles rather than playing the role of the action hero. That’s not to say he is not up for action films, but if he were to join the Shang-Chi cast, he would cease to be another mere stuntman, he would also act his heart out, caring just as much for the plot and character development as he does about the action sequences. That said, he still manages to bring some badass action scenes as in The Foreigner when he plants a homemade bomb and casually manages to walk out of the building before it quickly explodes. While this scene is not supremely face-paced or jam-packed with action, it is still a noteworthy scene that brings out his character’s capabilities.