Simu Liu: Marvel Keeps Secrets Due to Holland, Ruffalo

It's official: Shang-Chi is making a grand return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The monumental Avengers: Doomsday livestream event confirmed that Simu Liu will reprise his role in the eagerly anticipated ensemble film. However, due to Marvel Studios' notorious secrecy around potential spoilers, Liu remained tight-lipped about his involvement, only hinting at his name appearing alongside other MCU luminaries on a chair back.

Last month's Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal was a significant nod to veteran X-Men actors. Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden are all set to appear, solidifying the X-Men's substantial presence in the film. Grammer, who portrayed 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 in the X-Men films, made a brief appearance in the MCU through Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as part of the Illuminati. Meanwhile, McKellen (Magneto), Cumming (Nightcrawler), Romijn (Mystique), and Marsden (Cyclops) have yet to appear in the MCU. This raises the intriguing question: is Avengers: Doomsday 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's comments reference the well-known leaks from Holland about the MCU's Spider-Man series and Ruffalo's habit of spilling plot points related to the Avengers. Since these incidents became headline news, Marvel bosses have clamped down on spoilers, ensuring confidentiality from all cast members, new and old.

The actor, who also played one of the Kens in Greta Gerwig's Barbie, was astounded by some of the names announced for the film. "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."

Liu first captivated audiences as Shang-Chi in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021, but fans have eagerly awaited his character's return. With the film's release date set for May 1, 2026, and a diverse cast now confirmed, Avengers: Doomsday remains shrouded in mystery. However, more details are expected to emerge within the coming year, spoilers or not.

Meanwhile, MCU fans have also been buzzing about Robert Downey Jr.'s recent Doctor Doom-themed birthday invitation, sparking further speculation and excitement about what's next in the Marvel universe.