Disney+ has released the official trailer for American Born Chinese, a new original series that comes from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton. American Born Chinese follows an American teenager that befriends the son of a mythical god, and they must work together to stop an invading force of evil. What makes American Born Chinese so interesting is that it’s based on a graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, who’s also known for penning comics at Marvel and DC like Shang-Chi and Superman Smashes the Klan, respectively.
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Our trailer for American Born Chinese stops innocently enough, with high school student Jim Wang (Ben Wang) being introduced to a new student, the incoming Wei-Chen (former Taekwondo champion Jimmy Liu). They’re both Chinese, so there’s some awkward moments of them both trying to fit in, especially when you consider how Jim feels Wei-Chen is holding him back. However, things change when Jim catches Wei-Chen fighting off a villain in the school. Then we meet his mythical mother, played by Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh. A gate between Earth and Heaven is opened, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.
Shang-Chi Director Talks American Born Chinese
“Reading Kelvin [Yu]’s riveting adaptation of Gene’s incredible novel had me laughing and crying and jumping out of my chair on every page,” director Destin Daniel Cretton previously told the press. “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.”
“Gene Luen Yang’s book is a staple in American literature, and deeply important to a whole generation of readers,” executive producer Kelvin Yu continued. “Destin and Melvin are storytellers working at the highest level imaginable. It’s all so exciting and so humbling to be a part of.”
“I’m stunned that people are still reading it,” Yang told the media last year. “I was actually just in Boston a month ago talking about this book, and in a lot of ways I feel very fortunate for the support that I get from teachers, librarians, and comic book fans. I did not expect this when I first did that book. With the show specifically, I think one of the challenging parts, but it’s also one of the most meaningful parts of the show, is thinking through how the conversation about Asian America has changed from the publication of the book until now?”
What Is American Born Chinese About?
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese chronicles the trials and tribulations of a regular American teenager whose life is forever changed when he befriends the son of a mythological god. This is the story of a young man’s battle for his own identity, told through family, comedy, and action-packed Kung-Fu.
The coming-of-age adventure features an all-star international cast, including Academy Award winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Ben Wang (Chang Can Dunk), International Emmy Award Nominee Yeo Yann Yann (Wet Season), Chin Han (Mortal Kombat), Daniel Wu (Reminiscence), former Taekwondo champion Jimmy Liu and Sydney Taylor (Just Add Magic).ย
All eight episodes of American Born Chinese debut May 24th on Disney+.
