Marvel is to release its first predominantly-Asian superhero film. Shang Chi will be based on the comic character of the same name. An Asian actor will have the leading role, and the studio is also hiring Asian Americans to produce it. CGTN's Phil Lavelle reports from Los Angeles.

Another superhero movie from Marvel. What's new?

PHIL LAVELLE LOS ANGELES "Quite a bit actually. This film is going to have an Asian  super hero. It's going to have an Asian American director and Asian American screenwriter. Seeing a pattern here."

NANCY WANG YUEN EXPERT IN RACE & ETHNICITY IN MOVIES, BIOLA UNIVERSITY "We don't have enough representation."

That's changing - at least here. This will be an Asian affair.

AARON COUCH THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "It's Marvel's first movie with an Asian lead."

Shang Chi's the character. No word on yet who'll play him.

AARON COUCH THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "I think they know we can't screw this one up."

But Destin Daniel Cretton will be directing - he's an Asian American. The screenplay, by Chinese American Dave Callaham.

NANCY WANG YUEN EXPERT IN RACE & ETHNICITY IN MOVIES, BIOLA UNIVERSITY "We're so long overdue for a movie like that because we're hungry to see ourselves."

Because Hollywood's had a time of it. Oscars so white has been the claim. Movie's so white, the problem for many.

The industry accused of racism, a lack of diversity and whitewashing.

Ghost In The Shell - a story described as "about as Asian as things get" - but white American Scarlett Johansson cast as the lead.

NANCY WANG YUEN EXPERT IN RACE & ETHNICITY IN MOVIES, BIOLA UNIVERSITY "It wasn't just Asian Americans that were mad, it was African Americans that were mad, all sorts of people."

Marvel itself criticized for putting white Scottish actress Tilda Swinton in the role of the Ancient One in Doctor Strange, the character is of Tibetan descent in the comics. But gaining praise for Black Panther - one of its most successful movies with a predominantly black cast AND black director.

AARON COUCH THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "Black Panther was certainly one of the more significant Hollywood stories of the past five years, you know. It proved a lot of myths wrong. One of the main ones was the idea that movies with black casts don't play well overseas, and that certainly was proven wrong because BP was a giant success overseas."

NANCY WANG YUEN EXPERT IN RACE & ETHNICITY IN MOVIES, BIOLA UNIVERSITY "Everyone wants to see themselves represented and their friends represented accurately, and I think we're in a time now where people are no longer sitting back and willing to just take stereotype representation, they're very sensitive to that and they want to see people of color behind the scenes. This gives a higher guarantee that will happen."

And so The Marvel Cinematic Universe is growing - not just in size, but diversity too.

AARON COUCH THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "Inclusiveness, they say it's good for business, but it probably makes a better product as well."

It'll be the Box Office that decides if it's made the right decision. Phil Lavelle, CGTN, Los Angeles.