Destin Daniel Cretton is staying in the superhero business after inking an exclusive overall deal with Disney companies Marvel Studios and Hulu’s Onyx Collective. In addition to making the multi-year deal public knowledge, Disney has made it official that Cretton is returning to write and direct a Shang-Chi sequel. Additionally, Cretton will develop TV projects for both Marvel Studios for Disney+ and Onyx Collective across all platforms, including Hulu. Cretton is also producing through his new production company, called Family Owned, which he recently established with partner Asher Goldstein. The admirable goal of Family Owned is to create a slate of film and television projects that focus on the experiences of communities that have been overlooked in pop culture for far too long.
“Destin is a powerhouse storyteller with impeccable taste in material. As we continue to expand our roster, Destin’s unique voice will help usher in an exciting slate of content for our global audience,” said Tara Duncan, President, Freeform & Onyx Collective.
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, starring Simu Liu, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, and Tony Leung, has captured the hearts and imaginations of Marvel fans across the globe. The film’s Labor Day weekend domestic gross of $94.6 million marked a sea change for the pandemic era, resulting in studios being more willing to release their tentpole affairs exclusively in theaters. Seeing as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has grossed $432M to date, it’s no wonder that a Shang-Chi sequel is already in the works.
“Destin is an amazing collaborator who brought a unique perspective and skill to Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings. We had a fantastic time working together on the film and he has so many intriguing ideas for stories to bring to life on Disney+, so we’re thrilled to expand our relationship with him and can’t wait to get started,” said Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer, Marvel.
While there are no details about the Marvel series Cretton is working on for Disney+, I hope that it’s an adaptation of Agents of Atlas. The latest iteration of the multi-national team sees characters like Amadeus Cho, Silk, Shang-Chi, Wave, Jimmy Woo, Aero, White Fox, and Luna Snow squaring off against some of the biggest threats to the Marvel Universe. Again, we have no idea what Cretton’s new projects for Disney+ will be — or what he has planned for a Shang Chi sequel — so this is just me wishing on stars.
“Working on Shang-Chi with Kevin and the Marvel Studios team was one of the highlights of my life, and I couldn’t be more excited about Tara’s vision for Onyx Collective. I can’t wait to explore new stories and build new worlds with this community,” said Cretton.
Meanwhile, Cretton is also in charge of bringing Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese to Disney+. Based on the 2006 graphic novel, American Born Chinese is an action-comedy that received a straight-to-series order from Disney Branded Television and 20th Television.
Per Amazon, American Born Chinese tells the story of three unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny’s life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable.
American Born Chinese is the winner of the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award, a 2006 National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature, the winner of the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, an Eisner Award nominee for Best Coloring, a 2007 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, and a New York Times bestseller.
In addition to being a powerful story about heritage, fitting in, and stereotypes that have left a negative and lasting impact on society, American Born Chinese has become a touchstone release for many of its fans. I’ve personally spoken to several people who say that Yang’s book is an outstanding and eye-opening read, and I could not agree more.
Are you excited to hear that Destin Daniel Cretton is returning for a Shang-Chi sequel and more? Let us know what you think his secret Marvel project will be in the comments section below.