The dynamic between Simu Liu and Awkwafina in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is something that took a lot of MCU fans by surprise considering they haven't worked prior to teaming up in the Marvel Studios blockbuster and for the first time in the franchise's history, the male and female leads weren't depicted as lovers but instead as the best of friends which is quite refreshing if you'll ask me.
Of course, there are fans who are actually rooting for Shang-Chi and Katy to be romantically involved in the franchise and while the possibility isn't exactly out of the table, for now, their friendship is something the MCU diehards are genuinely enjoying. Another character fans are shipping with Katy is the feisty Xialing played by Meng'er Zhang
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, director Destin Daniel Cretton revealed that he's not against the idea of Katy and Xialing being romantically involved although the concept isn't exactly on the table. In fact, when he was asked about the potential of the two female characters embracing their romantic side, Cretton simply stated that he "would not be opposed to that."
As for Shang-Chi and Katy, Cretton confirmed that the dynamic duo isn't a romantic item in the MCU and even compared their bond to The Lord of The Rings' Sam and Frodo. He explains: "Early on... when I did my initial pitch, it was like Sam and Frodo was the relationship that I had, like, in my pitch... that Shang-Chi needed... the Asian-American sidekick...When we started talking together with Dave about that relationship, we started talking about how many girl friends we have, like legitimate friends... and I think that's something that we both -- it's very normal to us to have friends who are... and they're not surface friends, they're real intimate friendship relationships that are not romantic. And that was exciting for us to do."
Also Read: The Internet is Canceling Shang-Chi Star Awkwafina For Mocking Black Culture
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is still shattering records as it approaches the end of its theatrical run. Currently, it's officially the highest-grossing film of the "pandemic era" with 200 million under its belt and counting. Now, we don't know when we'll see the characters return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe but it's already safe to say that a sequel will be greenlit over at Marvel Studios.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is still screening in select cinemas worldwide.
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