The hype surrounding Avengers: Doomsday continues to build, with the MCU movie already considered one of the most exciting movies of 2026. The movie is set to bring back an ambitious number of superheroes, not just from the MCU itself but with some returning from different movie universes, making full use of the Multiverse Saga’s reality-hopping premise. The cast of Avengers: Doomsday is set to feature many exciting Marvel characters, with some beloved actors announced as returning to the franchise. These include those who had seemingly exited the MCU, such as Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., but also several other heroes from across the franchise’s long timeline.
Among those characters set to return is Shang-Chi, who has been missing from the MCU since his 2021 debut in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Talking about the movie with @empirestatebldg on TikTok, Shang-Chi actor Simu Liu revealed that his character will sport a brand new costume in Avengers: Doomsday. “It’s a completely different suit that fit on me very differently,” Liu explained. “It just goes to show: things change,” he added. He elaborated that the pieces of the suit were different from his first MCU costume, teasing a whole new design for the hero in his much-anticipated return to the franchise.
What Shang-Chi’s New Look Could Mean For The Character
Image courtesy of Marvel Studios
The MCU has often given characters a visual upgrade between movies, but Shang-Chi’s four-year absence makes Liu’s update feel a little different. Considering the length of his absence in the MCU, fans have long speculated about why the franchise hasn’t addressed Shang-Chi’s story. His debut set him up to be one of the most powerful heroes in Avengers: Doomsday, and also hinted that he would be a part of the MCU’s next big superhero team. Doomsday is now poised to finally deliver on that promise, and Shang-Chi will apparently do so with a whole new look.
The reason for the redesign could be a simple matter of making the character’s return feel fresh. However, it could also mean that Avengers: Doomsday‘s Shang-Chi is not the same character previously introduced, but a variant from elsewhere in the Multiverse. Considering the movie is set to see many realities collide, Simu Liu appearing as an alternate version of Shang-Chi is certainly possible, especially if his look is as different as the actor described.
While Shang-Chi’s return in Avengers: Doomsday has long been established, his specific role in the film remains to be seen. It could be that his new look is a result of his continued use of the Ten Rings, or it could be connected to his status as one of the MCU’s new Avengers. The specific reasons for his apparent redesign are as yet unknown, but Simu Liu’s excitement in talking about once again suiting up to the play the character makes his much-anticipated return seem all the more exciting, especially considering the length of his unexplained absence from the franchise.
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