Director Explains Mandarin Short Film’s Connections with Shang-Chi

One big MCU surprise was seeing Ben Kingsley on the red carpet premiere for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The film’s director Destin Daniel Cretton explains how Kingsley’s MCU character ties in with the movie.

Kingsley played Trevor Slattery, who poses as “Mandarin” in Iron Man 3. At the end of the movie, Slattery gets caught and imprisoned, but his story continues in the 2014 short film All Hail the King.

There we find out that Slattery although in prison is living luxuriously with a butler and a fan club at his service.

He is visited by Jackson Norriss, a documentary filmmaker, who questions Slattery about his masquerade as Mandarin, Iron Man’s arch-enemy.

The conversation goes south when it is revealed that Norriss is in fact a member of the terrorist organization called Ten Rings and he was to break Slattery out of jail to meet the real Mandarin, who is not all too pleased about the situation.

Kingsley, who played Slattery in both projects, will reprise his role in Shang-Chi as well where Simu Liu’s superhero will come face-to-face with the “real” Mandarin and of course, the titular Ten Rings.

We may not have missed or anticipated Slattery’s involvement in the movie, but his presence nonetheless binds the MCU together with its tight storytelling that can connect a stray narrative from 2013 through to 2021.

Here’s what Shang-Chi’s director Destin Daniel Cretton had to say about the special appearance:

We definitely. … I mean, I know Drew [Pearce] and I love that One Shot that he wrote and directed. And it was a sharp film and that’s part of the MCU. And so, we want to be true to that story as well. And including that storyline in this movie I think was not only just really fun, I think it’s essential to hear that character admit how ridiculous that whole situation was.

Destin Daniel Cretton

We don’t think Slattery will have any important arcs in the film but Ben Kingsley reprising his role is a good Easter egg in itself.

And of course, we will now meet the real Mandarin, who has been in creative development for quite a while in the MCU behind-the-scenes.

For those who thought that Slattery’s role in Iron Man 3 was ridiculous, now have a nice way of putting an end to that tale. Or at least, that’s what Shang-Chi promises us.

Catch the movie in theatres, September 3.

About Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten rings is an upcoming American superhero film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. It is based on the Marvel Comics character Shang-Chi.

Cast members include Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, and Ronny Chieng.

When Shang-Chi is drawn into the clandestine Ten Rings organization, he is forced to confront the past he thought he left behind. Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the movie will be a part of its ongoing Phase Four.

Source:  Uproxx