Marvel's 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' makes history at Hollywood red carpet premiere

HOLLYWOOD (WPVI) -- The latest Marvel superhero is set to take on the world.

Monday night was the Hollywood premiere of the much-anticipated "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."

It's a film that's breaking barriers and making history.

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" brings to life Marvel's first Chinese superhero, with actor Simu Liu as the first leading man of Asian descent.

He calls the film a celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year. All of those emotions were on display on the red carpet.

"We have a long history of kind of being othered," said Liu. "A lot of people, myself included, grew up feeling like they didn't truly belong. That's why I think a movie like this is so critically important. I want everybody to know that they're seen, that they matter and that they should be proud of who they are."

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" tells the story of a martial artist and assassin who leads a normal life - until he's forced to confront his past with the clandestine organization known as Ten Rings.

It's Marvel's 25th film, drawing inspiration from the original Marvel Comics and features a predominantly Asian cast.

"You don't realize the importance of representation until you realize you've been missing it your whole life," said Awkwafina, who plays Shang-Chi's friend Katy. "I think that there are kids out there who are going to see Simu as a superhero, and they're going to see themselves in him."

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige says this film is 20 years in the making and believes it will have the same sort of cultural impact as "Black Panther."

"Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings" premieres exclusively in theaters on September 3.