One down, one more to go.
Destin Daniel Cretton, the Maui director who helmed the Disney/Marvel box office hit, “Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings,” has another Chinese film as his next assignment.
He has signed on to direct “American Born Chinese,” based on a graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, which will be a Disney+ vehicle.
“American Born Chinese” explores the challenges of Jin Wang, a teenager conflicted with his immigrant home life and his efforts to fit in with social life at school. The storyline will entangle the lad in battles with legendary Chinese mythological gods.
Cretton will direct and also serve as an executive producer, with Kelvin Yu and Charles Yu adapting the graphic novel for the screen. Kelvin Yu also will be showrunner.
“Reading Kelvin’s riveting adaptation of Gene’s incredible novel had me laughing and crying and jumping out of my chair on every page,” Cretton said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. “I feel deeply connected to the characters in this story and the brilliant team bringing it to life. This show is going to be unlike anything we’ve experienced on TV, and I can’t wait for the world to see what we’re cooking up.”
Clearly, Cretton’s follow-up to “Shang-Chi” should boost his profile as a global film-maker and further extend and expand his fame as a Maui-boy-makes-good figure in Hollywood.
The project, from Disney Branded Television, is the first series for Ayo Davis, the division’s new president.
In an announcement of the project, Davis said: “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan and thrilled that Destin Daniel Cretton is set to direct. The team are visionaries in bringing character-driven adventures to life, and we cannot wait for our audience to experience his fantastically memorable and imaginative adaption of the graphic novel. This is a universal story that moves between worlds and explores the impact of culture, identity and acceptance through the lens of adolescence.”…
Oh, and good news for Disney+ viewers who have yet to view “Shang-Chi.” The flick will be available on Disney+, along with a lot of other anticipated content, on Nov. 12. It’s part of the start of a celebration of the streamer’s second anniversary. …
A peculiar Hoku Awards
The 44th annnual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards will be aired at 7 p.m. today (Oct. 7) on KFVE, with additional virtual coverage on Facebook Live.
But there’s a peculiar element for the winners-to-be. The Hoku Awards show, celebrating achievement in island music, was taped “live” earlier at the Hawaii Theatre, with nominees, musical acts and the usual “and the award goes to” rhetoric.
But the nominees each had to prepare and tape an acceptance speech, which by now has been inserted into the flow of the show, creating a strange situation. Is it easy or difficult to feign emotions? I suppose this was the most convenient way to handle a challenging mission; this is not network TV, which could stage a show and have an army of handlers contact winners by phone or a Zoom set-up, to get live, at-home reactions. No?
The show will repeat at 7 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 9) on KGMB and at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 on KHNL.
To the winners, an early congratulation cheer; to the losers, well, you got to practice for a future win. …
And that’s Show Biz. …