We had one film release this past weekend with the potential for Oscar nominations.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

For a time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe only saw nominations for its films starring Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). Since then, however, more and more titles have scored nominations without his presence and those with him struggled. Things have genuinely come full circle. As the latest phase of the MCU proceeds, it’s likely more and more films will earn the recognition, many others were denied. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is one of those types of films.

Introducing a character not broadly familiar with Marvel fans, Shang-Chi presents itself more as a traditional Asian martial arts film than a traditional comic book movie. That kind of deviation worked well for the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther and that could be further proven this year with its potential consideration in a handful of categories including Production Design, Costume Design, Sound, and Visual Effects. Most likely the film competes only in the latter two categories, but surprises do happen.