Disney+’s first big comic adaptation of the year isn’t a new MCU entry. Instead, the streamer will kick off the summer TV season with American Born Chinese, based on Gene Luen Yang’s award-winning graphic novel of the same name. And with just over a month remaining it premieres, the studio has given us our best look yet at the new series with the first official trailer, which mixes down-to-earth teenage melodrama with high-stakes fantasy set pieces. You can check it out for yourself below.
Ben Wang heads up the cast as Jin Wang, a second-generation Chinese immigrant who just wants to get through high school without being defined by his race. Unfortunately, this is complicated by the arrival of Wei-Chen (Jim Liu), a new student assigned to shadow Jin on account of their similar ethnic backgrounds. Jin is initially put off by Wei-Chen’s unassimilated mannerisms. But he eventually discovers that his new friend is more than he appears to be when characters from Chinese myths begin invading their world.
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The supporting cast notably reunites Everything Everywhere All at Once co-stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu, which will no doubt boost interest in the show. Regardless, the story primarily belongs to the show’s young leads, who will showcase their own brand of charisma over the course of eight episodes. It also helps to have director and executive producer Destin Daniel Cretton onboard to infuse the series with the same humanity and visual flair he brought to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021.
American Born Chinese begins streaming on Disney+ on May 24.
What do you think of the show’s new trailer? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: American Born Chinese Hardcover – Illustrated
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