The latest trailer forShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsgave fans a more in-depth look at the upcomingMarvel Studiosadventure as well as further hints about the movie’s plot. But the most talked-about aspect of the trailer was the fact that some fans seemed to recognize two previous MCU characters making cameos. Now comes confirmation that those fans were indeed right.
When speaking with Rotten Tomatoes, Kevin Feige addressed the speculation over the trailer and admitted that fans were not seeing things. The moment comes intheShang-Chitrailer’s final stinger scene, where it appears that the villainous Abomination fromThe Incredible Hulkis in a cage fight with Wong fromDoctor Strange. Feige commented on the reaction to the trailer by saying, “Some fans said, ‘This looks like a character they hadn’t seen in many years named The Abomination, fighting a character that looks like Wong’. And I can say that the reason it looks like that is because that is Abomination fighting Wong.”
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Wong (Benedict Wong) has been a fixture alongside Doctor Strange ever since he was introduced in the would-be Sorcerer Supreme’s solo movie and has gone on to appear with Strange inAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame. On the other hand, Abomination has been absent in the MCU ever since his debut inThe Incredible Hulk,when the mercenary Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) was transformed into the monster. This long-awaited return comes after confirmation that Roth will be appearingin the upcomingShe-Hulkseriesas well.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringswill introduce the first brand new MCU hero of Phase 4 and is also the cinematic universe’s first movie led by an Asian actor, with Simu Lui stepping into the titular role. The movie will explore Shang-Chi’s relationship with his father, the villainous Wenwu,a.k.a. The Mandarin. The movie also stars Tony Leung, Awkwafina, and Michelle Yeoh, and is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
Though these characters are likely to only be making brief cameo appearances, it’s hard not to get excited about their inclusion here. It is especially thrilling to see Abomination back in action while also sporting a new reptilian look that is much closer to the comic book appearance compared to how he looked inThe Incredible Hulk. It’s also nice to see Wong continuing to be a significant part of this universe. As one of the few Asian heroes already established in the MCU, it’s good to see him appearing in this ground-breaking movie. And their fight looks to be part of some sort of fighting tournament thatcould be a fun storyline forShang-Chi.
Of course, there have been moments in the MCU when the inclusion of such cameos has felt rather forced and it feels a little like they are trying to boost interest in a new, little-known hero. But if handled wisely, it could be another example of the fun of such an extended universe.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringswill hit theatres on May 20, 2025.
