Simu Liu to lead Marvel's 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'

Canadian-Chinese actor Simu Liu has been cast as martial arts superhero Shang-Chi in Marvel Studios long-in-the-works film "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings".

Liu, best known for his performance in CBS sitcom "Kim's Convenience", will be starring alongside Awkwafina and veteran actor Tony Leung in the Shang-Chi stand-alone.

The announcements were made at Marvel's presentation at San Diego Comic-Con in, where Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige also announced that the film will be hitting the theatres on February 12, 2021.

According to Variety, Destin Daniel Cretton is directing the film.

Shang-Chi, born in China to a Chinese father and a white American mother, first appeared in 1973's Special Marvel Edition No. 15.

The character was created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin after Marvel failed to acquire the comic book rights to the television series "Kung Fu".

Shang-Chi was trained as a martial artist assassin by his father, the infamous pulp villain Fu Manchu, but later became a hero after rebelling against his father's ways.

"Wonder Woman" 1984 screenwriter Dave Callaham is penning the script for Shang-Chi.