When fans learned that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings would be primarily set in San Francisco, there was some speculation that fellow Golden City-based heroes Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne might put in an appearance.
At this point, it's hardly a spoiler to say that Ant-Man and the Wasp do not show up, but it sounds like their involvement may have been discussed.
During an interview with The Direct, producer Jonathan Schwartz was asked if the creative team ever considered bringing Paul Rudd or Evangeline Lilly in for a cameo.
“We did talk about other characters who might make sense, both in San Francisco and elsewhere, so there are few different iterations [with] other folks who could have popped up," he said. "I think there’s always a little bit of give and take there. But you know, the script evolved over time, into what it was, and ultimately we were telling Shang’s story, so I think we’re very happy with the version that ended up on screen.”
It's hard to argue with the logic here. While it is always cool to see other established characters in these Marvel Cinematic Universe releases, the Master of Martial Arts should not be sharing the spotlight in his big-screen debut. At any rate, a few familiar faces might appear - we'll just have to wait and see!
Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng.
Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and produced by Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Charles Newirth serving as executive producers.
The next Phase 4 adventure will be with us on September 3. Check out our review below, and let us know if you plan on watching Shang-Chi over the course of its opening weekend.