Simu Liu: Marvel Keeps Cast in Dark Due to Holland, Ruffalo

It's official: Shang-Chi is set to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The massive Avengers: Doomsday livestream confirmed that Simu Liu will reprise his role in the upcoming ensemble film. However, due to Marvel Studios' strict policy on spoilers, Liu remained tight-lipped about his involvement, only noting that his name was listed alongside other MCU legends on a chair.

Last month's Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal focused heavily on veteran X-Men actors. Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden are all set to appear, signaling a significant presence of the X-Men in the film. Grammer, who played Beast in the Fox X-Men franchise, made his MCU debut in The Marvels' post-credits scene. Stewart portrayed Charles Xavier/Professor X in the X-Men films and briefly appeared in the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as a member of the Illuminati. Meanwhile, McKellen (Magneto), Cumming (Nightcrawler), Romijn (Mystique), and Marsden (Cyclops) are yet to make their MCU debut. This raises the question: is Avengers: Doomsday secretly an Avengers vs. X-Men movie?

"I knew I was going to be involved in it to some capacity," Liu shared during a recent appearance on the Jennifer Hudson Show. "But I didn't know who else they were announcing. They don't tell us anything. Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo ruined it for all of us. Now, they don't tell us."

Liu was referring to the well-known leaks from Holland about the MCU's Spider-Man series and Ruffalo's tendency to reveal plot points for the Avengers films. Since these incidents, Marvel has tightened its secrecy, keeping spoilers hidden not just from Holland and Ruffalo, but from all cast members, both new and returning.

Liu, who also starred as one of the Kens in Greta Gerwig's Barbie, expressed his awe at seeing some of the announced cast members. "I saw when Sir Ian and Sir Patrick were announced," he said during the interview. "These are two of the greatest actors to have ever walked the face of the Earth. That blew my mind a little bit."

Liu first portrayed Shang-Chi in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in 2021, but the character has not yet returned to the screen. With a release date of May 1, 2026, and a cast list that now includes numerous high-profile names, Avengers: Doomsday remains shrouded in mystery. More details are expected to surface in the coming year, whether through official channels or leaks.

Meanwhile, MCU fans are also buzzing about Robert Downey Jr.'s recent Doctor Doom-themed invitation to his 60th birthday party, adding another layer of intrigue to the MCU's ongoing narrative.