Director Destin Daniel Cretton studied Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) for the balletic grace of wuxia fights—bodies moving through space as if gravity were optional. He also drew from Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle (2004) for how to blend martial arts mastery with comedic timing. The bamboo forest scene is pure Lee; the absurdist humor comes from Chow.
One of the biggest inspirations for us was 'Kung Fu Hustle,' and the way Stephen Chow was able to blend drama, comedy, and incredible action in a beautiful and sometimes crazy, over-the-top way.
— Destin Daniel Cretton · ComicBook.com
One of the biggest inspirations for us was 'Kung Fu Hustle,' and just the way that Stephen Chow was able to really blend the different elements of drama and comedy and incredible action in a beautiful and sometimes crazy and over-the-top way.
— Destin Daniel Cretton · ComicBook.com
It was really about showcasing all the different styles of Asian martial arts that we love, from the very grounded, hand-to-hand combat to the more wuxia style, like 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' to even some of the more contemporary stuff that we love.
— Destin Daniel Cretton · Inverse
Films That Influenced Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
