Marvel Studios has hired its director for Shang-Chi, the project that will feature the studio's first Asian lead.

Destin Daniel Cretton will direct the feature, based on the classic character known for his martial arts prowess. Cretton broke out with the 2013 indie favorite Short Term 12, which starred Brie Larson as a woman working in a group home for teenagers. Cretton reteamed with Larson for 2017's The Glass Castle, and he is currently directing the Captain Marvel star and Black Panther's Michael B. Jordan in Just Mercy.

Other filmmakers who were in the running for Shang-Chi included Dear White People's Justin Tipping, Master of Young's Alan Yang, who is behind the upcoming John Cho movie Tigertail, and Deborah Chow, whose credits include episodes of the Reign, Jessica Jones and the upcoming Star Wars Disney+ series The Mandalorian.

Shang-Chi, who in the comics was half-Chinese and half-American, first appeared in 1973’s Special Marvel Edition No. 15 and was created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin after Marvel failed to acquire the comic book rights to the television series Kung Fu. Shang-Chi was trained as a martial artist assassin by his father, the infamous pulp villain Fu Manchu, but later became a hero after rebelling against his father's ways. Shang-Chi was a hit in the '70s, and recently saw a revival as a member of The Avengers during 2012’s Marvel Now! Publishing event.

Wonder Woman 1984 screenwriter Dave Callaham is penning the script for Shang-Chi and will update the character for modern audiences. Marvel is said to be planning on assembling a largely Asian-American and Asian cast for this feature. Marvel head Kevin Feige is producing, with Marvel’s Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and Jonathan Schwartz executive producing.

Marvel is coming off of last week's successful opening of Captain Marvel, which has already passed the $500 million mark at the box office and is the studio's first female-led outing.

Cretton is represented by WME.

On a press tour stop for Avengers: Endgame in China, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige teased the introduction of a Chinese Avenger in the coming years, boosting hope that the Shang-Chi film will be one of the projects announced for a post-Avengers: Endgame world.

"This is not an Endgame question, this is a question about the future," Feige said in response to a fan question. "I'm not supposed to answer questions about the future but in this case, I will because the answer is yes."

In a separate interview earlier in the week, Feige called the prospects of a Shang-Chi film "very intriguing" to the studio, saying the film will be very different than anything that's come before it.

“I think every movie that we do is a risk. We only want to do movies that people seem to think are risks. Doing the story of an Asian-American hero of Chinese heritage is something that is very intriguing to us. It will be really different and special,” Feige said when asked if Shang-Chi is viewed as a risky project.

“I hope audiences around the world respond to it in the same way they did to Steve Rogers... whether they have [an] American flag or not. It’s about the individual storyline, spectacle and adventure that come with Marvel Studios movies.”

Marvel Studios is moving quickly on Shang-Chi with filming reportedly set to begin this fall and casting now happening. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe may still be fresh off the entirety of Avengers: Endgame, but the universe itself is moving forward fast. In just a matter of weeks, Spider-Man: Far From Home will be in theaters and wrap up Phase 3, while Black Widow now has started filming to kick off Phase 4. Among the bounty of sequels expected, Marvel Studios is also developing new potential franchises.

One of these possible franchises could be born out of Shang-Chi, which will be the MCU's first Asian-led superhero movie. They have yet to cast the titular martial arts master, but Marvel has started to piece the film's crew together. Destin Daniel Cretton signed on to direct Shang-Chi earlier this year and signaled that production could move faster than some expected. This was further highlighted when it was reported that the solo movie would film in Australia.

Well, it now appears that cameras will start rolling on Shang-Chi later this year. Former That Hashtag Show reporter Charles Murphy revealed on his podcast Murphy's Law Podcast that Marvel is gearing up to begin production this fall and are now in the casting process. He said, "This is 100% for sure, evidence seen with my own two eyes, Shang-Chi is now casting. Shang-Chi will film in Australia fall of 2019." Coinciding with his report, The GWW revealed details on two characters who are being cast for Marvel's Australian production, which is now reportedly Shang-Chi. Marvel is looking to cast an Asian male between 40-60 years old to play a "wise, old statesman,” who is “the leader of his people," and an Asian actress in her 30s or 40s to play “one of the leader’s most skilled warriors.”

While an exact start date is not confirmed, Shang-Chi starting production this fall will put it on track to be the third Phase 4 movie to begin filming. As mentioned before, Black Widow is now shooting scenes in Norway, and The Eternals is reportedly slated to begin filming in August. Those two films will occupy Marvel's 2020 release dates, which will then put Shang-Chi on track to be the February 12, 2021 release. Even though this date was widely believed to be for Black Panther 2 given the first film's success in Black History Month 2018, the release date mentioned above is the Chinese New Year.

As far as the character breakdowns are concerned, many fans will quickly jump to the wise leader as a possible fit for The Mandarin. The real version of the major Iron Man comic foe is confirmed to exist in the MCU, and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige recently teased that he has plans for him and the Ten Rings to return. If the leader character is the Mandarin, then the female warrior could be one of his guards or disciples. Of course, that is just speculation at the moment. With these breakdowns now public and the casting process begun, it may not be too long before we know who will play these Shang-Chi roles and even the titular hero.

The studio announced that Simu Liu has been tapped to star in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” during its Hall H presentation at Comic Con alongside Awkwafina.

One of Phase 4’s most mysterious films is filling out its cast. According to The Weekly Planet Podcast, Star Trek: Discovery star Michelle Yeoh has joined Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

During the show’s famous “Hot Scoop or Shot of Poop” segment, hosts James Clement and Nick Mason revealed that a reliable source informed them that Yeoh was boarding the Marvel Studios film. Of course, the Malaysian actress is no stranger to the MCU, having appeared in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Aleta Ogord, aka Starhawk.

While The Weekly Planet’s report is vague about Yeoh’s role in Shang-Chi, they did go on to claim that she will return in GOTG Vol. 3. If that’s the case, she will likely reprise her role as Starhawk in the Simu Liu-led film rather than playing a different character.

According to The Weekly Planet Podcast, Star Trek: Discovery star Michelle Yeoh has joined Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.