In the last few years there has been a ton of conversation about the power of representation in Hollywood. That include Asian representation, and there have been some major steps forward thanks to a number of acclaimed projects like Crazy Rich Asians, Everything Everywhere all at Once, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (the latter of which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). But Simu Liu recently called out the "hate campaign" that can often come when an Asian actor ends up finding fame. Let's break it all down.

Liu has been open about how Shang-Chi was a big deal for representation, and his career has been thriving ever since. But the 37-year-old actor recently took to Threads to speak about a trend involving actors of color getting hate after their big break. In his words:

After referencing lies and that came his way after booking the title role of Shang-Chi, Simu Liu got honest about a pattern he's feels he sees over and over again with actors of color in Hollywood. He's not the only actor to speak out about how the internet can indeed be "insane," and it sounds like he's seeing the source of his trauma repeated for other actors.

While he didn't name names in his Threads post, many fans think that Liu is referencing the recent controversy surrounding Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams. The show was wildly popular for those with a HBO Max subscription, and catapulted Williams and Connor Storrie into megafame.

Recently though, he's been the subject of backlash thanks to a photo from his teen years that resurfaced showing him with a swastika drawn by someone on his head. This was apparently during an event in High School where other students drew on him. Sources maintain he "deeply regrets" the event, as well as the photos finding their way online.

Of course, we've seen the Internet come at a number of Asian actors. For instance, Star Wars actress Kelly Marie Tran faced intense racist backlash after debuting in The Last Jedi, resulting in her leaving social media and going into therapy simply for being cast. That's not counting other actors of color who have faced similar hate online after achieving career success.

Simu Liu will (finally given that sequel talk) reprise his role as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday, which hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Hudson Williams, we'll have to see if his career is negatively affected by this new controversy.

Simu Liu is one of the biggest Asian actors working in Hollywood today. He has one of the most high-profile characters in Shang-Chi, Marvel’s martial arts hero, who is set to return to the big screen later this year as part of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday. He was also part of one of the biggest box office hits in recent years with Barbie.

One of those movies was certainly a starring role, and the other was a much smaller supporting part where Liu wasn’t the focus, so one might think that he views one role as more important for his own career and Asian representation more broadly. However, the actor tells Style both roles were equally important to him because they showed the two different ways minority representation in film should be handled, he explained…

While having Simu Liu star in a major superhero blockbuster from Marvel, and telling the sort of story that we rarely see on screen, broke barriers -- barriers that needed breaking -- the other side of representation is simply casting Asian actors for roles where race doesn’t need to be a factor. Casting actors like Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa in Barbie was simply about the fact that a character inspired by a doll didn’t need to look a certain way.

One might assume that using a multicultural cast of Kens in Barbie was an intentional decision, but Liu indicates that it wasn’t the case. He admits that he only auditioned for Barbie because he wanted to work with director Greta Gerwig, and while he might not have been the star of that movie, the fact that he was there was still important. Liu continued…

The fact that Simu Liu has taken such huge steps for Asian representation is great. Now we just need to see some others join him. Until then, it is wonderful that we’ll finally get to see him in the MCU again when Shang-Chi appears in Avengers: Doomsday. And then hopefully we can get that long-awaited Shang-Chi sequel off the ground.

The quality of celebrity wax figures can really be hit or miss. Sometimes you get amazing results, like Travis Barker, whose replica was so good that even sister-in-law Khloé Kardashian couldn’t tell wax from man. Others aren’t so lucky, like when Dwayne Johnson’s figure went viral for its savagely inaccurate skin tone. Marvel actor Simu Liu is the latest to be honored with sculptures from Madame Tussauds, and he seemed very, very happy, as he thanked the museum for what was apparently a “sexually arousing experience.”

Simu Liu is having quite the moment. In addition to getting engaged last year, he’s had a steady presence on our screens, with a big one hitting the 2026 movie calendar later this year in the MCU blockbuster Avengers: Doomsday. He had another reason to celebrate recently, as he attended the unveiling of two Madame Tussauds wax figures of himself, which he shared to Instagram with a candid message of gratitude to the museum:

OK, what in the world is going on with these Simu Liu figures? I actually feel like I need to touch them to make sure I’m not just looking at the Barbie actor standing amidst two of his clones. It’s one of those Tom Hiddleston situations, where the wax figure looks more like the actor than the actor himself.

In that third slide, you can only tell the human from the replica from the outfits they’re wearing. I half expect to see Is It Cake?’s Mikey Day walk out with a knife.

I’m so happy for Simu Liu that he had such a positive experience with Madame Tussauds, but he certainly wasn’t the only celebrity speaking out in awe of the museum’s work. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Ming-Na Wen responded enthusiastically in the comments:

That sentiment was shared by Ken Jeong and others, who did not share their arousal level but still wrote:

• Ken Jeong: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
• Arden Cho: Omg what’s happening! Hahaha 😂
• Olivia Munn: That is crazy accurate.
• Karen Fukuhara: Wait these are so good
• Chrishell Stause: Ok they ate that 👏👏👏

The museum's artists used two of Simu Liu’s red carpet looks as inspiration for the wax figures. According to Madame Tussauds, Liu sported a powder-blue Versace suit to the Barbie premiere, and the figure depicting that outfit will be displayed at the Orlando location. The mulberry-suited figure, meanwhile, draws inspiration from Liu’s appearance at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards. It will be housed in New York.

Of all the Madame Tussauds wax figures we’ve seen of our favorite celebrities, these two might just be the most real-looking, in my opinion. Being able to see these at their respective museums will be a treat for fans as we wait for the release of the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday this December.

Not long ago, Simu Liu went viral for reminding the internet how to pronounce his name properly. The star jokingly explained that many people shorten or misread “Liu,” and the clip quickly spread across social media. Now it turns out he’s not the only famous Liu whose name people have been getting wrong, as the 2026 TV schedule and Olympic star Skater Alysa Liu confirms we’ve been pronouncing her name wrong, too.

Fresh off a huge moment at the 2026 Winter Olympics, figure skater Alysa Liu recently confirmed that plenty of fans and commentators have been mispronouncing her last name as well. The clarification came during a short interview clip shared by Newsweek on Instagram (see below), in which Liu was asked directly how her name should be pronounced.

Apparently, the gold-medal-winning athlete isn’t too bothered if people mispronounce her name. In fact, she admits it can be a bit tricky, which is why she doesn’t expect everyone to get it right. As Liu explained:

The timing of Liu’s explanation is especially funny given the recent attention around Simu Liu’s own pronunciation lesson. His video highlighted how Mandarin pronunciation can change meaning through subtle tonal shifts, meaning names that look simple in English can still be easy to misinterpret.

While the two Lius aren’t related, their shared experience shows how quickly a mispronunciation can spread once it’s picked up by media coverage or TV broadcasts. And in Alysa Liu’s case, people have been saying her name a lot lately.

Alysa Liu, 20, recently captured two gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, winning both the women’s singles figure skating event and the team competition. The victory was historic for the United States, marking the first American women’s singles gold medal in figure skating since Sarah Hughes won the event back in 2002.

That achievement instantly pushed Liu further into the spotlight. Suddenly, her name was appearing everywhere, which explains why the pronunciation conversation started gaining traction. Even so, Liu herself doesn’t seem too bothered by the mix-ups.

The skater has also been pretty open about navigating her sudden wave of fame. Despite her Olympic success, she’s previously said she doesn’t encourage people to chase titles or medals. Instead, she prefers to focus on storytelling through performance and on using skating to express emotion. Since returning home from Italy, Liu’s schedule has been packed with appearances and celebrations. But after what she described as a whirlwind few weeks, the athlete recently announced she would be stepping back from the upcoming world figure skating championships.

While Liu may be taking a short break from the spotlight, the same probably won’t be true for Simu Liu. The actor is part of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, which already looks like it could be one of the biggest hits on the 2026 movie schedule. That means there’s a good chance we’ll be hearing his name a lot over the next couple of years, whether it’s during press tours, talk show appearances, or red carpet events. He’s already been one of the most enthusiastic members of the cast when it comes to hyping up Doomsday, regularly sharing stories and updates from the set.

Simu Liu is becoming a big star thanks to roles in major projects like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie. His name is one you’re starting to hear more and more. The question is, have you been hearing it correctly? There’s a decent chance that, depending on who is saying his name, they’re getting it wrong. Luckily for all of us, the man himself is here to help us all out.

Simi Liu took to Instagram to discuss how his name is pronounced. While it may seem simple, pronunciation in Chinese is a bit more complex than you may think, which means even if you think you’ve been saying the Shang-Chi star's name right, you still might be getting it wrong. Here’s your daily Chinese language lesson from Professor Liu.

I know just enough about Mandarin Chinese to know that a simple inflexion of the voice can literally change the meaning of a word, and such is the case with Simu Liu’s last name, as a simple phonetic reading of his name from a native English speaker isn’t quite accurate to how his name should actually be said. Luckily, as long as you pronounce his name the way it’s spelled, and not as “Lu,” it sounds like Simu Liu will be cool with you.

On his first name, however, you’re on your own. It’s pronounced exactly how it's spelled, so get it right, ya b----es.

While not everybody’;s name can be easy to pronounce for everybody, the least we can all do is to try our best to get it right. And Simu Liu is one that people are saying more and more, even on Jeopardy, so if people get it wrong when saying it on TV, it’s only going to cause people watching to continue to get his name wrong, and then everybody thinks the right pronunciation is Simu Lu and not Simu Liu.

And there’s a good chance we’re going to be hearing his name a lot over the next couple of years. Liu is part of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, the film that’s probably going to be the box office champ of the entire 2026 movie schedule. We can expect he’ll be one of the names making the rounds on talk shows and being grabbing red carpets. He's already been one of the best people for hyping up Doomsday with stories from the set.

Hopefully, all the people who will be interviewing him will watch this and work on their pronunciation. I imagine if people really get it right, Simu Liu will be very happy.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe consistently puts out new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription, to the delight of their fans. There are a number of upcoming Marvel movies on the way, with arguably the most highly anticipated being Avengers: Doomsday. The Doomsday cast announcement confirmed Simu Liu was finally returning as Shang-Chi, and he recently shared how the hero will be different when he pops back up on the big screen.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is super limited, with fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order filling in the blanks with theories and rumors. While speaking with ComicBook, Liu spoke about what Shang-Chi's second big screen adventure will be like, teasing:

Honestly, I'm sold. It looks like we'll be getting an older and wiser version of Liu's hero in Doomsday, one that feels more confident his abilities as a superhero. While he'll be seemingly interacting with entire teams of heroes like the Avengers and X-Men, he seemingly won't be as much of a fish out of water this time around. And I can't wait to see how it goes down when The Russo Brothers' blockbuster hits theaters in December.

The Kim's Convenience actor was careful not to reveal too much, but this forthcoming change to Shang-Chi sounds like a great direction for the character to go. Later in the same interview, Liu addressed his Doomsday comments, which revealed he'll be getting a new costume in the project. He addressed how viral that statement went, offering:

Looks like some lessons were learned. While Tom Holland is known for revealing spoilers, Liu saw firsthand how one off-hand comment can make the rounds online. So he's seemingly going to stay tight-lipped as the promotion for Avengers: Doomsday picks up.

There were rumors that Shang-Chi will be a major player in the next Avengers movie, and I'm curious to see if that turns out to be true, and what he might get into when the battle against Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom picks up.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Although first we'll be treated to Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31st.

We have now entered the same calendar year that Avengers: Doomsday will be released, which makes the movie feel a lot closer than it did just a few days ago. While we still have several months to go before Doomsday hits theaters, those months will be spent with fans trying to figure out what will happen in the film. Luckily, Kevin Hart and Keenan Thompson are here to try to drag the truth out of Simu Liu.

Liu was a guest on Good Sports with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson, available with a Prime Video subscription, and of course, the pair wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to try and get Doomsday spoilers from him. Hart straight up asked, “How does it end?” but when Liu didn’t budge, the duo attempted to suggest some different spoiler possibilities to see if Liu would react. The result is hilarious. Check it out.

When Liu doesn’t bite on “How does it end?” The pair tries and get the Shang-Chi star to react to different spoiler suggestions. My personal favorite has to be:

Because that would sell quite a few movie tickets for sure.

Simu Liu jokes that his “life is in danger” when the bit starts, because, to be sure, if there was any actual possibility that he might divulge a spoiler, he’d likely get in a lot of trouble. We’ve seen Marvel go to extreme lengths to prevent Tom Holland from saying too much, and Mark Ruffalo joked the reason he’s not in Avengers: Doomsday is that Marvel didn’t want him giving everything away.

The lengths Marvel goes to prevent spoilers leaking is so extreme that it makes Kevin Hart’s “How does it end?” joke even funnier. There’s a decent chance that, unless Simu Liu is directly involved in the finale, he might not even know how the movie ends. It’s not uncommon for the actors in these movies to only receive the script pages for the scene that they’re in, and even then, might only get partial information.

Actors have already talked about doing fight scenes against nothing, and not even knowing what or who it was they were in a scene with. If Simu Liu actually revealed everything he knew, it might not be that much at all.

The final of four teaser trailers for Avengers: Doomsday should hit the internet next week. After that, at some point, we’ll get a proper trailer that will likely give us at least a basic understanding of the story. Then the real wait begins, and the real questions start to get pressed to people like Simu Liu.

Casting Wonder Woman for a new DCU movie has long been a lightning-rod topic but, lately, the conversation has shifted in an interesting way. Instead of obsessing over exact comic-book measurements or rigid physical requirements, the focus is more on performance and whether an actor can actually embody Diana. That shift is exactly why Simu Liu’s recent comments about who should play Wonder Woman hit a little harder than the average fancast. Seriously, if James Gunn is listening, I need you to hear the man out.

Liu recently appeared in a JoBlo interview, which was shared to YouTube, with Melissa Barrera to promote their Peacock series, The Copenhagen Test, which is currently airing on the 2026 TV schedule. While discussing stunt work and the physical demands of the show, Liu went off-script, singling out the former Scream franchise star’s intensity during training and casually floating her name as a potential Princess of Themyscira. Liu put it out there, saying:

What makes this suggestion especially timely is how neatly it lines up with James Gunn’s recent comments about casting Wonder Woman. Thus far, Gunn has made it clear that extreme height or strict physical specifications won’t be the deciding factor for the role. The Guardians of the Galaxy director emphasized performance over a physical checklist like height. In other words, he’s looking for someone who feels like Diana Prince, not just someone who measures up on paper.

According to Simu Liu, Barrera has the moves, she trains like a superhero, and she knows how to carry herself under pressure. That’s precisely the kind of thing the DC Chapter One mastermind and director of Superman has said matters most in shaping the DCU’s version of WW.

This isn’t the first time Barrera has been floated as Diana. Fan art circulated online in 2024, imagining her as Wonder Woman, sparking debate about whether she could pull it off. At the time, it was easy to dismiss as fun internet speculation. Still, after hearing a fellow superhero actor back the idea and seeing her work up close, it gives it a different kind of credibility.

Barrera has already shown she’s willing to commit physically, whether it’s in the Scream franchise or action-heavy roles like Abigail. She’s not afraid of stunt work, and she doesn’t phone in the physical side of her performances. That kind of commitment goes a long way when you’re talking about a character who has to sell strength and confidence before she ever throws a single punch or whips out that Lasso of Truth.

Whether or not James Gunn actually takes notice is impossible to know. But, given his stance on prioritizing performance over proportions, this is exactly the kind of outside-the-box suggestion that deserves a real look. For now, we will have to settle for a team-up, not of Shang-Chi and Wonder Woman, but Simu Liu and Melissa Barrera in The Copenhagen Test. The series premiered on December 27, 2025, and is available to stream with a Peacock subscription.

There will be many films to come on the 2026 movie schedule, but maybe none more anticipated than Avengers: Doomsday. Not only is this the first (official) Avengers adventure since Endgame in 2019, but it will also mark the first time that the Marvel Multiverse includes the Fantastic Four and multiple X-Men movie characters, and it also gives us the return of Robert Downey, Jr., who’s playing Big Bad, Doctor Doom. We already knew that the erstwhile Iron Man was the “Godfather” on set, and now I can’t get over Simu Liu talking about Downey’s “convoy of trailers.”

What Did Simu Liu Say About Robert Downey, Jr.’s Trailers On The Doomsday Set?

With Robert Downey, Jr. being one of the veteran MCU actors on set (and the one who got the Marvel movies in order rolling with Iron Man in 2008), we’ve already been told that he really “looked after” his fellow cast members, especially with many of them being like Simu Liu and having relatively little on-screen experience in the expansive Marvel franchise so far.

Though the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings talent has already noted how he "embarrassed" himself by being “really, really underdressed” the first time he met his Oscar-winning co-star on set, it sounds like Downey didn’t take any offense, as he still allowed Liu into what everyone called “Downey Land.” As he recently told Collider:

There are not many tales of movie set experiences I truly wish I’d been a part of, but heading into what sounds like an appropriately relaxing and light-hearted space like “Downey Land” can now be counted among them.

Liu’s seemingly been keeping Doomsday secrets by simply doing a lot of talking about how cool it was to work on the movie while being starstruck by his co-stars like Downey, Patrick Stewart, Vanessa Kirby, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, James Marsden, and Pedro Pascal. Apparently, while it was pretty easy for him to dial-in and focus during scenes, “the moments between” led to The Copenhagen Test star to have more “pinch me” times on set because of having access to RDJ’s special area. He continued:

It sounds like at least the entire main cast (which consists of nearly 30 people that we know of) had access to Downey’s luxurious “convoy,” and I gotta say, I am a bit jealous. Few people get to have their work lunch hour catered by personal chefs, right? Though, I am now curious about why Mackie felt he needed to bribe the security detail with pizza so he could later have access, but I suppose we’d need to ask the Captain America actor about that.

While we still don’t have a full picture of the story that fans will get when Avengers: Doomsday is released in a little less than a year, you can bet that my excitement is through the roof, particularly when it comes to seeing what RDJ will do with the classic Fantastic Four villain. If nothing else, it seems like the cast was well taken care of during filming, and that will likely go a long way toward making sure fans get an awesome movie.

A big year is coming up for everyone who looks forward to upcoming superhero movies, as we’re heading into the 2026 movie schedule, and the eventual release of Avengers: Doomsday which is currently about a year away. It will bring a huge number of Marvel stars together, including Simu Liu, who’s finally reviving Shang-Chi for another live-action adventure. While nabbing the role was a major feat for him, he’s now opened up about the difficulties of working in Hollywood as an Asian actor.

What Simu Liu Said About Being An Asian Actor In Hollywood

Many actors of color have noted for many decades that they have an uphill battle when it comes to not just getting work, but being offered good roles that aren’t based in stereotypes and having opportunities to land parts as the main protagonist in movies and TV shows. While one might think that this wouldn’t have been an issue for Simu Liu since he lobbied for and won the titular role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, he’s revealed that that’s not the case.

Despite the fact that the film, which joined the Marvel movies in order in 2021, did blockbuster business during the incredibly unsure days of the pandemic, starring in the film hasn’t given Liu access to the kinds of acting offers one would think. While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter about his upcoming series, The Copenhagen Test (which you can watch with a Peacock subscription), he was asked what he wishes he’d known about success as an actor before he hit the big time with Shang-Chi, and Liu answered:

While things like the viral #OscarsSoWhite campaign have come along in recent years to drive home just how hard it is for the achievements of people of color in Hollywood to be recognized, the issue frequently starts with many in marginalized communities not even having strong opportunities to showcase their talents to begin with. And, this is what the Barbie actor has found since his superhero lead role. He continued:

As he noted, he has worked over the past four years, with projects like the aforementioned mega-hit, Barbie, helping to keep his name and face in the conversation. However, even with that and the success of Shang-Chi under his belt, his early struggles as an actor haven’t fully ended, as he also pointed out that his upcoming series is his first leading role since his Marvel debut was released. About the types of projects he’s been offered in that time, he said:

How changes can be made so that more people from a broad spectrum of humanity have good opportunities and aren’t shut out of Hollywood appears to be a conversation that still needs to be had. Hopefully, Liu speaking out will only help to shed more light on an issue that has lingered for a long time.

Happy Christmas, everyone! This week comes the biggest holiday of the year, and with it comes a list of special gifts from all your favorite streaming platforms. There have been plenty of new movies hitting streaming this month, as well as a highly publicized new series, and this week, we get new episodes of a Netflix series that is getting ready to say goodbye.

Supernatural - December 22 (Peacock)

In the era of streaming, one show staying in one place for over a decade is nearly unheard of, and yet, Supernatural, which ran for an incredible 15 seasons, has spent the last 13 years available on Netflix. This week, that changes as it leaves the streaming giant for a new home. If you were in the middle of a massive binge-watch watch you’ll need a Peacock subscription now if you want to finish it.

Ne Zha 2 - December 24 (HBO Max)

It’s been a big year at the Hollywood box office, but worldwide, one movie has had Hollywood in the rear-view mirror. Ne Zha 2 is the highest-grossing movie of the year, and one of the most successful movies ever made. If you missed the film’s brief domestic box office release, you’ll be able to catch it this week with an HBO Max subscription.

Goodbye June - December 24 (Netflix)

Goodbye June, the first directorial effort from Kate Winslet, is technically a Christmas movie, and it comes out on Christmas Eve. However, it may not be your typical holiday story. The film, written by Winslet’s son, stars Helen Mirren as June, the dying matriarch of a family that includes Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, and Toni Collette. This one promises to be emotional.

Stranger Things 5: Volume 2 - December 25 (Netflix)

The Christmas gift that comes with your Netflix subscription this holiday season is the second batch of episodes of the final season of Stranger Things. It’s all leading to the finale on New Year’s Eve, which you’ll be able to watch on Netflix or in theaters if you prefer.

2025 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade - December 25 (Disney+)

There’s nothing quite like the holiday season at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, but since the 1980s, those of us who can’t be at the happiest place on earth have been able to experience that extra bit of Christmas joy with the Disney Parks Christmas Parade. This year’s event is hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Zootopia 2’s Ginnifer Goodwin and will include performances by Gwen Stefani, Coco Jones, Iam Tongi, Lady A, Nicole Scherzinger, Mariah the Scientist, and Bebe Rexha.

The Copenhagen Test - December 27 (Peacock)

Before Simu Liu returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe next year in Avengers: Doomsday, he has a brand new sci-fi series debuting on Peacock. The Copenhagen Test will see Liu as a spy who discovers that his body has been hacked to obtain classified information. Melissa Barerra co-stars.

Next week sees December come to an end and January get underway. With not only a new month but a new year arriving, you can be sure a lot of your favorite streaming content will get shuffled around on January 1. We’ll be here to let you know where it all is, and what’s worth watching.

Marvel Studios is currently working on its latest big-screen superhero team-up film, Avengers: Doomsday, which will pit the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and more against Doctor Doom. As can be expected, those involved with the film have remained relatively tight-lipped about plot details. However, Simu Liu – who’s reprising his role as Shang-Chi in the film – has shared a few details about his experience making the movie. Liu most recently shared one key element that was different for him compared to his first Marvel movie.

There are plenty of commonalities when it comes to Marvel Cinematic Universe movie sets. In most cases, there are a lot of actors and crew members present, and many blue and green screens are usually around as well. Said details didn’t come up when Simu Liu was asked about what it was like working on Doomsday during his interview with Empire State Building (which was shared to TikTok). What he did mention was that there was a notable change made that was very specific to his character:

Anyone who’s faithfully watched the Marvel movies surely knows it’s not uncommon for the heroes to receive new outfits as films go on. I’m personally excited to get the confirmation that Shang-Chi will be sporting new duds when he makes his return to the big screen. At the same time, though, considering how complex those costumes can be from a logistical standpoint, I can understand why Liu initially had some trouble adjusting. Yet it sounds like the star still appreciated the experience:

Simu Liu has shared some some sweet behind-the-scenes details about his time on the set of this latest Avengers movie, which is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. Over the past few months, Liu’s been honest about being starstruck by other Doomsday cast members, including legendary X-Men actors like Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. Liu, of course, also encountered Doctor Doom actor Robert Downey Jr., and the day they met was apparently mortifying for the former, who was unprepared.

Any kind of embarrassing moments aside, it feels like the Barbie star enjoyed his time working on the upcoming superhero movie, and his MCU return has been a long time coming. It’s honestly hard to believe it’s already been over four years since Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings hit theaters and ushered the master martial artist into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Lui has seemingly been waiting in the wings for his opportunity to play his character once more. At the same time, he’s also still fielding questions about a Shang-Chi sequel, which is still reportedly in the works.

For now, though, I’m just excited to see Simu Liu back in action in Avengers: Doomsday, and I’m eager to see how his new costume differs from the one he previously wore. Check out Shang-Chi's return when the MCU team-up flick opens in theaters on December 18 as part of the 2026 movie schedule. In the meantime, stream the character’s franchise debut and appearances in animated shows using a Disney+ subscription.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, thanks to new projects arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is probably Avengers: Doomsday, which will bring us new crossover and character pairings. Robert Downey Jr. is back in the MCU as Doctor Doom, and Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu recently recalled the embarrassing story behind meeting the Oscar-winning icon for the first time.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is super limited, but that hasn't stopped fan excitement from steadily building. The blockbuster will mark Liu's first live-action return to the shared universe since Shang-Chi hit theaters in 2021, and fans can't wait to see how he interacts with other characters. During a recent clip from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Kim's Convenience actor spoke about a viral photo from the set of Doomsday featuring a group of the stars. In his words:

The Doomsday cast announcement confirmed that entire teams of heroes will be in the blockbuster, presumably uniting to fight off RDJ's Doctor Doom. But while Simu Liu was seemingly looking forward to meeting and collaborating with the Iron Man star, unfortunately that happened when he wasn't exactly dressed to impress.

Later in the same interview, Liu explained why he ended up wearing short shorts and flip flops when taking the group photo (and meeting Downey for the first time). It turns out that he was actually filming Doomsday, and wasn't expecting any photography when he got out of costume. As he told it:

This makes more sense, but unfortunately that group photo will likely live on forever. And presumably so will the Barbie actor's embarrassment. Unfortunately for him, Robert Downey Jr. not only clocked his fit, but commented on it during their conversation. As Liu put it:

Ouch. This doesn't seem like the way Simu Liu wanted to meet RDJ, but there's silver lining: at least he was memorable. But since they presumably got to film together for Doomsday, I'm sure he got to make a better impression on set. We'll just have to wait and see how many scenes they actually share.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to arrive in theaters on December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. There are countless rumors about what The Russo Brothers have up their sleeves, and it should be fascinating to see what actually goes down.

Another season of Dancing with the Stars has come to an end in the 2025 TV schedule, with fan-favorite Robert Irwin following up his sister's win by earning the Mirrorball Trophy with partner Witney Carson. It'll be a while before the next cast of DWTS is announced, but there's one candidate who already showed some interest: MCU star Simu Liu. He's put some thought into it as well, and fans are all-in to the point that they're already pitching a pro partner for him to dance with in the 2026 TV schedule or beyond.

What Simu Liu Said About Dancing With The Stars

Just two seasons after fellow MCU vet Xochitl Gomez won Season 32 of DWTS, Simu Liu has tossed his hat in the ring for the ABC show, now also available streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Speaking with EW on TikTok, the actor said:

For a celebrity competitor, a love of dance should be plenty to earn him a slot on a season of Dancing with the Stars! Simu Liu would certainly be a big get for the show, and he's already part of the Disney family thanks to playing Shang-Chi. He may not be able deliver big news to Shang-Chi fans who ask daily about a sequel, but he will reprise his role for Avengers: Doomsday. Maybe he could do a season of DWTS to promote the movie?

That may be wishful thinking, but Liu went on to prove that he's not bluffing about thinking about Dancing with the Stars:

If you ask me, somebody who can name-drop two of the male celebrity contestants on the most recent season is definitely somebody who is eyeing a spot himself on the cast if the stars align! He's not the only one who's on board with the idea, either.

Fans Have A Partner Picked Out Already

The comment section on the TikTok post is full of reactions from people who are well-enough versed in Dancing with the Stars to name the pro who he would be a great partner with: Britt Stewart, who joined the series in Season 29. She's never placed higher than fifth after dancing with Daniel Durant in Season 31, so maybe a future season could pair her with somebody who could make it all the way. Check out some of the comments (edited for clarity), including a shout out to casting director Deena Katz:

• "PUT HIM WITH BRITT NOW!" -Liz
• "Give him Britt, let’s get her that mirrorball!" -Caroline
• "I agree Simu and Britt!!!" -Rachel Ferrante
• "SIMU AND BRITT! " - sof
• "Pair him with Britt STAT!" -baciamimiele
• "DEENA KATZ, THIS IS BRITT'S NEXT PARTNER!" -Cassie A

The people have spoken! It's not every day that a star shows interest in joining DWTS and is immediately welcomed by fans, so Simu Liu is off to a good start... despite no guarantee that scheduling will allow him to participate in the foreseeable future. He did show off some dance moves earlier than year when he visited The Jennifer Hudson Show. Take a look at the TikTok:

Will the day ever come for Simu Liu to appear on Dancing with the Stars? Well, the days of seasons with 20+ episodes seem to have passed, so perhaps the actor could carve out some time to dance his way toward the Mirrorball Trophy more easily than if it was a bigger commitment. Fingers crossed, at least! For now, you can catch the latest episodes of DWTS streaming on Disney+, as well as Simu Liu's Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.

The Barbie movie was absolutely everything in 2023. From getting everybody to embrace pink in their wardrobes to making poignant statements about the demands put on women and still reminding men that they are “Ken-ough,” there were few things bigger happening in pop culture. One of the best celebrations of Barbie came at the Oscars, with Ryan Gosling’s performance of Best Original Song nominee “I’m Just Ken,” but according to Simu Liu, pulling the number off was much harder than it looked.

There were questions about whether or not Ryan Gosling would perform “I’m Just Ken” at the 96th annual Academy Awards, and according to Barbie’s “Rival Ken” Simu Liu, there were a lot of unknowns pretty much up to the last minute. He told Collider:

Brilliant is a good word to describe it. From the symbolism behind Ryan Gosling starting his performance behind Margot Robbie to including Emma Stone in the scene, he and the dozens of actors around him even had Martin Scorsese feeling the “Kenergy.”

With that caliber of celebrity in the crowd — not to mention how many people were watching the live broadcast — was Simu Liu nervous leading up to the number? He said:

It was a lot of pressure, to be sure, as the number came together so quickly and went through multiple choreography changes, but he said between Ryan Gosling and their choreographer, they were able to avoid anything disastrous. The Marvel actor continued:

That would be the same Mandy Moore that Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone worked with on La La Land and the same one who choreographed a little thing called Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, so yeah, it’s possible that Simu Liu is being a tad dramatic.

I totally get it, though, because on the other hand, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu and the rest are not Taylor Swift, so they’re not used to the demands of live performances and ever-changing choreography. In the end, however, they were more than Kenough.

Simu Liu knows precisely what you want to talk about when you spot him in the wild, and spoiler alert: it’s not Barbie (though Barbie was a banger). Four years after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (available with a Disney+ subscription) hit theaters and became an instant fan favorite, the character has been completely MIA from the slate of new Marvel films. No sequel, no cameos, no Ten Rings popping up in mid-credits stingers. And now the man behind the MCU martial artist is finally opening up about how often fans ask him about a Shang-Chi 2.

In a new interview with People, Liu opens up about what it feels like to step back into a new entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, while his fan-favorite solo hero has been completely missing from the franchise for the past four years. The 36-year-old star revealed just how often passersby bring up the absence of his character:

That emotional connection with the character and the fans is precisely why the missing sequel has become a running bit in the Kim’s Convenience star’s real life. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings hit theaters in 2021, delivered one of Marvel’s best-reviewed origin stories of the post-Endgame era, and then… nothing. No sequel announcement, and the actor knows fans feel that gap because they remind him daily.

That’s not social media noise; it’s his day-to-day, becoming a kind of ambient soundtrack. And yet, he’s clearly not resentful. If anything, he frames it as proof that the first movie landed the way he always hoped: as a film that meant something to audiences who had never seen a Chinese superhero in a massive Disney tentpole before.

But fans won’t have to wait much longer to finally see Shang-Chi back in action, with Liu putting the rings back on in Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel’s next mega–team-up now scheduled for the 2026 movie schedule. The movie is basically a victory lap for the MCU’s deep bench of heroes. The cast for Doomsday includes the likes of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, Letitia Wright’s Black Panther, Danny Ramirez’s Falcon, plus characters from Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, and the X-Men movies. Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. is back — not as Tony Stark, but as Victor von Doom, the main villain.

If you were worried that the Shang-Chi family had quietly drifted apart in the years since, Liu is happy to shut that down. He reveals that the core cast — Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, and more — are still very connected, adding:

As we wait for Simu Liu to suit up once again, he isn’t exactly sitting around waiting for Kevin Feige to text. The actor has a new animated film, hitting streaming for everyone with a Netflix subscription. In Your Dreams sees the Chinese-Canadian performer voicing a dad opposite Cristin Milioti and Craig Robinson. It’s lighter, family-friendly fare, but even there, the shadow of Shang-Chi isn’t far behind. Every new project comes with at least one question about when he’s putting the rings back on for a solo act.

Avengers: Doomsday, the next cinematic outing for Shang-Chi, hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

There’s an original Netflix animated movie that’s new on streaming this weekend, and it involves an unexpected team up between Simu Liu and Cristin Milioti. The actors known for their comic book projects play the characters of Dad and Mom in In Your Dreams, which follows siblings who uncover a secret dream world. CinemaBlend talked to the actors about working together to not only voice the characters, but provide vocals for the animated movie’s original tunes.

Simu Liu And Cristin Milioti Get To Sing In Netflix's In Your Dreams

When I spoke to the pair of actors at Netflix headquarters in Los Angeles, California, Cristin Milioti shared that she absolutely loved lending vocals to her character of Mom. In her words:

Milioti has been in all sorts of great movies and TV shows in recent years, but perhaps she’s best known for her award-winning role in The Penguin. Not enough people know that she is an accomplished singer in her own right, who was in the Broadway version of Once and has also released her own solo music. It sounds like it was a dream come true in of itself to provide vocals to an animated character, and when you see the latest of the 2025 Netflix releases, you’ll see how much she crushed it.

But, It's Pretty Wild They Never Actually Recorded Together

Milioti and Liu get to sing together for In Your Dreams, but they never actually got to do so in the same room, as they told us. Cristin Milioti also mentioned:

Simu Liu is more known for his upcoming superhero movies than being a singer, but he has shown off his pipes before. The actor was on the show That’s My Jam where he performed an amazing version of “In Da Club,” and he’s done all sorts of other little things that shows he can sing. As the actors let me know, they had actually only just met, and would often read alongside writer/director Alex Woo in the recording booth. As Liu said:

It’s certainly common these days for actors to record lines for animated movies without ever meeting their costars, and In Your Dreams was a project Simu Liu and Crisin Milioti were part of for years before its release. You can listen for the actors in In Your Dreams when it arrives for those with a Netflix subscription this Friday, November 14. Until then, check out the In Your Dreams trailer.

Next year is going to be a big moment for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Avengers: Doomsday will finally be released. A lot is riding on the film from a franchise standpoint, but fans are mostly just looking forward to seeing a bunch of their favorite heroes on screen together again, and it turns out that some of the actors feel the same way. That includes one of the MCU's (relatively) new stars, Simu Liu, who provided a take I really appreciate.

Avengers: Doomsday is likely old hat for actors like Chris Hemsworth and a returning Robert Downey Jr., who has been part of the MCU and multiple Avengers movies for a long time. However, for others, like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu, being part of this latest team-up flick is still a big deal. Liu recently told ScreenRant just how impactful production on the movie was for him because of the other stars he’s gotten to perform with. Liu said…

This is far from the first time Simu Liu has talked about how cool it was for him on the set of Avengers: Doomsday, but it hasn’t gotten old yet. The guy clearly is still in the “pinch me” phase of being a movie star and a major piece of the MCU, and I love to see it.

While the MCU isn’t quite old enough for Liu to have grown up watching those performances, the Avengers are not the only superhero team that we know will be part of Doomsday. Several cast members from the original X-Men movies will also be on hand and, by my math, Simu Liu was all of 11 years old the first time Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen played Professor X and Magneto, respectively.

Someone can maybe extrapolate from this that Shang-Chi will have a run with one or more of the original X-Men actors in Doomsday though, at this point, it’s really hard to tell. Very little has leaked as far as details regarding what the upcoming Marvel movie is even about. Perhaps (apparently) not having Tom Holland or Mark Ruffalo in your movie drastically reduces the leaks.

The fact that the X-Men, even if it’s not the MCU’s official X-Men, will share the screen with the Avengers will certainly make Avengers: Doomsday a big movie in scope and scale. Simu Liu indicates that as well, saying…

If the rest of us have half as much fun watching Avengers: Doomsday as Simu Liu seemingly had making it, we’re going to be in pretty good shape. Fans will finally be able to check out the movie when it opens in theaters on December 18, 2026. Also, check out other MCU films using a Disney+ subscription.

Simu Liu is finally set to reprise his role as Shang-Chi in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, as he’ll play the martial arts master in the upcoming culmination film Avengers: Doomsday. This marks a major milestone for Liu, given it’ll be the first time his character will be part of an MCU team-up flick. As exciting as it’ll be to see Liu alongside other franchise veterans, there’s still the matter of how long he’ll remain with the franchise moving forward. On that note, Liu is now weighing in on his future with the MCU.

How Does Simu Liu About His MCU Future Post-Doomsday?

Marvel Studios is known for signing its stars to long contracts and also making deals with them to make appearances beyond that. (Just ask Robert Downey Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson.) Thus far, Simu Liu has only appeared in 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and an episode of the animated series What If…? I personally think there are a number of other stories to tell about the Mandarin’s wayward son. With that, Liu’s sentiments on his working relationship with Marvel make me happy:

Like so many people, Liu is a fan of the MCU, and his admiration for the continuity predated him tagging Marvel Studios on social media and asking them to meet with him about the Master of Kung Fu. Comments Liu has shared over the years suggest that he’s quite grateful for his position within the Disney-owned superhero IP. Just recently, he spoke highly of his experience working on Doomsday, which allowed him to share scenes with actors he’s long admired. The In Your Dreams star expanded on that while speaking with ComicBook:

Simu Liu went on to explain that his goal is to just take his MCU work a step at a time. And, with that, he’s hoping it’ll have a very specific effect on others:

These are very level-headed and sweet sentiments, and I particularly love to hear that the Atlas actor wants to work in a way that inspires others to want to follow suit. It’s also great that he’s apparently down to play Shang-Chi for the long haul. However, I’m still wondering what could actually lie ahead for the character following this latest Avengers movie.

What’s Going On With The Shang-Chi Sequel?

As great as it is that Shang Chi is returning in Avengers: Doomsday, I – like so many fans – have been waiting for the character to receive another solo film. Marvel Studios has yet to formally announce a sequel, but Simu Liu himself has stressed on multiple occasions that the film will be made. However, that’s seemingly proving to be easier said than done. For starters, director Destin Daniel Cretton has been busy with other projects and, at this time, he’s helming another MCU flick, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

It seemed earlier this year that Liu was also seeking answers based on the fact that he like a social media post about Marvel supposedly doing him “dirty” by not making a sequel a few years back. Liu also seemed to throw some subtle shade at the wait time for his own film when the sequel to this year’s Superman was announced a few months ago.

Still, it seems Simu Liu is remaining optimistic about Shang-Chi 2, and so am I. And, at the very least, it’s comforting to know Liu is dedicated to playing the character for as long as he can. See Liu’s MCU alter ego make his big-screen return in Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters on December 18 and, in the meantime, stream his other appearances in the cinematic universe using a Disney+ subscription.

When it comes to Marvel’s upcoming movies, my anticipation is definitely the highest for the release of Avengers: Doomsday. It promises to bring together an elite cast of MCU characters and X-Men, and it will be the first Avengers movie we’ve gotten since Endgame came out in 2019. Now, Simu Liu’s comments about who he’s “maybe” gotten to work with and the film being worth the wait and cost of admission have me even more hyped for this team-up movie.

Simu Liu was asked about getting the call to join the Avengers: Doomsday cast at New York Comic Con (via hey__arthur’s TikTok), and at first he joked that it was “about god damn time” it happened. He then went into a sincere answer about how much it meant to him to continue Shang-Chi’s journey in the MCU, explaining:

The cast really is next level. That’s in part thanks to the X-Men actors who will be stepping back into their roles. We know we’ll get to see Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Alan Cumming, James Marsden and Rebecca Romijn reprise their characters from the X-Men movies. That fact seriously excited the Shang-Chi actor, too, as he explained:

Now, not only did he not confirm or deny anything here, he added a whole lot of extra maybes to really hammer the point home. It reminds me of the time Andrew Garfield lied about being in Spider-Man: No Way Home, if you know what I mean. And it’s got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, Simu Liu might share some scenes in Doomsday with the X-Men.

However, that’s not confirmed, and we’ll have to wait for the project’s December 18 release on the 2026 movie schedule to really, truly find out. However, it sounds like that wait will be worth it.

After gushing about actors like McKellen and Stewart, the Barbie actor explained that working with the Doomsday cast felt like “turning on your TV on a Saturday morning” and being “in a playground.” That was because he was working alongside people he grew up watching, and they were all “wearing spandex” and playing “make believe” alongside him.

That alone has me more than willing to pay the price of admission to see what the Russo Brothers have cooked up. However, Liu made sure to end his conversation about this new movie by reassuring fans that both the wait for this film and the cost of admission to see it will be well worth it. He said:

Considering the consistent excitement Liu has shown about Doomsday and how elated he is to be part of this cast, I was already sat. Like him, it’s hard to believe this stacked ensemble will really be in one movie together.

However, hearing him potentially tease who he might share scenes with and verify that Doomsday will 100% be worth the cost of a movie ticket, my hype for it has somehow grown even bigger.

The cast of Avengers: Doomsday is the kind that will get any movie fan excited. Marvel had us staring at chairs for several hours in order to learn just who would be in the movie, and we enjoyed every minute of it. The fact that we’ll get to see so many big names and big characters on screen together in the upcoming Marvel movie is going to be incredible, and even members of the Doomsday cast feel that way.

When Simu Liu returns as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday, it will be only his second live-action appearance in the role. As such, while speaking with Japanese publication The River, Liu admitted to feeling anxious when it comes to filming with so many “amazing” people. Liu said (translated from Japanese via Google Translate)...

While we’ve been promised a sequel to Shang-Chi, nothing has materialized, a fact that has seemingly frustrated Liu as much as anybody. Doomsday will mark the character’s return, while Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton is now handling Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Compared to the likes of a returning Robert Downey Jr., whom Liu says he was “blown away by,” and Chris Hemsworth, the Shang-Chi star is a relative newcomer to both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the upper levels of Hollywood. Liu is clearly a little starstruck as he’s working alongside actors he greatly admires. He continued…

Considering that Alan Cumming apparently didn’t get to interact with many other stars, because he apparently didn’t even know who he was supposed to be fighting or sharing scenes with, it sounds like Simu Liu had a much better experience filming Doomsday.

With so many members of the Doomsday cast, and little specific information regarding what the actual plot of the movie is, it’s impossible to even guess what sorts of scenes Simu Liu was filming, or with whom. Since Liu mentioned Downey by name, implying that he has seen some of his Doctor Doom scenes. So it's at least possible that the two share moments on screen.

If that's the case, then perhaps Shang-Chi's return to the MCU will be the triumphant one we've been waiting for. We'll find out when Avengers: Doomsday arrives next year.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, thanks to new releases hitting theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen the peaks and valleys of the post-Endgame MCU. A high point was was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, although there's been no news about its planned sequel. And after James Gunn revealed Superman's sequel Man of Tomorrow was already on the way, Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu seemingly threw some shade at Marvel.

Fans have waited years to see Liu return in upcoming Marvel movies, which will finally happen next year as he's part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast. Unfortunately, there's been no news about Shang-Chi 2, despite Liu's continued passion for the sequel. Recently a fan on Twitter shared excitement for Superman's sequel, posting:

I mean, points were made. Even if superhero sequel are green lit, it usually takes years of development, writing and (eventually shooting). DC co-CEO James Gunn confirmed Superman: Man of Tomorrow's script is already done, and it's been given a release date. The above comment prompted Simu Liu to share his own emoji reaction to the news, check it out below:

I mean, can you blame him? While Liu is finally getting to suit back up as Shang-Chi in Doomsday, seeing how fast superhero sequels can come together must be maddening for the 36 year-old actor. So why can't his burgeoning franchise get the same treatment? After all, Simu Liu has been keeping in superhero shape for years.

What we know about Shang-Chi 2 is basically nothing, as Kevin Feige and the powers that be at Marvel have been busy with other projects. While director Destin Daniel Cretton is expected to return, the studio is first going to use his talents on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is filming now.

With his emoji Liu once again showed how frustrated he is with the lack of progress on Shang-Chi 2. While the studio still wants to keep the actor on as his signature character in projects like Doomsday, it doesn't appear that his first sequel is a huge priority at the moment. Hopefully that'll change sooner rather than later.

This lack of forward movement is also frustrating for fans, especially those who want some answers after Shang-Chi's credits scene. In it we saw Wong appear and bring the title character into a meeting with Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner after the Ten Rings were working as a homing beacon for an unknown entity. Does this make him an Avenger? Only time will tell.

Liu will return to his signature role when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. Maybe seeing Shang-Chi back on the big screen will inspire the studio to make some real progress with his sequel.

As we look forward to the release of Avengers: Doomsday among the upcoming Marvel movies on the way, anticipation is high for the return of Robert Downey Jr., this time as the villain, Doctor Doom. While we know full well the cast isn’t going to tell journalists much of anything about what’s going on set as the movie continues to go through production, Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu did have some sweet words to share about getting to work with the former Iron Man actor.

Simu Liu was asked about filming Avengers: Doomsday for the Japanese publication The River (with his words translated from Japanese in the article). RDJ’s name came up when Liu was asked which cast member has inspired him the most on the set. He shared:

Robert Downey Jr., of course, effectively helped launch the MCU with his role in Iron Man, and was really the life blood of the superhero franchise across numerous films over the years. Liu also said that “every day feels like a dream” working on the Avengers project after debuting into the universe in 2021 with Shang-Chi And The Legend of the Ten Rings. Liu said he can hardly believe he’s working with the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, which was revealed to the public through a five-hour livestream. As he continued about Downey Jr.:

Robert Downey Jr. surprised Hall H during San Diego Comic-Con in 2024 with the announcement that he’d be back in the MCU, but as Doctor Doom rather than Tony Stark. Since then, there was a tease at the end of Fantastic Four: First Steps that points to Doctor Doom’s reign of terror perhaps having something to do with the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, but there’s still a lot we have left to learn about the plot of Avengers: Doomsday.

Simu Liu is in the Doomsday cast that is full to the brim with star power. From Chris Hemsworth coming back as Thor, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Letitia Wright as Black Panther, to some of the original X-Men, including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen playing their mutant roles again, to the Thunderbolts/New Avengers and Fantastic Four, it must be incredibly overwhelming. Liu told the publication that while he’s been feeling “anxious at times” on the set, his cast-mates are “so wonderful” that it doesn’t even feel like work.

There’s already a lot of fan theories out there about what the next Avengers movies could mean for the MCU, but we’ll have to wait to see it all come together on December 18, 2026.

Simu Liu’s martial arts talents are on full display when he plays the Marvel Cinematic Universe hero Shang-Chi. Off camera, though, it seems there's a more romantic side to the actor. Liu is currently engaged to Allison Hsu, and the couple seems to be quite happy together. Ahead of the pair's big day, Liu shared some words for his fiancè, on her birthday, and his sentiments are just too cute.

Interscope Records’ marketing director, Allison Hsu, was first reported to be dating Simu Liu in late 2022. While the couple normally keeps their relationship low-key, their rare public moments leave me gushing over them every time. As the engaged couple prepares to say “I Do,” the Barbie actor shared his sentimental birthday comment to Instagram. The comment is short and sweet, but it seems to be a truly lovely summation of Liu's feelings for his fiancè:

Aww, I can’t take it! Based on all of the photos Allison Hsu posted, she and Simu Liu truly are a picture-perfect couple. It also looks like in one of the photos that the Canadian actor is also giving a dinner toast to his bride-to-be. If only I could've been a fly on the wall during that sweet-looking event.

Of course, I also can’t get over Simu Liu’s adorable dog making a cameo in the photos. Allison Hsu is incredibly lucky that she’s close to marrying not just an action star but a dog daddy as well.

Liu rarely provides insight into his relationship with his future wife. He previously recalled back in 2022 what a “stressful time” it was meeting her parents for the first time. But that’s only natural when it comes to meeting the people who could become your future in-laws. At the 20th Annual Unforgettable Gala, Liu also complimented Hsu for being a “badass” in everything she does. Considering Liu knows a thing or two about powerful superheroes, that truly says a lot coming from him.

The Liu/Hsu love story reached a brand new chapter in May when the Marvel actor proposed in Paris, marking the big moment with some sweet photos. In the engagement post Liu shared, he cheekily made a Marvel reference, saying that he still has “nine rings left.” The big rock he gave his fiancè may not have otherworldly powers like his Marvel superhero’s rings have, but the piece of jewelry itself was certainly impressive. (Seriously, it's quite the rock.)

It really does warm my heart to see Simu Liu continue to find sweet ways to honor or celebrate his bride-to-be. Finding love in any context -- whether a person is a celebrity or not -- can be difficult. So it's wonderful to see that Liu has been able to find a person he treasures and wants to spend the rest of his life with.

Revisit Simu Liu’s breakthrough performance in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings using a Disney+ subscription. Also, know that Liu's character is set to return in Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters on December 18 as part of the 2026 movie schedule.

After being forced to sit out 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marvel Studios returned in a big way in 2021 by not only kicking off its run of Disney+ subscription-exclusive MCU TV shows, but also releasing four movies. The second of those movies was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, starring Simu Liu as the titular character. I certainly found Shang-Chi’s origin story to be an enjoyable watch, but four years after its release, an internet user made a comment about him that I’ve also been wondering about.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was both a critical and commercial success for Marvel, so there’s no question that this was one of the stronger debuts for an MCU character, especially post-Phase 3. And yet, as X user @brookstweetz so astutely put it:

Now to be fair, that’s not entirely accurate, as Simu Liu did vocally reprise Shang-Chi in two episodes of What If… ? Season 3, and he’ll also be heard in Marvel Zombies on the 2025 TV schedule this October. But as far as the main MCU reality goes, i.e. the Sacred Timeline, yeah, I agree it is weird that the skilled martial artist and inheritor of the mystical ten rings previously wielded by his father has not popped up since then. That’s not to say the still-in-development Shang-Chi 2 needed to be released by now, but given Marvel’s habit of having leading superheroes from one project make supporting appearances or cameos in other projects, I can’t be faulted for thinking that Shang-Chi could have gotten the same treatment.

The good news is we at least know when we’ll finally reunite with the Sacred Timeline’s Shang-Chi. Simu Liu is part of the massive ensemble cast for next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, which has been filming in London since late April. Although Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ mid-credits scene teased that the rings are acting as a beacon for something, it’s unclear if that will be addressed in Doomsday. It also remains to be seen if Liu will also be present in Avengers: Secret Wars, as so far Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom and the Fantastic Four are only confirmed characters for that movie.

Still, it’ll be nice to Shang-Chi back in action come December 18, 2026. It’s been far too long since we spent time with him in a live-action setting, and I look forward to seeing him fight alongside the Fantastic Four, Avengers, New Avengers and X-Men, among others. Meanwhile, Simu Liu’s next movie, the animated In Your Dreams, will become available to stream with a Netflix subscription starting on November 14.

Avengers: Doomsday has to be the most highly-anticipated upcoming Marvel movies in a while, if not purely for the huge cast of heroes we can’t wait to see interact. Right now, the movie is filming in London, and a new photo of James Marsden and Simu Liu working out together shows off how heroic they are looking to go up against Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom.

James Marsden is set to reprise his role as Scott Summers, a.k.a. Cyclops, in Doomsday alongside a number of original X-Men actors for the first time since his cameo appearance in 2014’s X-Men: Days Of Future Past. As filming continues to take place in London, he linked up with Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu for a game of padel. Check out the picture of the pair of Avengers: Doomsday stars:

Oh, the guns are out for sure! Marsden and Liu definitely look like a couple of swole Marvel actors as they posed with physical therapist Dr. Ethan-Ira Mamuric, PT, DPT and padel player Eloise Tait while playing the sport in an indoor court. Perhaps padel was the Doomsday stars’ cardio for the day in between saving the multiverse?

Doomsday has been filming at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England since April 28. We even heard Marvel is spending millions to film at Windsor Great Park near Surrey as well. It was perfect timing for the cast to take a field trip to watch Thunderbolts* as an early bonding activity. Liu and Marsden are just a small portion of the cast that also includes the new Fantastic Four, the Thunderbolts team and established Avengers characters like Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Letitia Wright’s Black Panther and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki.

Also, for the first time in the MCU (aside from Hugh Jackman being in Deadpool vs. Wolverine and a few cameo moments), the X-Men will be very much back. Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Ian McKellen’s Magneto, Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast and Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique are also slated to be part of the team, as well as Channing Tatum's Gambit. Fans have already been making art imagining their entrance in the movie!

While the original Avengers: Doomsday release date was going to be next summer, last month, Marvel changed it to December 2026 right next to the third Dune movie. The Russo Brothers have said they will shoot Doomsday and Secret Wars pretty much back-to-back, but there will be much larger break between movies for the actors than there was for Infinity War and Endgame (which was four weeks). Secret Wars is set to hit theaters in December 2027.

Anyways, seeing James Marsden and Simu Liu together and looking swole has me wondering if Cyclops and Shang-Chi will link up and become friendly during the upcoming Avengers movies.

Netflix just dropped the first extended footage from its upcoming animated film In Your Dreams, and it looks like a lot of fun. It’s about two siblings who escape into their own dream world to try and save their family. The first teaser trailer goes heavy on the comedy, but its subject matter and the tone give hints that it’ll likely have a big emotional payoff too.

As a fan of animated movies, I’m stoked about the unique animation style and the promises of absurd imagery. As someone who can’t remember any of my dreams, I have a lot of feelings. I can get to those in a minute though. First, you can check out the teaser trailer which has a whole lot more footage than you’re probably expecting…

My entire life, people have been talking to me about their dreams, and it’s always made me extremely jealous. Maybe like twice a year I’ll wake up with a vague sense that I may have been thinking about something while I was sleeping, but it’s always gone almost immediately. I’m sure something is happening inside my mind while I’m out, but it just gets discarded immediately.

Meanwhile, everyone else I talk to seems to be having these wild adventures every night. When I was a kid, I was even jealous of people who had bad dreams. I just wanted to feel something, wanted to know I was up to some kind of shenanigans while I was asleep. I’ve mentally adjusted and am not actively bothered by it anymore, but then I see a trailer like that and get a flush of feelings about what I’m missing out on.

Regardless, this movie looks like a lot of fun. It follows Stevie and her little brother Elliot who discover a book that talks about The Sandman’s ability to make their dreams come true. In order to accomplish that, they seemingly have to enter a dream world and fight off whales and giraffes and a giant hot dog to find him. They’ll do that with the help of Elliot’s favorite stuffed animal Baloney Tony, who is voiced by Office standout Craig Robinson in a role he was born to play.

The film is scheduled to hit Netflix on November 14th, which has quietly been building up a really solid library of animated films filled with hidden gems. It stars the aforementioned Robinson, as well as Simu Liu, Cristin Milioti, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport and Elias Janssen. It’s directed by Alex Woo and co-directed by Erik Benson, who together wrote the screenplay. Judging by the teaser trailer, it may also have a lot of fun music.

Whether you remember your dreams or not, you’re going to want to check In Your Dreams out, which is now one of my most anticipated upcoming movie releases.

This past weekend, Simu Liu revealed some big news (and, no, it’s not related to the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday or the long-hoped-for Shang-Chi sequel). Liu confirmed that he and his longtime girlfriend, Allison Hsu, are officially engaged. The actor signified the occasion by sharing lovely photos as well as an A+ Marvel reference. Since Liu made the announcement, a number of fellow celebrities like Florence Pugh and Ming-Na Wen have reached out, but it’s one fan’s Dwayne Johnson joke that’s really taking me out.

Simu Liu, 36, and Allison Hsu, 28, jointly shared a post on Instagram, which revealed that the former popped the question in Paris or The City of Lights.” The photos are absolutely sweet, but what’s also heartwarming is the array of responses from other stars. Florence Pugh led the charge with some sweet sentiments, with Rachel Zegler also expressing excitement. You can see their messages along with some from Ming-Na Wen, Ken Jeong and Ariana DeBose:

• AHHHHHHH HOW AMAZING! Sending love to you both ❤️ - Florence Pugh
• YAYYYY - Rachel Zegler
• Congrats!💕 - Karen Fukuhara
• CONGRATS!!!!❤️❤️❤️ - Ken Jeong
• 👏👏❤️❤️Congrats you two lovebirds! - Ming-Na Wen
• Congrats you two🤍🙌🏾✨ - Ariana DeBose
• 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 - Lance Bass
• Congrats you two!! 😍 - Melissa Barrera
• 😍😍 - Natasha Lyonne

What a lovely chorus of comments from some of Hollywood’s biggest talents. They’re not the only ones weighing in on the engagement either. Fans have been sending their congratulations, too, and have been making good-natured puns, too. One user by the name of ceryslxwxs really won the day, as they evoked Dwayne Johnson’s name while complimenting Allison Hsu’s ring:

Seriously, I can’t be the only one who appreciates that pun, right? Even if I man, it doesn’t matter, because it’s downright perfect. There were also a few other great ones as well, with a user named onebakersjourney also declaring, “That’s no diamond….THAT’S A NEW INFINITY STONE!” Simu Liu himself referenced his Marvel character, Shang-Chi when mentioning “nine rings.” On that note, artist Matt Senger said, “SHANG CHI AND THE NINE RINGS CONFIRMED”. Check out the ring for yourself in the post below:

It was in 2022 that Simu Liu and Allison Hsu were reported to be dating and, around that time, neither of them spoke much about their romance. However, by December of that same year, Liu opened up about meeting Hsu’s parents. They eventually went public with their relationship, appearing at a number of notable show business-related events.

While the Kim’s Convenience alum is being open about popping the question to his lady, he is keeping secrets regarding Avengers: Doomsday. The film is now in production in the UK, and, of course, the members of the ensemble cast are remaining mum on plot details. What is known is that the Shang-Chi actor has been getting in shape for his MCU movie return, and his abs are definitely proof of that.

Given that Simu Liu could be in for a long production schedule due to this latest Marvel movie, I hope he and his fiancé have some time to soak in their happiness as well as the positive messages they’ve received from celebrities and fans. Here’s to years of happiness for the couple and to more A+ Dwayne Johnson and Marvel puns!

It’s not uncommon to associate springtime with change, given that for years, many have marked it as a period of time for new beginnings. That definitely seems to be the case for Simu Liu, who just announced his engagement to his girlfriend, Allison Hsu. Liu confirmed the news in a sweet way, as he shared several photos from what appears to have been a lovely proposal. That’s lovely enough, but what the superhero fan in me also appreciated is the clever way he referenced his fresh Marvel character in one of his posts.

The 36-year-old Marvel Cinematic Universe star shared the big news on Instagram, sharing a carousel of photos to signify the occasion. From the looks of it, the actor popped the question in Paris, and I can’t think of a better place to propose. One photo the leading man shared shows him and Allison Hsu embracing, with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Check out that snapshot and more in the post below:

It’s hard not to be excited for the couple as they seek to begin this new chapter in their lives. Kudos to Simu Liu for proposing in such a romantic place, as I’m sure his future wife certainly won’t forget that. Also, can we talk about that rock? That’s a fine piece of jewelry if there ever was one. Funny enough, Liu’s MCU character, Shang-Chi, knows a thing or two about attention-catching accessories as well. So it was definitely appropriate for the actor to reference that when sharing one of the pics above in an Instagram stories post:

Anyone who was aware that Shang-Chi has access to ten mythical rings likely understood that comment right away. Of course, the ring that the Barbie alum presented to his partner doesn’t hold any kind of otherworldly powers or grant immortality. All in all, the proposal, the photos and the Marvel reference are enough to make my nerdy heart sing.

Simu Liu and 28-year-old Allison Hsu – who’s a marketing director – were first romantically linked back in 2022. Around that time, the Hsu and Liu’s relationship was relatively low key, with neither really discussing it or posting about it. However, by December 2022, Liu opened about the experience of meeting his lady’s parents for the first time. They’ve also since appeared together at red carpet events.

The past several months have seen a few engagements amongst MCU alums. In January, it was rumored that Spider-Man stars Tom Holland and Zendaya were engaged when the latter was spotted wearing a massive ring at the 2025 Golden Globes. Reports later backed up the claims that Holland had popped the question. And, in a lovely twist of fate, the pair’s co-star, Jacob Batalon, also proposed to his girlfriend, Veronica Leahov.

When it comes to the aforementioned superhero franchise, Simu Liu – like many of his colleagues – is in production on the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. He’s already been working out in the gym, at least that’s what one would think when they see Liu’s abs. I don’t know about anyone else but, since 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription), I’ve been eager to see the titular character in another MCU film. So I’m excited for him to return to the big screen.

Of course, I’m also hyped for both Simu Liu and Allison Hsu and wish them the very best. There’s no indication as to when they’ll actually tie the knot, but they’ll surely do so in their own time.

Another Marvel movie has arrived to the 2025 movies schedule, as Thunderbolts* is now available for the public to see. While I won’t be sharing any spoilers for the latest MCU tale here, what isn’t a spoiler is that it was officially announced last month that many of Thunderbolts*’s starring characters will be back for next year’s Avengers: Doomsday. Robert Downey Jr. and Simu Liu are among the many co-stars these folks will have in the upcoming Marvel movie, and after both men shared pictures of themselves and other Doomsday cast members going to see Thunderbolts*, I’m ready for the crossovers to commence.

Let’s start with Simu Liu, who debuted as the title character of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in fall 2021. Check out him alongside Winston Duke, Robert Downey Jr., Channing Tatum, Chris Hemsworth and Anthony Mackie at their Thunderbolts* screening in the below Instagram post:

Hi, yes, could I go to see movies with this group of guys, too? This is quite the collection of actors who play superheroes in the MCU… or in Downey’s case, I should say former superhero. Because following the death of Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, Downey has returned to the franchise to play Doctor Doom, the big bad of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. As for Simu Liu, although Doomsday will mark his cinematic return as Shang-Chi, he did voice an alternate version of the character last year in What If… ? Season 3, which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription.

Now let’s look at the photos Robert Downey Jr. shared on his own Instagram account, which include some other attendees not seen in Liu’s photo:

Alongside the aforementioned actors, Vanessa Kirby and Ebon Moss-Bachrach from The Fantastic Four: First Steps were also in attendance. We’ll meet their versions of Sue Storm/Invisible Woman and Ben Grimm/The Thing this summer, and then they’ll be back for Avengers: Doomsday alongside Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Joseph Quinn’s Johnny Storm/Human Torch. Between Avengers, Thunderbolts, the Fantastic Four and even some of the Fox-era X-Men characters, Doomsday is shaping up to be one hell of an event.

Needless to say that Avengers: Doomsday plot details are being kept a closely-guarded secret, though we at least know it’ll involve Doctor Doom wreaking havoc on the multiverse. Originally it was going to be Kang the Conqueror doing this, but after Marvel Studios fired Jonathan Majors at the end of 2023, Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom was brought in to fill the big bad position. Both Doomsday and Secret Wars are being directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, who previously helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

Avengers: Doomsday one year from today, on May 1, 2026. In the meantime, be sure to read our Thunderbolts* review and start getting yourself prepared for The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ release on July 25.

Spoiler Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for Last Breath. If you’ve yet to watch the rescue thriller, please return to the surface and check it out with a Peacock subscription before going any deeper.

There are quite a few 2025 movies I’ve been able to take in on the big screen this year, but I haven’t been able to see everything I originally planned to catch in theaters. That’s the case for Last Breath, the “stressful” survival thriller about a saturation diver being separated from his crew during a massive storm on the North Sea. I did get to watch it at home when the film made its streaming debut, and while I did enjoy it, I still can’t help but feel like I missed out on something grand.

Don’t get me wrong, this white-knuckle thriller based on a true story starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole checked all the boxes, left me on the edge of my seat, and had me pacing around my bedroom a few times. However, there were a handful of intense scenes that would have been even better had I made time to catch this on the biggest screen possible.

Chris And David's Attempt To Reach The Diving Bell Was Probably So Intense On The Big Screen

Before the ship malfunctions and Chris Lemons (Finn Cole) is sent to the bottom of the North Sea with only minutes of oxygen in his suit, the saturation diver and his partner, David Yuasa (Simu Liu) are sent to conduct scheduled maintenance on several gas lines 300 feet below the surface. But, a routine task soon becomes anything but when the ship’s positioning system goes haywire in the middle of a storm, meaning they only have seconds to get back to their diving bell or risk being left at the bottom of the sea.

This sequence, which comes about 30 minutes into Last Breath, is a terrifying race to safety as the two experienced divers attempt to reach the bell and go back to the surface. I was on pins and needles watching from the comfort of my own home, I can only imagine how extreme this had to have been in a dark theater with a massive screen.

But the movie was just getting started…

The Moment Chris' Line Snapped, Pulling Him To The Seabed, Had To Have Been Terrifying

Though the Last Breath trailer (and all the TV spots) heavily teased the moment Chris’ line breaks just before he can reach safety and is flung to the bottom of the sea, the sequence didn’t lose any of its intensity when I was watching the new movie streaming on Peacock. In fact, knowing that it was coming, but not exactly when, made the whole sequence all the more nerve-wracking and exciting, to say the least.

I was watching this all go down in my bedroom as I folded laundry on a Sunday afternoon (this is a perfect Sunday afternoon movie, by the way), so I can only imagine how nightmarish it was seeing it while surrounded by strangers on my local AMC Theaters’ Dolby Cinema screen. I would have been jumping, biting my nails, and stress-eating a box of Milk Duds by that point.

I Would Have Loved To Have Experienced The Deafening Silence Of Chris' Attempt To Reach The Manifold

Another moment I think would have been great on the big screen was the sequence in which Chris is at the bottom of the sea, trying to make his way back to the manifold so he can await rescue. Though not as action-packed as the rest of the film, this short segment has a deafening silence and sense of dread that’s honestly breathtaking (no pun intended). Stuck in a state of fear, contemplation, and doom, this short sequence of events was one of my favorite parts of the entire movie.

There are those moments in theaters where everyone is stuck in a state of silence as the music and background noise of the movie fades away that are just so enchanting, and I’m sure this would have been no different.

The Whole Race By The Bridge To Get The Ship Operational Had Me On The Edge Of My Seat

Like other disaster films from the past, Last Breath isn’t solely focused on what’s going on below the water. Throughout the movie, we’re thrown onto the bridge of the ship with Captain Andre Jenson (Cliff Curtis) as he and his crew attempt to save Chris from ending up dead on the bottom of the sea while also preventing an environmental disaster by accidentally disrupting an underwater gas line.

This whole section of the movie, which is cut with footage of the underwater operation and Chris trying to survive without oxygen or a tether to the diving bell, is exhilarating, to say the least. Multiple characters get time to shine and attempt to save lives (both under and above the water), which adds a dizzying yet satisfying element to the story. My TV’s speakers aren’t what they used to be, so I’m sure the whole series of events was even more chaotic while watching the movie the way it was meant to be seen.

I Can Only Imagine How I Would Have Reacted To Those Terrifying Shots Of The North Sea

I know I keep talking about the North Sea, but have you all watched any real-life videos from the massive and dangerous body of water connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the English Channel? Just go onto TikTok, X, or any other social media platform and you’ll see what I mean. Throughout the movie, the sea is treated like a monster, one that is trying to claim the lives of anyone who enters its turbulent and frigid waters (two degrees above freezing, according to one character).

Sunny or stormy, day or night, it doesn’t matter; the North Sea is formidable throughout the film, and I cannot imagine how ferocious those swells looked and felt in a theater with state-of-the-art picture and sound and not a 42-inch Samsung from 2013. Breathtaking doesn’t even begin to describe it.

I Would Have Loved To See How Audiences Would Have Reacted To David Rescuing Chris At The End

One of my favorite parts about going to a movie is listening to the audience talk about it as they walk out. Good or bad, these comments help me figure out how people in general receive the movie. I would have loved to hear what folks had to say about this thriller, especially when it came to David rescuing Chris at the end of the movie.

I don’t think it would be on the level of Cap saying “Avengers… assemble” in Avengers: Endgame’s epic battle sequence, but I bet it was awesome and received at least one cheer and some clapping scattered throughout the theater. Instead, it was just me jumping up and knocking over laundry while my cat stared at me before going back to sleep.

All in all, I’m glad I finally watched Last Breath, even if I didn’t get to enjoy it in its original format. Though it’s not my favorite movie of the year so far, it was a great way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about the big upcoming Marvel movies, but we did get major news recently when the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday was officially revealed during a massive five-and-a-half-hour livestream event. One confirmed cast member, Simu Liu, looks more than ready, having posted a shirtless photo captioned “abracadabra” that shows off his shredded abs and superhero physique. Now, this week, he made a surprise appearance at the upcoming Thunderbolts* European premiere, walking the black-and-yellow carpet in full formal style.

The video Marvel Studios posted on Instagram confirms it: Shang-Chi is still in the Marvel mix and ready to take on Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. Celebrity fashion is frequently interesting, and Liu looked sharp in a sleek black trench coat and brought his usual calm confidence, showing up to support the MCU’s next big antihero group. Fans are buzzing about his appearance!

Fans were happy to see the Shang-Chi performer. One commenter thinks they might have cracked the reason why Liu showed up at the premiere:

Honestly, the fan has a point: It wouldn’t be shocking. Marvel is known for planting the seeds early, and Liu’s appearance at the premiere, despite little news about Shang-Chi 2 or an official release date, definitely feels intentional. Whether it was a cameo tease or just good old Marvel family solidarity, his support of Thunderbolts* felt like more than just a red carpet photo op.

The news is also coming a few days after a shirtless gym pic, which you can see below, which is what initially sparked the fan theories. The Barbie Movie actor’s physical transformation suggests prep for something massive, maybe something before or beyond Avengers: Doomsday.

This isn’t just speculation. The Kim's Convenience veteran has said before that he takes his role as Shang-Chi seriously, both in terms of physicality and legacy. Seeing him back in top-tier shape three years after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (streaming with a Disney+ subscription) is a pretty clear sign that something’s brewing behind the scenes.

We haven’t seen Liu on screen since 2021, but even with that break, Shang-Chi is still one of the most praised solo films from the MCU's Phase Four. The movie combines awesome action with a touching story and great performances, which made the character an instant fan favorite. It makes sense that, although Marvel has always been pretty tight-lipped about their flicks to avoid spoilers from leaking, they want the Chinese-Canadian performer in the spotlight as the franchise gears up for Doomsday, especially since the upcoming multiversal chaos will need solid, powerful characters like Shang-Chi more than ever.

Simu Liu showing up looking premiere (and Avengers!) ready is just more fuel for the theory that his return is imminent. Whether it’s a surprise in the house of ideas upcoming superhero movie Thunderboltsz* stinger, a key role in Doomsday, or that long-awaited Shang-Chi sequel, one thing’s for sure: his abs are ready for their moment in the spotlight.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to release on May 1, 2026. The next Marvel movie, The Thunderbolts*, lands in theaters on May 2, 2025.

While there’s a lot we still don’t know about all the big upcoming Marvel movies, we recently got some big news in the form of the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday being officially confirmed during an epic five and a half hour livestream event. One member of that cast, Simu Liu, recently revealed that, while he, of course, knew that his name would appear, the rest of the names were as much a surprise for him as it was for the rest of us.

Appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Simu Liu talked about how excited he was to be joining the cast. However, who else would be named was apparently news to him. He says he knew nothing about Doomsday beyond his own participation because a couple of other Avengers had ruined it for everybody. Liu said…

Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo both have reputations for having loose lips when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland especially has needed to be handled to avoid spilling the beans. Both actors have a tendency to say more than they should about their movies. Marvel has always been pretty tight with details in order to avoid spoilers from leaking, but it seems the studio is taking zero chances with its own talent.

This meant that the endless stream of chairs was just as wild an experience for Simu Liu because he didn’t know what names would be appearing. By and large, the biggest surprise for fans was the list of original X-Men franchise actors who will be joining the MCU. Liu specifically mentioned two of them that he is very excited about. The Shang-Chi actor said…

One can tell that the idea of acting alongside Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen has Simu Liu more than a little excited.

Of course, if details of Avengers: Doomsday are being kept under wraps, then he likely doesn't know yet if he’ll share a scene with either of them. With so many characters appearing in the film, unless the movie contains an Avengers: Endgame-style final battle that includes literally everybody, then it’s more likely that only small groups of these characters will share screentime together.

We’ll find out what’s going on when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters next year. Hopefully, Shang-Chi and the X-Men get to hang out together for a while.

If you’ve watched the Marvel movies in order, you probably know Simu Liu as the ass-kicking, dragon-riding hero of Shang-Chi, but lately he’s been making headlines for something a little less superheroic—and a lot more hilarious. The actor, who recently broke the internet with a casual grey-sweatpants thirst trap, is now spilling the tea on the body hair removal sacrifice he made for that Ken-ergy vibe—plus, he talked about one Barbie co-star who just quietly sat that one out.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but Simu Liu was included in the cast list recently announced by the studio. In a clip posted to The Jennifer Hudson Show’s official YouTube channel, the Shang-Chi star talked about how excited he is to return to the upcoming Marvel movie. However, the real highlight was what he shared about his experience on Barbie. When asked about getting Ken smooth for the flick, the Arthur the King actor recounted:

If you’re playing along at home, that’s a not-so-subtle jab at Barbie co-star Kingsley Ben-Adir, who apparently opted out of the group grooming session.

The billion-dollar box-office hit Barbie movie featured a gloriously committed ensemble of Kens (Ryan Gosling, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, and Ben-Adir among them) all sporting impossibly smooth limbs and sun-drenched abs. But according to Liu, that baby-skin finish came at a cost—one he assumed was part of the job. He continued:

This grooming news adds to all the behind-the-scenes stories about Barbie, which you can check out with a Max subscription. It’s clear that Barbie’s still got a lot of appeal. The movie’s success, along with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, helped bring the box office back to life after the big hit it took because of COVID-19. You have to wonder if Sim Liu’s smooth, chiseled look had anything to do with the film’s success, right? Just trying to give the actor a little boost.

Avengers: Doomsday is officially in production, and lucky for Liu, his costume is a full-body suit. So while he's gearing up for his role in the upcoming superhero flick, I doubt he’ll need any waxing. Honestly, I thought we would have seen more of Shang-Chi by now, especially since a sequel got the green light right after the first movie did so well. But the sequel hasn’t made it onto Marvel Studios' official schedule, which had people worried it was canceled altogether. After a long wait, it’s great that he’s finally returning to the MCU!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly releasing new content, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know Phases Four and Five introduced a ton of new characters, including Simu Liu's Shang-Chi. The 35 year-old actor recently shared a shirtless thirst trap in grey sweatpants, and he definitely looks ready to suit back up as his Marvel hero.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but Simu Liu was included in the cast list that was recently announced by the studio. He'll presumably start filming that upcoming Marvel movie soon, and he certainly seems to be in superheroic shape. Check out his recent Instagram post:

Honestly, I feel bad for Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom at this point. I wouldn't want to get into a tussle with Liu while he's looking that swole. And folks in the comments section are definitely thrilled about the concept of the actor's long-awaited return as Shang-Chi.

Indeed, the comments section on this post are pretty lively. It's an even mix of folks who are straight up thirsting after Simu Liu, as well as Marvel fans who are hyped about him looking so swole ahead of filming Avengers: Doomsday. Check out some choice responses below:

• 🔥 Gray sweatpants?! How very dare you! 🔥 crafty_dough
• Shang-Chi is coming back 🔥🔥 andydv27
• I think he's lost his shirt. He can be my Ken. 🥴🫠🔥 lorrainehorton1
• My one ring just became 10 rings greatmemewall
• Abracadaddy sicknanchez56 

The Kim's Convenience alum was probably expecting these types of reactions upon posting this thirst trap. Between being able to wash clothes on his abdominals and the afore mentioned grey sweat pants, there are plenty of fire emojis and folks calling Liu "Daddy." Hey, that's what happens when you become a superhero and sex symbol at the same time.

Ever since Shang-Chi's ending, fans have been waiting for Simu Liu to return as the title role. Development on the Shang-Chi 2 has been slow going, despite fan excitement for the hero. Not every newcomer has been received so well by the fandom, just look at the reception for Eternals and The Marvels' box office bomb.

Fans were thrilled when it was confirmed that Liu was finally going to play Shang-Chi again in Avengers: Doomsday. There are countless questions about that developing blockbuster. Fans are wondering exactly how that ensemble of characters will be used, as well as how RDJ's Doctor Doom will be introduced and utilized. Hopefully we get more information sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately fans will still have to wait, as Avengers: Doomsday isn't even on the 2025 movie release list. First up is Thunderbolts* which arrives on May 2nd.

Yesterday was a wild one for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The biggest upcoming Marvel movie in years, Avengers: Doomsday, officially went into production in a big way. Rather than simply issuing a press release or putting out a fun teaser video, Marvel Studios ran a live-stream for five and a half hours that slowly drip-fed fans 27 names that make up the (current) official cast of the film, and it included Simu Liu.

I live-blogged the entire Doomsday cast reveal, and of the entire list of names, one that got me the most excited was Simu Liu. We haven’t seen Shang-Chi in live-action since his debut, but the surprise also got some journalists fired up as they called the actor out for dodging their Doomsday questions.

Simu Liu Celebrated His Inclusion In The Avengers: Doomsday Cast, And A Journalist Called Him Out

The official reveal of the Avengers: Doomsday cast had more than a few surprises, including more than a few X-Men. However, one person who was clearly very happy that his name was on the list was Simu Liu. He posted the video of his chair reveal on Instagram to prove it.

A lot of fans responded to Liu’s post with words of congratulations and excitement. However, ScreenRant's Liam Crowley, who has interviewed Simu Liu on more than one occasion, seems to have felt a little betrayed, as he posted a comment calling him out:

The journalist uses some harsh words, but it becomes clear that he and Simu Liu are just having some fun together. Liu could have ignored the post or responded with a sheepish apology. He complimented the journalist, instead.

Everybody in this line of work tries to get the big scoops when interviewing actors who are part of major franchises, and most of the time, we fail. The actors have been trained pretty well when it comes to avoiding answers, and Simu Liu is better than some of his other Marvel compatriots, for sure.

Simu Liu Has Been Avoiding Marvel Questions A Lot Recently

Those of us who work in the world of entertainment journalism are used to asking questions of actors that we don’t necessarily expect will get answers. We have to ask, and sometimes we might even get something, but most of the time, actors are well-versed in avoiding straight answers. And yes, sometimes they just straight-up lie.

Simu Liu has been doing a lot of this recently. The above case wasn’t the only time he was asked about the future of Shang-Chi and had to avoid answering. I recently caught the actor on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and the host also dove into the deep end, asking the actor about Shang-Chi. Liu jokingly gave a robotic boilerplate non-answer before straight up saying…

This interview was only a couple of weeks ago. It’s barely possible that Simu Liu didn’t know he was going to be part of Avengers: Doomsday until last week. However, what’s far more likely is that he’s known what’s going on for months, and has simply had to keep denying it until the news came out.

The truth is a wonderful thing. We honestly thought that we would have seen more of Shang-Chi sooner. A Shang-Chi sequel was given the green light shortly after the first film's success. However, the movie has never been added to Marvel Studios' official schedule. There have been fears the movie had been canceled. However, now, after lots of dodging, we finally know that he'll return to the MCU.

Simu Liu is a man of many talents. He's great at getting ripped for action roles, and his comedic chops made him a great fit for everything from the cast of Barbie to appearances as Shang Chi in upcoming Marvel movies. He's an everyman in Hollywood, but apparently a pretty terrible accountant by his own admission.

While speaking to TODAY about his upcoming 2025 movie Last Breath, Liu revealed that before he broke into the acting world, he was an accountant. It's not something he takes a lot of pride in apparently, as he confessed he was pretty terrible at the job:

The guy can write a killer birthday message for John Cena, but for the love of all that is holy, don't hand him your W-2. The actor sounds less confident in his tax abilities than he is about the fate of Shang Chi 2, and believe me, we're all curious about what is happening there.

Simu Liu went on to talk about how he lost his job in accounting, and coincidentally enough, it's what led to his career in acting. He continued the story by talking about a day at work where he took off after spotting an ad to be in a movie for a notable director:

That movie was Pacific Rim, and his role as an extra in 2013 would snowball into his breakout role in Kim's Convenience a few years later. The beloved series was cut short, but the move ultimately allowed Liu and others to move on to bigger roles. Still, I'd be thrilled to learn the series was being revived years later, though I think the ship has sailed on that front.

Now he's a Marvel hero, and while I'll gladly rewatch his one film with a Disney+ subscription, I hope to see Shang Chi get a bigger role in Avengers: Doomsday or some other ensemble film. I know he had that appearance not that long ago in Marvel's What If...?, but we need more of Liu in Marvel projects!

While I applaud Simu Liu for his honesty about being a bad accountant, I think he could've leaned into his past for a job. I mean, could there be a better actor to cast for The Accountant franchise? Then again, maybe he'd fall into old habits and leave the job to be an extra in another prominent director's movie.

Last Breath is in theaters now, and while you won't see Simu Liu save any money in his latest movie, you may just see him save a life. Now I'm deeply invested in finding out the normal jobs that other celebrities had before hitting it big and hearing about how good or bad they were at said job.

The best true-story survival movies have a way of captivating audiences and making them wonder what they would do and how they would react to similar dire situations. Moviegoers will get the chance to do that when Last Breath — starring Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu and Finn Cole — hits the 2025 movie calendar February 28. Critics have had the opportunity to screen the film ahead of its release, and their opinions are split on how suspenseful it actually is.

Last Breath is the remake of a 2019 documentary of the same name by the same director, Alex Parkinson, and it tells the harrowing story of the three saturation divers who run into trouble 300 feet below the surface when a storm causes their positioning system to fail and Chris Lemons’ (Finn Cole) tether to the vessel is severed. As terrifying as that scenario sounds, Eric Eisenberg says in CinemaBlend’s review of Last Breath the tension fails to translate to the screen. He gives the “shockingly boring” movie 2 out of 5 stars, writing:

Gregory Nussen of Deadline agrees that the film lacks urgency, saying that as astonishing as Chris Lemons’ survival is, the narrative telling of it is lacking in almost every way. Nussen writes:

IndieWire’s David Ehrlich says there’s not much depth to the Last Breath, and it’s creatively redundant, with its 2019 documentary. However, as a “simple but suspenseful” genre exercise, it works because some situations are so unbelievable they belong in a Hollywood script. He grades it a B- and says:

Indeed, some critics got exactly what they wanted out of the survival flick. Emma Stefansky of IGN rates Last Breath a “Great” 8 out of 10, writing that it’s full of inspiring moments of human endurance, made only better by the fact that it’s a true story about a fascinatingly tough job. Stefansky continues:

Mae Abdulbaki of ScreenRant couldn’t look away from this “gritty, grounded thriller,” praising the way it trusts the audience to engage in its humble storytelling without glitzy action sequences. The critic was on the edge of her seat the whole time and also gives the movie an 8 out of 10, writing:

It seems the critics agree that the divers’ tale and efforts to rescue Chris Lemons are worthy of being told, but they don’t necessarily agree on how well Last Breath accomplishes its goal of roping audiences in. If this story sounds like one you want to hear more about, the movie hits theaters on Friday, February 28.

I don’t consider myself a stickler when it comes to defining the parameters of genre, but I also think that each one comes pre-packaged with expectations if not outright promises. If a movie calls itself a romance, I think it’s fair to anticipate that the story will feature two or more characters falling in love. If a movie calls itself horror, I sit down in the theater bracing myself for scares. And if a movie calls itself a thriller, I assume it will make every attempt to raise my blood pressure and keep my ass balancing on the edge of my chair.

So allow this to be my formal complaint about director Alex Parkinson’s Last Breath and its genre classification. The new film certainly has markings of a thriller – it’s based on a true story of survival and has life-or-death stakes play out hundreds of feet beneath the ocean – but there are exactly zero thrills to offer. It adapts the details of a harrowing event and provides audiences with a look into the dangerous world of being a saturation diver, but it’s also shockingly boring in doing so and fails to translate the terrible tension of the reality on the screen.

Parkinson previously directed the documentary of the same name from 2019, and while I admit that I have not seen that feature, I’m left imagining that the feature adaptation must hone extremely close to the facts, as it’s the only logical excuse for why the new film is as dull as it is. It features some extremely talented actors in key roles, but their personalities never evolve beyond tropes, and the film is wholly lacking in compelling narrative developments after the inciting incident. Last Breath thankfully doesn’t overplay its hand, its final cut being a brisk 93 minutes, but it’s not an entertaining way to spend an hour-and-a-half.

Finn Cole plays Chris Lemons, a young man employed in one of the world’s most dangerous jobs. He is a saturation diver, which means that he is trained to perform long term deep-sea operations, and he is tapped for his first mission to do maintenance on an oil pipeline in the North Sea. He is teamed with Duncan Allcock (Woody Harrelson), a veteran and paternal figure who is being forced into retirement following one last job, and David Yuasa (Simu Liu), a stoic who keeps his colleagues at a distance. After days of preparing their bodies for the literal pressure of their job, they set off to the repair site.

While Duncan stays in a diving bell secured to a support vessel on the surface, Chris and David plunge to the ocean floor. Everything goes wrong when the support vessel’s dynamic positioning system fails during a storm, and as the ship begins to drift, it results in Chris’ umbilical tether being severed. David is able to make it back to the diving bell, but his colleague is left at the oil pipeline with an extremely limited air supply. Every minute counts in finding Chris and getting him to safety, which sounds thrilling… but it’s really not.

Reality is treated as a strength by Last Breath, but it’s very much a weakness.

When filmmakers discuss diversions from reality in the making of movies “based on a true story,” the general excuse is that they aren’t making a documentary; there should be a natural understanding from the audience in the making of any narrative feature that some liberties are taken. It’s kind of a cop out, but I very much wish that there was more of that energy in Last Breath, as this is a case of the details of the true story ultimately failing to be cinematic.

I went into my screening not knowing anything about the real events that the film is based on, but being the veteran moviegoer that I am, I was pretty sure that I wasn’t going to be watching a story about a man who, despite the best efforts of his colleagues, tragically died on the floor of the ocean as a result of a technical failure. This in mind, my hopes for entertainment instead rested on being surprised by the inventive and compelling maneuvers by the supporting characters that would result in the protagonist being saved. This expectation was never satisfied. The most “interesting” thing that happens in the rescue mission is a crew member of the support vessel (Josef Altin) going into a server room and rewiring some cables so that the dynamic positioning system will take seconds to reboot instead of an hour. It’s a snore.

Why cast Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu if you’re not going to let them do anything?

One would think that the casting of charismatic stars like Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu would be utilized as a remedy for this narrative issue, as any conflict can be compelling if you deeply care about the characters living through it – but this is just another one of Last Breath’s shortcomings. In describing Duncan and David above, I wasn’t being purposefully brief or tactful in saving surprises for the big screen; there simply isn’t anything else more to their presented personalities. One is a blend of affable and wistful as he mentors Chris and says goodbye to a profession he loves, and the other is emotionally cold, but reveals passion in the effort to save his colleague. Harrelson and Liu (not to mention Cliff Curtis, who plays the personality-less captain for the support vessel) are capable of much more, but there is nothing for them to do with the material.

Last Breath features some interesting cinematography at least.

In collaboration with director of photography Nick Remy Matthews, Alex Parkinson utilizes diverse cinematography that adds layers of realism, with mounted cameras inside the atmosphere-adjusted pods and video from diving suits, and there are some stellar-looking sequences. The best of the runtime is following Chris after he has been untethered and is making his way back to the oil pipeline repair site – his only source of light being a flare that illuminates the water with a nightmarish red shade. It’s beautiful… but also far too brief.

I have nothing but sympathy for the trauma endured by the real people depicted in this story and respect for the rescue efforts, but as harrowing as the true events must have been, that tension is simply not properly translated as a narrative feature in Last Breath. Not all tales of rescue and defying impossible odds are cinematic unto themselves, and this film exists as proof.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen how the share universe struggled a bit in the post-Endgame period, although there were exceptions like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Wondering what's going on with Shang-Chi 2? Sounds like Simu Liu may be, too.

What we know about Shang-Chi 2 is super limited, as there's been almost no news about the upcoming Marvel movie since it was announced. This is somewhat surprising, especially considering how well-received the first movie was. Liu is routinely asked about the project, and hasn't been given answers. And he turned heads when (via Twitter), he liked a comment on TikTok about the sequel taking too long. That comment read:

There you have it. Sounds like Liu is definitely ready to return to the MCU, especially in a sequel to Shang-Chi. But the development process for that title has been super long, and there's no concrete answers as to when production on the sequel will finally begin. And Liu liking that comment seems to indicate that he's feeling antsy too.

Of course, just because Shang-Chi 2 is taking a long time doesn't mean that Simu Liu won't be back as his signature character. He got to voice Shang-Chi in a few episodes of What If...?, although fans are most interested in seeing his return to live-action. That could presumably happen in The Russo Brothers' upcoming Marvel movies, which will be crossover-heavy events like Avengers: Doomsday.

Information about the next two Avengers flicks are super limited right now. A rumor claimed that Shang-Chi was going to be a very big character in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, although that movie was scrapped after Jonathan Majors was fired from his role. While this opened the door for Robert Downey Jr. to return to the MCU as Doctor Doom, I'm hoping that Simu Liu's character still gets to have a big role... especially after how long it's taking to get a proper sequel.

As previously mentioned, there have been a number of notable misses in the MCU after Avengers: Endgame. Audiences and critics failed to connect with Chloé Zhao's Eternals, which isn't getting a sequel anytime soon. The Marvels' was a box office bomb, which was another red flag for the state of the shared universe. Luckily the movie that followed it was Deadpool & Wolverine, which broke records. So there's still hope for the MCU, although there seems to be more risk involved. Perhaps that's why Shang-Chi 2 hasn't moved forward yet.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

It's no secret that comic book projects are everywhere, with a number of shared universes competing at the box office. The DCEU (which is streaming with a Max subscription) has ended, but actors like Henry Cavill remain synonymous with their roles. While there's been a longstanding rivalry between DC and Marvel, Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu recalled meeting Cavill on vacation in Las Vegas, and his story is touching

Some of the best Henry Cavill movies come from his time as Superman, and fans were bummed that he won't be back for the developing DCU's first chapter Gods and Monsters. Regardless, it's nice to hear what a stand-up guy Cavill is, including Liu's sweet story about meeting him. In a video from Fan Expo Canada's Instagram, the Kim's Convenience star shared his experience, offering:

How sweet is that? While Simu Liu was originally nervous to interrupt Henry Cavill's dinner, perhaps the Vegas cocktails gave him some courage. And in the end, the former Witcher actor was kind not only to his fellow superhero, but to Liu's friends as well.

Getting this type of love and compliments from Henry Cavill was no doubt affirming for Liu, who was clearly a big fan of the 41 year-old actor. But that's not the only way that Cavill made his day. As Shang-Chi himself continued:

Talk about a class act. Obviously Liu didn't need his bill picked up, but that's just another sweet gesture that Cavill extended to his fellow actor. And while his time as Superman is done, he's still a hero to many.

Ever since seeing Shang-Chi's credits scenes, fans have been wondering when Simu Liu might pop up in an upcoming Marvel movie. There's been no real news on that front, although fans are assuming he'll factor into Avengers: Doomsday. And as the Barbie actor's star power continues to grow, I wonder if the roles will reverse and he'll make the day of another up-and-coming actor just like Cavill did.

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Simu Liu delights fans on social media with cheeky posts and tidbits from his feature films. The Marvel star is also known to share the occasional selfie, and he truly just delivered in that regard. Liu took to the web to post a shirtless pic, and he looks ripped. Funny enough, one specific thought came to my mind, and that was even before I saw the sea of responses in the comment section. So imagine my surprise when Star Wars veteran John Boyega shared a reaction that completely aligned with what I was thinking about.

What Did Simu Liu Post, And How Did John Boyega React To It?

The Barbie star’s chiseled body (complete with distracting abs) was on full display in a photo that he shared to X. As sizzling as the photo is, it’s his caption that truly seemed to grab some people’s attention. The actor cryptically typed down “prepping…,” with the caption being accompanied by the curious eyes emoji. What really made me chuckle, though, was the how the Star War veteran reacted. Check out the original post and the response:

Needless to say, the Jackpot! star is looking jacked, but it's unclear what he's preparing for. Still, my first inclination was to think that Simu Liu was teasing that work has finally begun on the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings sequel. So it delights me to no end that John Boyega had Marvel’s kung-fu master on the brain as well.

I love and appreciate so much about the Attack the Block star, but what I really love is his admiration for his peers’ work. His gif post would suggest that he’s just as eager to see the Atlas star return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well. What’s also sweet is that the Canadian actor also reacted to John Boyega’s response with a fun one of his own. He shared a gif of John Boyega’s Star Wars character, Finn, from The Force Awakens. As fun as this exchange is, it does remind me that fans are still in need of answers on the next Shang-Chi movie.

How Much Has Been Said About Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi 2 At This Point?

Unfortunately, not much has been said about the next installment of Xu Shang-Chi’s next solo film, and Marvel Studios hasn’t even formally announced it yet. It was reported in 2021, however, that Shang-Chi 2 would move forward, as director Destin Daniel Cretton signed an exclusive multi-year deal with Disney. As part of that agreement, Cretton has overseen another Marvel production – upcoming show Wonder Man. More recently, it was also reported that Cretton had signed on to direct Spider-Man 4, starring Tom Holland.

Should that Spidey news prove to be true, it’s unclear as to how long fans will have to wait to see the next solo film starring the MCU’s resident martial artist. Amid the uncertainty surrounding the superhero flick, though, Simu Liu has been keeping fans optimistic – and not just by posting ripped selfies. Back in April, Liu addressed rumors that the film had been canceled by assuring fans that “it’s happening.”

There’s certainly, at the very least, a chance that the latest social media post from the Simulant star indicates that he’s almost ready to don his eponymous rings once more. I’ll certainly remain hopeful that Shang-Chi 2 is a step closer to happening and, whenever it opens, I’ll be one of the first in line to see it. John Boyega’s reaction to the selfie also makes me confident that he’ll be among those who eventually buy a ticket as well.

While you wait for an official update, stream Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as well as the Marvel movies in order using a Disney+ subscription.

The Acolyte may not have brought in a large enough audience to justify a second season, but there’s certainly no argument that the audience the series did have is quite vocal in their support. Calls to renew Acolyte have not stopped since it was announced that the Disney+ Star Wars series had been canceled. Amid that, big names are showing their support and, more recently, Marvel's Simu Liu sang the praises of Manny Jacinto.

Following the new of The Acolyte's cancellation, Manny Jacinto posted a still from the series to Instagram, adding a simple heart emoji to express his love for the show and the fans. Many responded with their own well wishes and support. One comment that likely carried a lot of weight came from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' Simu Liu, who praised Jacinto’s performance and said he would be rooting for the work to lead to bigger things in the future. Liu said…

In addition to playing a Marvel Cinematic Universe hero, Simu Liu is an avowed Star Wars fan. Liu has shown off some serious lightsaber skills in the past and wouldn't be a bad choice to appear in SW at some point himself. Seeing Liu and Manny Jacinto together could have been something fun though, unfortunately, the odds of it happing are now relatively low.

Simu Liu and Manny Jacinto are two stars with a lot in common. Both got noticed doing comedy and were able to use that opportunity to join major Disney franchises, Liu with the MCU and Jacinto with Star Wars. It's not surprising that Liu would publicly support another actor like this considering how much they have in common.

Both have also seen their share of hurdles to long-term success within those franchises. While Manny Jacinto’s show has been canceled, Simu Liu’s announced Shang-Chi sequel has yet to materialize. As it stands, a release date has not been announced while other upcoming Marvel movies continue to move forward.

While a recent petition to save The Acolyte has received more attention than most campaigns of its type, the show is more than likely beyond saving. That’s not to say that the potential of seeing the story or characters again in an upcoming Star Wars movie or series is impossible. They are now all part of the galaxy far far away and could reappear in some way in the future.

Whatever happens with The Acolyte or Shang-Chi, it does seem that the future for both Simu Liu and Manny Jacinto is bright. Their talent is undeniable which means there are likely to be many franchises that want them. All the while, I hope that they continue to support each other.

Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that the shared universe is constantly expanding, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. While there have been some missteps since Avengers: Endgame hit theaters, one major hit was Destin Daniel Cretton's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Simu Liu revealed which Shang-Chi character he wants to reunite with, and I couldn’t agree more.

Fans have been waiting for news about Shang-Chi 2 since the first movie was released, but the studio is keeping its cards close to the chest. While it does seem like the sequel is coming eventually, fans are eager for any information. Liu recently appeared at the Fan Expo Canada panel (via Collider) and revealed that he really wants to reunite with Michelle Yeoh's Ying Nan. He spoke about working with her on the first movie, saying:

Doing a fight sequence opposite Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh definitely sounds daunting. She's one of the most celebrated stunt and action performers in the business, to say nothing of her other talents as an actress. And it sounds like Simu Liu wants more time with Shang-Chi's Aunt in an upcoming Marvel movie.

Michelle Yeoh's career has been booming lately, partly thanks to her Oscar-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once. As such, it's unclear if she'll be in the cast of Shang-Chi 2, or if she might be booked with other projects. Fingers crossed that fan (and Liu) get their way and see her in another appearance in the MCU.

The cast of Shang-Chi was full of outstanding talent, with Michelle Yeoh only playing a supporting role in the narrative. Whether we see some of these characters again will presumably be dependent on if/when the location Ta Lo factors back into the shared universe's story.

There are plenty of rumors swirling around Simu Liu's signture character, as fans wait for more information about the future of the MCU. One such story circulating online is that Shang-Chi was going to be one of the leading Avengers: Kang Dynasty characters, before the studio pivoted away from those plans. Will he still get to take the spot light in Avengers: Doomsday? Only time will tell.

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Sometimes, all it takes is one joint appearance in a movie or television show for two popular actors to become known as an acting duo, and sometimes they prove to work so well together that they go on to star in even more projects together. We’ve come up with a list of 32 acting duos who have worked together multiple times, so you can see if you’ve watched all of the times these talented stars have been on screen with each other.

Tina Fey And Amy Poehler

Obviously, this funny duo began their most famed time together while starring on Saturday Night Live, but Tina Fey and Amy Poehler didn’t let the good times end there. The women were both in Mean Girls, starred in the movies Baby Mama and Sisters, and used their talents to great effect when co-hosting the Golden Globe Awards for several years.

Robert De Niro And Al Pacino

Two legendary actors make for a legendary acting duo, and while Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are frequently mentioned in the same breath, they’ve only been featured in four films together. Two of those movies, however, are absolutely the reason people often talk about them together as they count The Godfather Part II, Heat, Righteous Kill and The Irishman as their joint efforts.

Julia Roberts And George Clooney

Now, these two actually have made quite a few movies with one another, and largely with both in on-screen roles. Of course, it’s hard to forget that George Clooney and Julia Roberts are in all three of the Ocean’s Eleven films, but they’ve also starred in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney also directed), Money Monster and the 2022 rom-com Ticket to Paradise. The erstwhile Danny Ocean also produced August: Osage County, while Roberts starred.

Jane Fonda And Lily Tomlin

Frequently we see an acting duo together multiple times because they really are buddies in real life, and that’s true for Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. After first starring together in the 1980 hit 9 to 5 (with Dolly Parton, of course) they eventually re-teamed for the Netflix series Grace and Frankie (which ran for seven seasons), as well as the dark comedy Moving On and 80 for Brady.

Emma Stone And Ryan Gosling

This duo has produced some well-known and beloved comedies and dramas over the years, as Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling first starred together in Crazy, Stupid, Love in 2011, moving on to Gangster Squad in 2013 and the Oscar-winning musical La La Land in 2016. Stone even once said she couldn’t “imagine” her life without Gosling, so these two will probably be friends forever.

Salma Hayek And Antonio Banderas

Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas sharing the screen in Desperado caused considerable heat, along with igniting a very real friendship, so it’s no surprise that they’ve now worked together a number of times. They’ve also been in the casts of Four Rooms, Frida, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids 3: Game Over, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and both Puss in Boots animated movies. That’s a lot!

Dwayne Johnson And Kevin Hart

We’ve already born witness to a rather lengthy history of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart ripping on each other during their (apparently) laugh and roast-filled friendship, and the two megastars have, indeed, brought that chemistry to the big screen multiple times. The duo counts Central Intelligence, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, Hobbs & Shaw and DC League of Super-Pets as the titles they’ve appeared in together.

Matt Damon And Ben Affleck

If this isn’t a classic acting duo by now, there are none. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been “bizarrely close” friends since childhood, and they first joined forces to great effect by penning and starring in Good Will Hunting (after having both appeared in School Ties), which won them the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. They also worked on Dogma in the 1990s, then, after nearly 25 years, they joined forces again to write and star in The Last Duel, and since then have also worked together on Air and the upcoming RIP for Netflix.

Denzel Washington And Don Cheadle

If only these two powerhouse stars had already been in more movies together…Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle’s first pairing was as P.I. Easy Rawlins and his loyal but unpredictable friend, Mouse, in 1995’s Devil in a Blue Dress. While their work in the film garnered critical acclaim, it would be over 15 years before they teamed again for Flight.

Sanaa Lathan And Taye Diggs

We should never underestimate the power of a franchise when it comes to popular on-screen pairings. Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs appeared in The Wood together in 1999 and then went on to star in The Best Man, its sequel and the Peacock mini-series, The Best Man: The Final Chapters. The duo also played the lead couple in the rom-com, Brown Sugar in 2002.

Scarlett Johansson And Chris Evans

Co-starring in a franchise with the same people will take an acting duo far, but Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans have surpassed even the typical standard where that’s concerned. Thanks to their joint time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they’ve appeared in a whopping seven movies together (including their mid-end credits cameo in Captain Marvel), and prior to their time as blockbuster movie-making superheroes they starred in The Perfect Score and The Nanny Diaries, bringing their current total to nine.

Anthony Mackie And Chris Evans

If you did enjoy many of those MCU movies, then you know that Chris Evans rubbed elbows with Anthony Mackie quite a bit there. But, did you also know that the two have been in XX non-Marvel movies together? Playing It Cool, What’s Your Number, and Ghosted also star/feature both actors and if you add in all their shared time in tights on screen, their total is also at nine.

Emily Blunt And Dwayne Johnson

The first time was a hit, so why not join forces again, right? Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson famously delivered winning chemistry in Jungle Cruise, and are coming back together for the upcoming drama The Smashing Machine. The two are also said to be willing to return for Jungle Cruise 2, whenever that can finally get off the ground.

Chris Pine And Ben Foster

The third time has been the charm so far for Chris Pine and Ben Foster. The duo famously portrayed bank-robbing brothers in Hell or High Water, joined up for The Finest Hours, and made it a three-peat in 2022 for The Contractor.

Margot Robbie And Will Smith

If it seemed that there could have been a little something extra going on between Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Will Smith’s Deadshot when you watched 2016’s Suicide Squad, then it might have been because you picked up on the chemistry the duo first built in Focus from the year before.

Margot Robbie And Brad Pitt

This big screen coupling made quite a showing for themselves across less than a decade, as Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt have starred in The Big Short, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Babylon. 

Margot Robbie And Leonardo DiCaprio

Just imagine, had it not been for this pairing, we might not have the megastar who is Barbie actor/producer Margot Robbie right now. Her role in Wolf of Wall Street as the second wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s corrupt fraudster propelled her career, and by the time they starred in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood together Robbie was a major star.

Halle Berry And Hugh Jackman

We, again, have a superhero franchise to thank for bringing two great talents together, as Oscar winner Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman both have four of the X-Men movies among their credits. The duo also starred in Swordfish and Movie 43.

Awkwafina And Michelle Yeoh

This duo counts two megahits in their joint credits, with Awkwafina and Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh both having starred in Crazy Rich Asians (and we’re still waiting for that rom-com sequel) and the MCU entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Michelle Yeoh And Jackie Chan

Michelle Yeoh has been a star for several decades, and part of that reason is because of her breakout role in the 1992’s Supercop, which also starred Jackie Chan. But, they’ve made a number of other films with each other, including Supercop 2, and Hong Kong action films Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars, Project S, and both voiced characters in Kung Fu Panda 2, along with having starred in a 1984 watch commercial together.

Angela Bassett And Laurence Fishburne

While Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne were famously nominated for Oscars for their lead roles as Tina Turner and Ike Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do with It?, the duo was actually first together on screen for Boyz n the Hood in ‘91. They then later teamed up for Akeela and the Bee in 2006.

Julia Roberts And Richard Gere

If this isn’t a famous acting duo, then none are, despite their only making two movies with each other. Of course, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere starred in the mega-hit classic rom-com Pretty Woman and teamed up again for Runaway Bride in 1999.

Jennifer Aniston And Jason Bateman

For a while there, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, who are friends in real life, were kinda on a roll. Their first joint film was The Break-Up in 2006, and since then they’ve filmed four additional movies with one another: The Switch, Horrible Bosses and its sequel, and 2016’s Office Christmas Party.

Kate Hudson And Matthew McConaughey

Who can forget the glorious chemistry created by Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days? No one, that’s who! This is why they made a second rom-com, Fool’s Gold, just five years later.

Kirsten Dunst And Jesse Plemons

It’s not unusual for an acting duo to become friends in real life, but Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons took that a few steps further after working on the TV series Fargo together. Not only have they since starred in the film The Power of the Dog (which netted each their first Oscar nomination) and the A24 drama Civil War, but they married in 2022 and have two sons.

Meg Ryan And Tom Hanks

We could hardly leave Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks off of this list, as the famed actors have co-starred in two of the biggest romantic comedies of all time. Everyone knows them for making Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail hits, but before all of that, they led one of the weirder rom-coms made with Joe Versus the Volcano, and reunited for the 2016 drama Ithaca, which Ryan directed.

Drew Barrymore And Adam Sandler

People often mention Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler as an acting duo they want to see more of and with good reason. The two have made magic in the classics The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Blended.

Adam Sandler And Chris Rock

This pairing goes back decades, to the time when Adam Sandler and Chris Rock starred on Saturday Night Live together in the ‘90s. Since then, the real-life buddies have appeared in seven movies together, with The Longest Yard, Grown Ups and its sequel, The Week Of and Top Five counted among that number.

George Clooney And Brad Pitt

Of course, George Clooney and Brad Pitt helped to make the Ocean’s Eleven franchise a hit, but the friends additionally teamed up for the live TV movie 8, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney directed), Burn After Reading and the 2024 films If and Wolfs.

Keegan-Michael Key And Jordan Peele

The duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who first became recognizable during their time on MadTV, eventually went on to their own acclaimed sketch comedy series, Key and Peele. But, while making names for themselves on other series and in a number of movies, they continue to work with one another on projects like Keanu, Toy Story 4 and Wendell & Wild.

Awkwafina And Simu Liu

It was the MCU that first brought Awkwafina and Simu Liu together in the hit film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and while we’re still waiting to see when that franchise will bring them back together, 2024 saw them team up again for the action comedy, Jackpot!.

Jane Fonda And Robert Redford

Dedicated film fans probably know that legends Jane Fonda and Robert Redford starred together in Barefoot in the Park and The Electric Horseman, but their joint movie appearances do go beyond that. They also starred in The Chase in ‘66 and reunited for Our Souls at Night in 2017, and both had their film debuts in 1960’s Tall Story.

As you can see, film history is packed with acting duos who’ve worked together more than once, and that will probably always be the case.

Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that the shared universe is always growing, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans are eager to learn more about upcoming Marvel movies, especially the two Avengers movies coming from The Russo Brothers. A recent report claims that Shang-Chi would have been a huge character in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and I really hope he still gets the spotlight in Doomsday.

What we now about Avengers: Doomsday is extremely limited, but the MCU is seemingly dropping the Kang storyline altogether. While fans are excited that Robert Downey Jr. will star as Doctor Doom, there's plenty of questions about all the MCU characters introduced since Endgame. A report by Inverse claims to know information about what was being planned for The Kang Dynasty, specifically related to Simu Liu's Shang-Chi.

Per this story, Shang-Chi would have been one of the main leads of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Fans have not-so-patiently been waiting for Shang-Chi's sequel, although the studio has been quiet about its plans. We still don't know when that'll happen, but giving him the spot light in Avengers 5 would have definitely made up for that.

This report doesn't reveal if the studio is still planning to make Shang-Chi one of the protagonists of Avengers: Doomsday. But as a fan who absolutely loved Simu Liu's critically acclaimed solo movie, I'm hoping that it still happens. But exactly how Doctor Doom will join the MCU and shape the story of the blockbuster remains a mystery for the time being.

The MCU has had a number of missteps in the years since Avengers: Endgame became the highest grossing movie of all time. Eternals failed to impress and won't get a sequel, while both Ant-Man 3 and The Marvels bombed at the box office. This makes the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings all the more significant in retrospect.

Unfortunately, the public is totally in the dark regarding what might go down in Avengers: Doomsday. The Fantastic Four will presumably play a large role, given that Doctor Doom is typically their villain. Could this mean that Shang-Chi gets pushed to the sidelines and ends up being a supporting character? Only time will tell.

The studio seemingly set up Simu Liu's future with Shang-Chi's credits scene. In it, he met with a number of Avengers, including Wong, a non-Hulky Bruce Banner, and Captain Marvel. As such, his relationship with certain heroes should be solid if/when he return for the next Avengers movie. Hopefully the studio (or Simu Liu himself) offer an update sooner rather than later.

Avengers: Doomsday is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 1st, 2026. While we wait for information, check out the 2025 movie release dates.

Over five years after the earth-shattering events of Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe finds itself in the midst of a new era. This stretch of the continuity – known as the Multiverse Saga – picks up characters and plot threads from the Infinity Saga. Simultaneously, it has also introduced a fresh and diverse crop of young MCU heroes. Within their ranks is the eponymous character of the 2021 film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. It’s an incredibly entertaining piece of work, and I’d argue that this particular MCU entry deserves much more appreciation. 

Chances are that, by this point, you’ve heard what a lot of commentators have been saying about the MCU as of late. Many argue that it’s declined in quality and that the new material doesn’t hold a candle to that of the first three phases. Well, Phases Four and Five have birthed very good movies and TV shows, and people typically bring up WandaVision, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Loki, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and other select titles when making that point. 

From what I’ve personally seen, though, Shang-Chi (which was well reviewed upon release) is barely mentioned in that discussion. And, as we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I thought this would be a perfect time to reflect on the film and discuss its many merits. So let’s dive in.

Shang-Chi Provides Another Solid Origin Story In The MCU

Yes, origin stories are definitely not uncommon in this fictional universe, as Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, Ant-Man and Thor are just a few of the movies to deliver such tales. Shang-Chi definitely falls into that category as well, given that it seeks to establish the titular character and those in his orbit. The crux of the film is his complicated relationship with his father, Wenwu (a.k.a. The Mandarin), who’s the long-reigning leader of the Ten Rings Organization. Ultimately, the lead character seeks to prevent his estranged warlord dad from entering a mythical village and inadvertently releasing an ancient evil. 

The film does indeed hit a number of familiar story beats, and some are very on the nose. However, director Destin Daniel Cretton (who co-wrote the movie with David Callaham and Andrew Lanham) crafts a sweet tale that offers plenty of thrills. What’s most compelling, though, is the family drama, which helps keep the proceedings grounded (as much as a Marvel story can be). There’s also another element that boosts this film, and we’re going to talk about that next. 

The Film Introduces A Number Of Great Characters To The Canon

I’d argue that the vast majority of MCU movies and TV shows have mostly introduced entertaining characters that are easy to root for, and that rings true here. Simu Liu’s Xu Shang-Chi is a noble, yet imperfect, individual, who struggles with his shady familial ties. Also, like so many heroes before him, it’s not hard to relate to the skilled fighter. That’s also the case when it comes to his estranged sister, Xialing (Meng'er Zhang), a self-taught martial artist who has a chip on her shoulder due to being mostly ignored by her father. And, speaking of Wenwu, the great Tony Leung helps make the Mandarin into a layered antagonist, as opposed to a one-note Big Bad.

Among the supporting players is the main character’s best friend, Katy, who tags along on the interdimensional journey. She’s played by comedian Awkwafina, who delivers some funny lines as the valet-turned-archer. And, while they play smaller roles in the overall story, Shang-Chi and Xialing’s mother, Ying Li (Fala Chen) and her sister, Ying Nan (MIchelle Yeoh), are solid additions to this continuity, as well. Also, even though he’s not a new character, Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery – the formerly drunken actor who impersonated the Mandarin in Iron Man 3 – is great as is his hunden friend, Morris.

This Movie Is Filled With Impeccable Fight Sequences That Set A New Standard For The MCU

When it comes to excellent hand-to-hand combat scenes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, most probably look to the latter two Captain America movies, and understandably so. Yet, more recently, not enough people talk about the truly incredible fight sequences that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings offers. Overseen by the late Brad Allan and fellow members of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, the fights feel both energetic and pristine. They also serve their narrative purposes well, as any given character’s movements tells the viewer something about them. 

There are so many great moments that come to mind, with the first being the visually stunning duel between Wenwu and Ying Li during the film’s prologue. The epic bus fight involving Shang-Chi, Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu) and members of the Ten Rings is also a major standout. Of course, there’s also the battle between the titular hero and the Death Dealer in Macau, which is beautifully filmed and choreographed. Not many films in general can deliver such moments of spectacle, and Destin Daniel Cretton and co. deserve our respect for that.

Shang-Chi Marks A Major Win For Representation Within The Marvel Sphere And The Movie Industry Altogether

As beloved as the MCU has been for much of its existence, many have criticized it over the years for its lack of diversity, especially during the early years. Progress has since been made via Black Panther, Eternals, Ms. Marvel and more, and Shang-Chi is a key part of that change. It’s not only the first movie in this continuity to feature an Asian lead but also arguably the first superhero movie in general to center around a character of that ethnicity. One must also mention that there's a predominantly Asian cast as well.

Destin Daniel Cretton’s film lovingly shows reverence for Asian culture in the way that Black Panther did for the African diaspora and how Ms. Marvel would eventually do it for Muslim culture. Many praised the movie for this, including cast member Michelle Yeoh, as she opined that it “ninja-kicked that glass ceiling” for representation. While it’s unfortunate that it took so long for this kind of film to happen, we can hope that the martial arts epic is only the first of its kind.

There Are A Few Sweet Tie-Ins To The Larger Cinematic Universe

This wouldn’t be a Marvel movie without a few nods to pre-existing elements within the fictional universe or hints at what’s to come. Aside from Trevor Slattery, the film also features an appearance from Wong of the Doctor Strange franchise, who shows up during the movie and in the mid-credits stinger. Also popping up in the flick is The Incredible Hulk’s Emil Blonsky/the Abomination, who does battle with Wong at an underground fight club in Macau. 

As for the aforementioned Shang-Chi mid-credits scene, it features appearances from (an un-Hulkized)  Bruce Banner and Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) There’s also a hint at the future of the titular ten rings, which may or may not be sending a signal to an unknown place. 

It’s fair to say that the MCU isn’t in as strong a place as it was during the Infinity Saga, but the Multiverse Saga has delivered some genuinely entertaining and creative stories. The first film to star Marvel’s “Master of Kung-Fu” absolutely deserves to be mentioned alongside the other productions that fall into that bucket. As of this writing, it’s unclear when the character will appear again, though a sequel is in the works – and Simu Liu has shut down rumors that it’s been canceled. Let’s hope that film arrives sooner rather than later, and that more people continue to acknowledge the greatness of this martial arts drama.

Stream Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings using a Disney+ subscription, and keep your eyes peeled for updates on the sequel by looking at the slate of upcoming Marvel movies.

One of the reasons many of us love following celebrities so much is because they go places and have experiences that many of us simply never will. That includes going to awards shows and getting all gussied up in some of the fanciest, most expensive clothes and accessories around. With the bulk of this year’s award season now over, let’s take a look at 32 great pairs of shoes that stars sported recently as they walked the red carpet.

Annette Bening 

Looks for any award show can vary wildly, but we do typically see ladies in high heels of some sort. Actress Annette Benning did step out in heels, but she chose some of a chunky platform sandal variety that likely added some literal stability to her chic, flowy outfit.

Ryan Gosling

Sure, men’s fashion doesn’t usually lend itself to wild shoewear choices on the red carpet, but that’s OK. Barbie cast member/Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling went with a great pair of shiny black shoes to accent his black (and slightly sparkly) tux and red socks, and they work perfectly.

Danielle Brooks

You’re going to see that black, overall, was a popular shoe color choice for 2024’s award shows, and The Color Purple Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks made a good pick to go with her very glamorous Dolce Gabbana gown. The sandals feature a shapely high heel and pearl accents that kick the look up a couple of notches.

Cynthia Erivo

Not only did Cynthia Erivo and her co-star Ariana Grande decide to represent their Wicked characters via their fashion choices for the Academy Awards, but Erivo took her green Elphaba theme to the hilt with her platform shoes with striated shades of emerald.

Billie Eilish

One cannot deny the importance of comfort when talking shoes, and award winning singer/songwriter Billie Eilish definitely deserves props for choosing a round-toe mary jane style that even allowed her to wear full-on shocks to the Oscars.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh has had no shortage of amazing fashion moments, and it appears that they won’t let up anytime soon. The star looked wonderful at the Oscars, and walked tall in a super chunky, mirrored platform sandal to complete her look.

Colman Domingo

As the star of the lauded civil rights drama, Rustin, Colman Domingo made numerous appearances on red carpets recently, but his decision to head to the Academy Awards in custom Louis Vuitton cowboy boots (in black with gold accents) has absolutely put him near the top of everyone’s fashionable celeb list.

Emily Blunt

Never mind the Oscar dress with the floating shoulders, most would likely say that Emily Blunt’s silver heels with a little half-bow across her toes managed to actually steal the show from her gorgeously constructed cream and silver gown.

Mahershala Ali

Again, men don’t always think to step up their shoe game for red carpets, but Mahershala Ali certainly did. His graphic black and white loafers with a slight heel absolutely helped him stand out in a sea of men with black footwear.

Ava DuVernay

Director Ava DuVernay looked lovely in her powder blue ensemble, and her silver shoes with a little bit of a platform went nicely with the buckled straps of her off-the-shoulder dress.

Carly Pearce

People came out in their finest for the CMT Awards, and country singer Carly Pearce was no different. The black and silver gem-studded stunners she wore on her feet obviously made a fabulous statement. Look at that crazy high stiletto heel!

Celine Song

Just because you’re in black flats, it doesn’t have to mean that your choice of shoe has to be boring. Wearing a flowy, lower-calf length skirt to walk the Oscar red carpet, filmmaker Celine Song was able to show off her chunky footwear and look like the very picture of effortless cool.

Wendy Thembelihle Juel

The South African/Danish model may have put on a fitted, shimmering pink dress for her time at the Academy Awards, but she also chose black as the perfect color for her shoes. Her sandals gave the gown an extra oomph with a pretty crystal (or diamond) bow across each set of toes that helped to make them the real focal point of her glamorous look.

Erika Alexander

To celebrate the Oscar nods received by American Fiction, star Erika Alexander stepped out in a truly original dress. And, her shoes were different as well, seeing as how it’s relatively rare to see ladies on the red carpet in white heels.

Alex Borstein

Black can be very basic, but not, apparently, if you’re The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Alex Borstein. The talent stepped out to the Critics Choice Awards in delicately laced black pumps that appear to be see-through, which also had a scalloped edge to compliment her sheer dress.

Ke Huy Quan

Ke Huy Quan is clearly enjoying his revitalized time in the spotlight, and the Oscar winner knows how to get all dressed up for the red carpet. Here, he wears a classic pair of glossy black, tie-up dress shoes, and they pair perfectly with his deep red and black tuxedo.

Simu Liu

The People’s Choice Awards saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie star Simu Liu hit the carpet in a fantastic oxblood-colored suit. And, not only did his shoes match, but he switched things up from typical men’s shoes and donned suede footwear for the occasion. Love it!

Andrew Scott

It can be so, so nice to buck convention and head to a fancy event in an ensemble that evokes a high/low effect, which is exactly what All of Us Strangers and Ripley star Andrew Scott did when he attended the Golden Globe Awards in January 2024. Instead of going for a full, all-white tuxedo, he went with the jacket, wide-leg pants and a thin t-shirt, which were beautifully accompanied by full-coverage shoes in the same creamy shade with an ultra-low black heel.

Oprah Winfrey

If you paid any attention to the many events that media mogul extraordinaire Oprah Winfrey went to in order to celebrate and promote the release of the musical The Color Purple, well, you’ll know that the many shades of that very hue were her choice for all of them. This included her time at the Golden Globes, where she capped her lovely, custom Louis Vuitton dress (which appears to be a shimmery, optical illusion-like crushed velvet) with grape-colored Manolo Blahnik shoes. So sophisticated, right?

Rachel Brosnahan

Talk about working a look! The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star (who’s soon to be our new Lois Lane in Superman: Legacy) went all red for the Golden Globes and was a total stunner. She stepped out in a custom Sergio Hudson off-the-shoulder gown, which featured a slinky line of buttons from top to toe that opened about halfway down. Brosnahan is also in satiny, custom-made Christian Louboutin sandals with a thin ankle strap that perfectly sets off her whole outfit.

Selena Gomez

Only Murders in the Building superstar Selena Gomez has been on top since her teens, so she knows how to work a red carpet! Her Globes look featured one of the more intriguing gowns of the night; a glossy, deep red stunner with black accents and a full, hi-low hem that gave everyone a perfect look at her cool shoes in a lipstick shade of red that appeared to feature some holographic effects. Selena can do no wrong!

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (who really should be given her own Fast & Furious movie) hasn’t portrayed a queen more than once for nothing. She went to the Globes in a lavender ensemble that featured a bodice that gathered at her side and a sweeping skirt, topped with a two-tone cape (Yes, honey!) and extremely chunky, platform sandals in a shade of silver that perfectly matched her hair. Does glam get any better?

Jessica Williams

Speaking of royalty, Shrinking and Road House star Jessica Williams looked like an absolute princess as a nominee when she attended the Primetime Emmy Awards in January 2024. Williams wore a very ladylike custom-made off-the-shoulder Rodarte gown that was mostly black, with a hi-low hem that exposed fluffy layers of white tulle underneath. Her shoes are black and closed-toe but with netting near the top and three rather large crystal flowers, which only add to the regal look.

Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey stepped out to the Emmys in a very clean, professional style that’s far different from what we usually see when it comes to suits at awards shows. The star, who’s currently working on The Last of Us Season 2 for HBO) is wearing four different colors (the forest green suit, a deep purple button-down shirt, a red turtleneck and deep burgundy shoes), but somehow it all works together to make a clean look. Speaking of the shoes, thick black soles and the silver medallion on each help to both make a statement and ground the whole outfit.

Joan Collins

Timeless style is called “timeless” for very good reasons, and that’s because anyone at any age can look good wearing it in any year! Dynasty legend Joan Collins presented at the Emmy Awards, and put on her finest pleated Jenny Packham gown in a silvery sky blue dotted with crystals. To complete her outfit, the longtime star chose a closed-toe shoe in a similar color with a little embellishment right on the top just made to peek out from under her long, caped dress.

Jeffrey Wright

It looks as though colors like red, maroon, and oxblood were kinda popular recently, doesn’t it? American Fiction lead Jeffrey Wright showed up for February 2024’s Screen Actors Guild Awards (where he was nominated for his role and as part of the cast as a whole) in a perfectly tailored tuxedo of the latter color that looked quite sharp. Even better? His sturdy shoes in a similar shade added just enough interest with different colors on the bottom.

Keith David

Shades of aubergine pretty much always help people stand out at events, and that’s even more true when you’re dressed in it head to toe and look as happy as Keith David did at the SAG awards. Also attending for American Fiction’s cast nomination, the star was, indeed, donning the color for his lovely suit with a nice sheen, tie and shirt in slightly different but still within the color family hue and, his shoes. David went with a simple shoe, but in a suede fabric that helps then stand out just a teensy bit.

Tyler James Williams

Again, head-to-toe in one color can work wonders for netting the wearer a truly memorable look, and Abbott Elementary’s Tyler James Williams definitely got the memo. He showed up and showed out for his SAG Awards appearance in a natty baby blue suit with a matching, sheer t-shirt underneath, and complimented the ‘fit with some extremely classy white shoes.

Lauren Daigle

Contemporary Christian music singer Lauren Daigle was able to celebrate her Grammy Award nominations at the ceremony in a standout of frilly navy blue and black tulle gown punctuated with multicolored accents by Shahar Avnet. But, the true winner of this ensemble might just be her shoes: white and blue polka-dotted John Fluevog sandals with a platform and a very cool sculpted heel.

CeeLo Green

Remember, wearing colors in one family from head to toe is gold…especially if you actually decide to wear different shades of actual gold! Former The Voice coach CeeLo Green headed to the Grammys with his lady friend looking like a statuette (as did she; her hair and lips are even gold), and if there was ever a time to do such a thing it’s at a major award show. Green capped off his very comfortable-looking outfit with simply styled gold shoes, because if you’re wearing all gold how many embellishments do you really need, anyway?

Fantasia Barrino

American Idol alum Fantasia Barrino was all set to perform at the 66th Grammy Awards, but first, she had to hit the red carpet. And, it would be fair to say that her style for the night was also a hit, as she stepped out in a nude gown with black accents and paired the whole thing with black platform sandals that had alluring crisscrossing straps for days. 

Kingsley Ben-Adir

The star of Bob Marley: One Love, Kingsley Ben-Adir, also took a turn on the Grammy red carpet, and while his Gucci jacket and shirt in a nearly lime green color with black slacks are nearly casual in flair, anything but can be said about his footwear. The man gave some seriously good shoe in black loafers covered in silver studs, and these just might be the best shoes on the list!

As you can see, this awards season saw a lot of fabulous and daring shoe styles on the red carpet, and we are all the better for it!

Jennifer Lopez has been all over streaming over the past couple of years, starring in both Marry Me and The Mother in 2023, before her musical This Is Me... Now: A Love Story that accompanied the February release of her ninth studio album. Now she’s headed back to Netflix for the sci-fi action thriller Atlas. The newest flick, in which she must trust artificial intelligence in order to save the world from a rogue A.I. terrorist, is available to stream now with a Netflix subscription. Critics were able to get a look before its release, and they all seem to agree the new movie lacks depth.

Starring alongside JLo is Simu Liu — who absolutely shut down a journalist who tried to ask the Hustlers actress a question about the state of her marriage to Ben Affleck during press for the movie — with the Marvel hero switching over to the villainous side. So let’s see what the critics are saying about Atlas, starting with GamesRadar. Matt Looker gives the film just 2 stars out of 5, saying that similar to other movies dealing with the dangers of A.I., it isn’t all that clever beneath the surface. The critic writes:

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY seems to like the movie a bit more, rating it 2.5 out of 4 stars and calling Jennifer Lopez’s effort “scrappy.” Like the previous review, Truitt credits Lopez for what she adds to the role, especially when she’s paired up with the A.I. Smith (voiced by Gregory James Cohan). Atlas is definitely more interesting that a lot of JLo’s rom-coms, the critic says, writing:

Having a big star yell expletives at evil robots does sound somewhat entertaining; IndieWire’s Kate Erbland, however, muses that’s not enough to base a whole movie around. The closer you look at the weak narrative and cheap aesthetics of Atlas, the critic says, the more the flaws become too much to overcome. Erbland grades the movie a D+, saying:

Andrew Webster of The Verge agrees not even JLo can save this one, though the cranky and sarcastic barbs traded by the actress and Smith the A.I. almost make the movie worth the watch. What dooms it, according to the critic, is how seriously it takes itself. Webster writes:.

Angie Han of THR writes that Atlas joins the Netflix actions that came before as a movie best half-watched on a plane or while doing laundry. While the banter between Atlas and Smith elevates the movie a little, there’s a notable lack of exploration when it comes to the very topic of the movie. In Han’s words:

While there seems to be some redeeming value in the relationship between Jennifer Lopez’s Atlas and Smith, the voice in her A.I. suit, the critics all seem to think Atlas is middling at best. Still, if you like JLo, Simu Liu or artificial intelligence-related action, always feel free to check out the movie for yourself and draw your own conclusions! Atlas is available to stream now, and be sure to check out what else is new and coming soon to Netflix.

Being a celebrity is a tricky thing. While it's a dream that can offer exciting opportunities, it can also make one's private life into a very public matter. Few know this as well as Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, who have made countless headlines during both of their attempts at a romantic relationship. There are currently rumors that Bennifer is living separately, and the pair is seemingly having a hard time avoiding them. Case in point: see a reporter ask Jennifer Lopez if she’s leaving Ben Affleck, and her Netflix co-star Simu Liu shut it down. 

The trailer for Atlas shows Liu and JLo coming to blows, but in real life their relationship feels much more friendly. Those with a Netflix subscription will be able to see the upcoming sci-fi movie this weekend, but in the meantime we can watch Simu Liu defend his co-star when asked about the Ben Affleck break-up rumors. Check out the clip via Twitter below: 

What a gentleman. Ultimately Jennifer Lopez was at this press conference to speak about Atlas, rather than what may or may not be happening in her personal life. As such, Simu Liu intervened when a journalist asked if she was leaving Ben Affleck. With JLo both a producer and the movie's star, clearly the Shang-Chi actor wants folks to put some respect on the "Let's Get Loud" singer's name. 

A press conference for Atlas wasn't the time and place for Lopez to be asked about her personal life, although she's no doubt quite used to the constant discourse about who she is dating or married to. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's interactions were dissected the first time they dated, and the same is true now once they reunited and got married in Vegas. 

The rumors about JLo and Affleck have been circulating for a few weeks now, seemingly inspired by the pair not wearing their wedding rings in public. But the pair of A-listers haven't actually commented on the matter, leading to even more discourse. We'll just have to see whether or not they actually split up.

There has been non-stop chatter about Lopez and Affleck since they got back together, and later got married in Vegas. For instance, Affleck went viral for looking miserable at the Grammys. What's more, lip readers have even been used to figure out what the two are talking about when appearing in public. As such, they might be pretty used to all of the speculation.

Jennifer Lopez has been promoting Atlas on red carpets without Ben Affleck, which definitely gave fans reason to pause. We'll just have to see if any official statements come from the pair after that movie is released.

Atlas hits Netflix on May 24th. In the meantime, check the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.