Shang-Chi's Simu Liu Teases The MCU Hero He Wants To Team Up With
It hardly feels like it, but Simu Liu's Marvel Cinematic Universe tenure is still very much in its infancy, with the actor currently boasting but a single MCU credit on his resume, 2021's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." That will no doubt change in the years to come, with Marvel brass plotting a "Shang-Chi" sequel and all manner of superpowered team-ups in the coming years. But it seems that if Liu had his choice of scene partners from the current stable of MCU supers, he'd want to team up with a fellow newb, Iman Vellani.
Liu revealed as much during a recent Men's Health interview while promoting his new film, "Barbie." And according to the actor's comments, he's so keen to work with Vellani because the "Ms. Marvel" star has impressed during their various meetings. "I'll single out Iman Vellani," Liu said, noting first and foremost he'd like to work with her since she also hails from his native Canada.
He went on to add, "The few times I've met her, and all the conversations we've had, she's just such a wonderful human being," further noting Vellani stands out from the Marvel pack because of her genuine love for the comic universe. As Liu so eloquently put it, "She really just stuck out to me as someone who just absolutely loves it, and loves the world, loves the position that she's been put in."
Liu thinks his and Vellani's Marvel journeys are pretty similar
It's all but a certainty that Simu Liu will get a chance to share the screen with Iman Vellani in the upcoming cycle of Marvel releases. That's because both Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel are listed among the heroes set to team up in "Avengers: Secret Wars." That film is still several years away, however. And with the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes having recently brought Hollywood productions to a grinding halt, one has to imagine that release date may get pushed even further.
Nonetheless, Liu remains enthusiastic about working with the actor in that film in part because he feels their paths to Marvel stardom are somewhat similar. "It kind of, I guess, reminds me of myself in a way," he told Men's Health, adding, "She was such a big Marvel fan from before too." Liu went on to note he and Vellani have embraced their Marvel roles in a similar fashion, stating, "It's just surreal to her too, every bit as much of a dream come true for her as it is for me."
Whether Liu and Vellani get to trade lines in "Secret Wars," or perhaps even in "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty," which is slated to be released a year before, it will no doubt be an absolute blast to watch them side by side. But we probably still have a bit of a wait ahead before we get to see it happen.