"Avengers Star Simu Liu: Marvel Keeps Secrets Due to Holland and Ruffalo"

It's official: Shang-Chi is set to make a triumphant return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The massive Avengers: Doomsday livestream confirmed that Simu Liu will reprise his role in the upcoming ensemble film. However, due to Marvel Studios' stringent policies on spoilers, Liu remained tight-lipped about his involvement, only hinting at his presence when his name appeared on a chair alongside other MCU luminaries.

Last month's Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal was dominated by veteran X-Men actors. Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden are all confirmed to appear, signaling a significant inclusion of the X-Men in the film. Grammer, who portrayed Beast in the Fox X-Men franchise, made his MCU debut in the post-credits scene of The Marvels. Stewart, known for his role as Charles Xavier/Professor X, made a brief appearance in the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as part of the Illuminati. McKellen, who played Magneto, has yet to appear in the MCU, as have Cumming (Nightcrawler), Romijn (Mystique), and Marsden (Cyclops). This raises the intriguing question: could Avengers: Doomsday be secretly an Avengers vs. X-Men movie?

"I knew I was going to be involved in it to some capacity," Liu shared during a recent appearance on the Jennifer Hudson Show. "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 was referencing the well-known leaks from Holland about the MCU's Spider-Man series and Ruffalo's habit of spilling plot points for the Avengers. Since these incidents, Marvel bosses have taken extra measures to keep spoilers under wraps, not just from the MCU's known blabbermouths but from all cast members, old and new.

The actor, who also starred as one of the Kens in Greta Gerwig's Barbie, was astounded to see the names announced alongside his. "I saw when Sir Ian and Sir Patrick were announced," he said during the interview. "These are two of the greatest actors to have ever walked the face of the Earth. That blew my mind a little bit."

Who was the biggest surprise cast member revealed for Avengers: Doomsday?

• Tenoch Huerta Mejía (Namor)
• Kelsey Grammer (Beast)
• David Harbour (Red Guardian)
• Ian McKellen (Magneto)
• Lewis Pullman (Sentry)
• Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler)
• Rebecca Romijn (Mystique)
• Channing Tatum (Gambit)
• Other

Liu first appeared as Shang-Chi in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021 but has yet to reprise the role on screen. With a release date set for May 1, 2026, and a plethora of names now attached to the project, Avengers: Doomsday remains shrouded in mystery. However, more details are expected to emerge in the coming year, whether through official channels or inadvertent leaks.

Meanwhile, MCU fans have also been buzzing about Robert Downey Jr.'s hair following the Iron Man actor's recent Doctor Doom-themed invitation to his 60th birthday party.