‘American Born Chinese’ Disney+ Series Adds Michelle Yeoh & More to Cast
UPDATE (2/7/2022):
American Born Chinese is staging a Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings reunion.
The genre-hopping action-comedy series, based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, has added Michelle Yeoh, Ben Wang, Yeo Yann Yann, Chin Han, Daniel Wu, Ke Huy Quan, Jim Liu, and Sydney Taylor to the cast. (Cretton and Yeoh previously worked on the Marvel movie together.)
The Disney+ series tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods. The action-packed coming-of-age adventure explores identity, culture and family.
Joining Cretton as executive producers are showrunner Kelvin Yu, Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, Asher Goldstein, Erin O’Malley, and Gene Luen Yang.
Art by Gene Luen Yang, Color by Lark Pien; Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
Original story (10/4/2021):
Disney+ has given a series order to American Born Chinese, a show based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang.
Described as a genre-hopping action-comedy series, American Born Chinese will be directed and executive produced by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton. Writers Kelvin Yu (Bob’s Burgers) and Charles Yu (Legion) are also executive producing alongside Cretton.
Kelvin Yu (Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
American Born Chinese tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his immigrant home life. When Jin meets a new foreign student on the first day of school, he finds himself entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods. The show explores issues of identity, culture, and family.
“Reading Kelvin’s riveting adaptation of Gene’s incredible novel had me laughing and crying and jumping out of my chair on every page,” said Cretton in a statement. “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.”
The Disney Branded Television series produced by 20th Television is also executive produced by Melvin Mar (Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.), Jake Kasdan (Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.), Asher Goldstein (Short Term 12), and author Gene Leun Yang. Meanwhile, Kelvin Yu will serve as series showrunner.
Stay tuned for what’s to come as American Born Chinese continues to take shape at Disney+.
American Born Chinese, TBA, Disney+
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