Exciting news for Marvel fans: Shang-Chi is set to make a triumphant return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe! During the electrifying Avengers: Doomsday livestream, it was confirmed that Simu Liu would reprise his role as Shang-Chi in the much-anticipated ensemble film. However, due to Marvel Studios' notorious secrecy around potential spoilers, Liu remained tight-lipped about his involvement, only confirming his name would appear alongside other MCU legends on a chair back.

The Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal last month was a major event, especially for fans of the X-Men. The lineup included veteran actors such as Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden, signaling a significant presence of the X-Men in the film. Grammer, who played Beast in the Fox X-Men franchise, made his MCU debut in The Marvels' post-credits scene. Stewart, known for his role as Charles Xavier/Professor X, had a brief appearance in the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as part of the Illuminati. Meanwhile, McKellen (Magneto), Cumming (Nightcrawler), Romijn (Mystique), and Marsden (Cyclops) are yet to make their MCU debut. This raises an intriguing question: is Avengers: Doomsday secretly an Avengers vs. X-Men movie?

In a recent appearance on the Jennifer Hudson Show, Liu shared his excitement about being part of Avengers: Doomsday but admitted he was kept in the dark about the full cast. "I knew I was going to be involved in it to some capacity,” he said. “But I didn't know who else they were announcing. They don't tell us anything. Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo ruined it for all of us. Now, they don't tell us." Liu humorously referenced the well-known leaks by Holland about the MCU's Spider-Man series and Ruffalo's tendency to spill plot points about the Avengers. Since these incidents, Marvel has clamped down on spoilers, ensuring that even the actors are kept out of the loop.

Liu, who also starred as one of the Kens in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, expressed his awe at the cast list for Avengers: Doomsday. "I saw when Sir Ian and Sir Patrick were announced,” he said. “These are two of the greatest actors to have ever walked the face of the Earth. That blew my mind a little bit."

Liu first brought Shang-Chi to life in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021. Although his character has yet to return to the screen, the anticipation for Avengers: Doomsday, set for release on May 1, 2026, is building. With a star-studded cast and many mysteries still to be unveiled, fans can expect more thrilling updates in the coming year.

Meanwhile, MCU enthusiasts are also buzzing about Robert Downey Jr's recent Doctor Doom-themed birthday party invitation, sparking curiosity about what this might foreshadow for the franchise.