The action director, who worked on films like Shang-Chi, Kingsman and Solo: A Star Wars Story, passed away last month aged 48.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu has described the film’s stunt boss Brad Allan as “an incredibly dedicated director” following his death last month.
The Australian martial artist and action director, who was a member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and had worked on films like Shang-Chi, The King’s Man and Solo: A Star Wars Story, passed away in August.
In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, Liu paid tribute to Allan, saying: “It was, you know, a huge shock to all of us. But he was such an incredibly dedicated director.
“He really put every ounce of himself into the action sequences of this movie. We’re incredibly proud of the work that he did, and we miss him very much.”
Marvel dedicated Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings to the stunt director, with the credits reading: “In loving memory of Brad Allan,” ahead of the second post-credit scene.
Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton told RadioTimes.com and other press at a roundtable for the film that Allan’s stunt choreography gave the film some of his favourite action sequences.
“One of the fun things about this movie is… you know, for a big majority of the movie, Shang-Chi does not have any superpowers. It is hand-to-hand combat. We were able to work with a really brilliant stunt team, led by Brad Allan. To me, one of the biggest gifts is not just creating bad-ass martial arts moments. It is physical storytelling.
“That was something that we really went back and forth on, from script to choreo. It was interacting. As they were developing things, we were figuring out what the set-ups and the pay-offs were. Brad and I are both big Buster Keaton fans. The physical setup and pay-offs of a scene, for me, helped to ground an action sequence, so it’s not just explosions and kicks and punches.”
Allan, who passed away aged 48, served as a stunt co-ordinator on the Kingsman films, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Kick-Ass, Rush Hour 3, A Nightmare on Elm Street and a number of Jackie Chan films from 1994 onwards.