There are a number of fantastic Shang-Chi cameos in the new movie, some of which have been revealed by the trailer, others that may be predictable, and at least one that fans would never expect without reading some of the many leaks out there. Below eager fans happy to be spoiled will find a list of all Shang-Chi MCU cameos, why they are in the movie, and what these characters mean to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe — unless they’re just a big misdirection or joke on Marvel’s part.
Spoilers follow!
All the MCU Shang-Chi Cameos Explained
Here are all the MCU cameos in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and what they mean:
TREVOR SLATTERY (Ben Kingsley)
One of the bigger surprises in Shang-Chi is the reveal of Trevor Slattery, the man who impersonated the fake terrorist version of The Mandarin all the way back in 2013’s Iron Man 3. A later Marvel One-Shot short revealed that the real Mandarin broke Slattery out of prison, and now eight years later fans finally find out what happened next — Slattery talked his way out of his execution and now he’s essentially Xu Wenwu’s “jester.”
WONG (Benedict Wong)
Wong from Doctor Strange was revealed as having a cameo in Shang-Chi in the movie’s trailer as part of a strange fight club. That club is owned by Shang-Chi’s sister Xialing, although it’s never revealed why Wong spends his time fighting there. However, Wong has a more significant appearance at the end of the movie, when he’s finally ready to talk to Shang-Chi and Katy about the significance of the ten magical Rings.
THE ABOMINATION/EMIL BLONSKY (Tim Roth)
Hulk villain The Abomination returns for the first time since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, and it seems he’s also part of Xialing’s fight club and friends with Wong somehow. He fights Wong but is defeated after Wong uses portals to make Blonsky hit himself. His cameo appearance is a brief one that was also revealed in Shang-Chi’s trailer.
CAPTAIN MARVEL/CAROL DANVERS (Brie Larson)
Unless fans had the Shang-Chi post-credits scenes spoiled for them, Captain Marvel is probably the most shocking cameo in the movie and is part of a small meeting of characters in the mid-credits scene. Wong outlines for the group how the magical Rings are “sending a beacon” to someone from outside normal space, possibly Kang the Conqueror, who was introduced in the final episode of Loki. Captain Marvel is there to represent the wider cosmic Marvel universe, and she hasn’t noticed anything.
BRUCE BANNER (Mark Ruffalo)
Another surprise cameo appearance during the mid-credits scene is Bruce Banner, who it seems is back to being his human self (with an injured arm for some reason) after becoming “Professor Hulk” during the events of Avengers: Endgame. Banner represents the scientific side of the Marvel universe at the meeting, and he’s similarly confused about what is going on. Fans may find out more when Marvel’s Eternals releases in November.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is out in theaters now.
