The grasp that the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe has on its fans is undeniably strong and extremely deep rooted. Over the past year, the MCU has continued to dominate millions of television screens through its release of WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Black Widow, all having millions of viewers within a short time after their release.

   The promotion and buildup of these Marvel movies and shows before their release helped to play a major role in their overall success. This made fans more and more excited to watch what is most likely to be their new favorite film/show.

   However, Marvel’s new movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is not receiving the same treatment.

   Many Marvel fans and people looking forward to watching Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings after its release on September 3rd have noticed that there has not been much promotion from Marvel’s end for the upcoming film.

   Many are beginning to believe that this lack of promotion is racially motivated.

   Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now Marvel’s first movie with an Asian protagonist.

   Compared to the publicity and promotion of other Marvel movies, particularly those where there is a dominantly white cast, the promoting and hyping up of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings just simply does not match up.

   Marvel’s Black Widow, which recently came out this past summer, was promoted very heavily by Marvel through social media and other means, and was also released on streaming platforms at the same time it was in theaters.

   Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, however, is not going to have that same treatment.

   When asked how he feels about Marvel’s major lack of promotion of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, junior Joel Enriquez says that the lack of promotion of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is just criminal. “[Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings] is the first Asian starring Marvel movie ever and the promotion for it is barely noticed.” As a Marvel fan, Joel says that this movie is a huge step in the Marvel franchise and it is being treated very poorly. “The movie is a week away and nobody is talking about it,” says Joel.

   In addition, senior Francesca Dellostrologo also believes that Marvel is not promoting Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings enough and giving it the same attention as past and upcoming Marvel movies. “The MCU isn’t hyping up Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings the way they did other movies,” says Francesca. “When they did promote some Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings trailers they would overlap it with other Marvel projects.” Because of the part Marvel is playing in the promotion of the movie, actor Simu Liu, who plays the protagonist in the movie, has taken it upon himself to promote his upcoming movie.

   Francesca also mentions how, to her, it seems like actor Simu Liu is “doing all of the promotion himself,” and she is not the only one who shares this same viewpoint. “Simu Liu is debatably promoting his own movie more than Marvel and I agree with that,” says Joel Enriquez. “He is very active on Twitter to get more traction for his movie. It shouldn’t work that way.”

   Overall, Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is not receiving the same treatment as Marvel’s past movies. As Marvel’s first movie with an Asian lead, many believe that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings should be promoted and hyped up just as much as the other Marvel movies and shows, if not more.

   The people and fans who are aware of the upcoming release of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings are continuing to rave about it online, and will be in theaters to see it in September.