Marvel has selected Destin Daniel Cretton as the director of "Shang-Chi," its first superhero movie with an Asian lead.

Deadline reports the Hawaiian-born Cretton will helm the film, which is being scripted by Chinese-American writer Dave Callaham.

Cretton is best known for writing and directing the 2013 acclaimed indie "Short Term 12," which starred "Captain Marvel's"Brie Larson. He is currently working with Larson again, as well as Michael B. Jordan, on "Just Mercy."

Marvel is reportedly hoping that "Shang-Chi" can be as groundbreaking (and successful) as "Black Panther," which had a black director in Ryan Coogler and starred a nearly all-black cast.

Shang-Chi made his first comic book appearance in 1973, around the time that "Enter the Dragon" and other martial arts films were very popular. The protagonist is the son of a Chinese globalist who grew up training in martial arts in a reclusive compound.

He eventually goes into the world to do his revered father's bidding, but soon learns his father may not be the humanitarian he's claimed to be. Later, Shang-Chi joins the Avengers.

With "Avengers: Endgame" seemingly closing the first chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the studio has been diversifying its film slate. "Captain Marvel," its first female-led superhero movie, has been flying high at the box office. A "Black Widow" standalone film is in development, as is "Black Panther 2."