Simu Liu is more than ready to step back into superhero mode. While promoting his new film In Your Dreams, the Shang-Chi star shared that gearing up for Avengers: Doomsday has him feeling both grateful and impatient.
Liu admitted that fans constantly remind him how much they’ve missed seeing Shang-Chi in the MCU. “Every single day—sometimes multiple times a day—someone tells me they’ve felt that absence,” he shared to People, noting that he understands the sentiment.
Despite Shang-Chi not appearing in any other Marvel films since his 2021 debut, Liu’s excitement to return is stronger than ever. He said that getting to wear the suit again, especially alongside actors he once idolised, is something he doesn’t take for granted. “Part of the joy is stepping back into it with these incredible, legendary actors. I grew up worshipping many of them, and now I get to call them my co-workers,” he said.
He also reflected on what the role has meant to him personally and professionally. “It means everything,” Liu told People. “It’s such a privilege to have played a character that resonated with so many different people.” The actor added that the MCU fan base has been instrumental in shaping his career, and he remains “beyond grateful” for that support.
Liu also revealed that the Shang-Chi cast continues to stay in touch, keeping the film’s spirit alive even as fans await the character’s next chapter.
Meanwhile, Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be one of Marvel’s most star-studded outings yet. Robert Downey Jr will return to the franchise—not as Iron Man, but as Doctor Doom. The film's star cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Florence Pugh, Kelsey Grammer, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Winston Duke, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Channing Tatum, and Pedro Pascal.
Filming began in April and was completed after five months of intense shooting that reportedly took place across England and Bahrain. Avengers: Doomsday will now be in post-production for 14 months, which is said to be a standard timeline for an Avengers film. This is the fifth installment in the Avengers film series, following Avengers: Endgame (2019), and the 39th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The two-part Avengers film, with the first being Avengers: Doomsday, hits theatres on December 18, 2026, while its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars,is slated for a release on December 17, 2027.