New Avengers movie features action star from Mississauga in familiar role

In just over a year, movie-goers can catch Mississauga native and Hollywood action star Simu Liu on the big screen once again.

But it won’t be in the much-anticipated sequel to Marvel’s 2021 mega-hit Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. That’s expected to hit theatres later next year or in 2027.

Rather, the 35-year-old Liu, who in a heartbeat was vaulted into superstardom thanks to the 2021 Shang-Chi film and two years later starred in the summer 2023 blockbuster Barbie movie, has been cast in Avengers: Doomsday, next up in the wildly popular Avengers superhero franchise.

Liu’s inclusion in the upcoming film, currently in pre-production and the fifth in the Avengers series, was confirmed on Wednesday by The Hollywood Reporter. He’ll again play the familiar role of Shang-Chi.

Its plot currently under wraps, Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026. Its followup, Avengers: Secret Wars, is due out May 7, 2027.

The four Avengers films to date are the third-highest grossing superhero franchise and the sixth-highest film franchise of all time, grossing more than US$7.7 billion. The first in the series, The Avengers, came out in 2012 while Avengers: Endgame, the fourth and most recent, premiered in 2019.

*pokes head out of karaoke booth* https://t.co/nNe7sTeA4t

— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) March 26, 2025

Liu posted the latest news to his X site on social media on Wednesday, writing: “* pokes head out of karaoke booth *” followed by the announcement that “Simu Liu will return as Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday.”

The feature film goes into production next month in London, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which revealed other cast members as well, among them: Robert Downey Jr. (not as Tony Stark/Iron Man, but as new character Dr. Doom), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Sebastian Stan (The Winter Soldier), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Letitia Wright (Black Panther), Wyatt Russell (U.S. Agent), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Danny Ramirez (The Falcon), Kelsey Grammer (Beast) and Winston Duke (M’Baku).

Never too far from the spotlight

When he’s not starring on the big screen and rubbing elbows with some of the action movie genre’s biggest names, Liu still remains pretty close to the spotlight, involving himself in numerous projects.

Last fall, he was a guest judge on the reality TV series Dragon’s Den and in February 2024 he hosted the People’s Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California. The Mississauga native has also won his own People’s Choice Award, in the “Action Movie Star” category in 2022 for his leading role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

While Liu seems to enjoy the big stage, he’s also known to kick back and relax when he finds some down time. Far away from the glamour and bright lights of Hollywood, he enjoyed a quiet, typically Canadian long weekend in summer 2023 north of Toronto when he spent the Canada Day holiday at a Muskoka cottage.

Liu has also kept busy the past several years with gigs that include numerous public appearances, celebrity sports events, giving it his best on Celebrity Jeopardy and hosting the Juno Awards, to name a few.

#AvengersDoomsday pic.twitter.com/FWs6Llgy97

— Avengers (@Avengers) March 26, 2025