LOS ANGELES: Actor Simu Liu, who headlines "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings", has hit out at Disney CEO Bob Chapek for terming the upcoming Marvel superhero film an "experiment" for the studio.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chapek made the comment during an earnings call on Thursday while discussing the company's future plans for theatrical releases, calling Shang-Chi "an interesting experiment for us" as the film only has a 45-day theatrical window.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, "Shang-Chi" will be released theatrically on September 3.
Also starring Awkwafina, Ronny Chieng, Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh, the film will arrive on the company's streamer Disney Plus 45 days after its release in cinema halls.
Liu, who plays the titular martial arts superhero Shang-Chi, dismissed Chapek's remarks on Twitter Saturday saying the film is "not an experiment" but a "celebration of culture and joy" in these testing times.
"We are not an experiment. We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year. We are the surprise," the Chinese-Canadian actor said.
"I'm fired the f*** up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US," Liu, 32, added in his tweet.
"Shang-Chi" marks Disney's second live-action tentpole featuring Asian leads released amid the pandemic.
The first was "Mulan", which was released on September 4, 2020 and was made available on Disney Plus Premier Access the same day.