KUALA LUMPUR: Popular Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai is aware of Netizens’ displeasure with his recent decision to play supervillain The Mandarin in the coming Marvel film Shang Chi: Legend Of The Ten Rings.
Hong Kong entertainment portal Jayne Stars recently reported that Leung’s friend, screenwriter and director Philip Yung said Leung recently had a word with the film’s producers Disney and gave them feedback on what he and moviegoers thought of The Mandarin.
He said: “Tony has already told Disney about the controversy surrounding The Mandarin, and the company is going to pay special attention to make sure the supervillain will not insult the intelligence of Chinese audiences. And I’m sure they will make amends, since they are going to air the new film in Mainland China as well.”
Yung also said that it was not fair for Netizens to doubt the film so soon. He hoped that they would wait and see the finished product before passing judgements. “The movie hasn’t come out yet. How do you know what the script is like? Is today’s Batman the same as the Batman back then? The character is constantly changing.”
Yung has worked with Leung in the film Theory Of Ambitions. The Mandarin is Leung’s first Marvel role, and the character’s depiction in the comics has long been criticised as “stereotypical” and an insult to the Chinese community.