Shang-Chi Producer Jonathan Schwartz on Why Abomination Was Perfect for a Comeback

Marvel fans have spent quite a long time wondering if and when the villainous Abomination would return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fulfilling the tease at the end of The Incredible Hulk. Given the recasting of Bruce Banner, many probably assumed Tim Roth‘s character wouldn’t return at all. Fortunately the Abomination is making a comeback, though his return is happening in what seems to be the most unlikely place: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Before he appears in She-Hulk next year, Abomination is going to be seen fighting Wong in Shang-Chi, a surprise that was revealed in the film’s trailer. ComicBook.com‘s Brandon Davis spoke with Shang-Chi producer Jonathan Schwartz about the inclusion of Abomination, and he said that it was simply a matter of a good fit and great timing.

“We love that moment. We sort of knew, [director] Destin [Daniel Cretton] and I, that there had to be a big, kind of showcasing fight between two known characters in there, and it just became this big talk with us in talking about who made sense, and who’d be cool, and who we would think it would be a good fight between,” Schwartz explained. “And we ended up with wanting Abomination because it seemed to make the most story sense for where we’re going to find him in this universe, and also, just be a cool, awesome fight. And it fell along those lines, like it was a good time to refresh Abomination’s look. We haven’t seen him for a while, so I think everyone was excited to kind of see him at all in weird glory.”

The creative team behind Shang-Chi needed a massive fight to take place in the film, and they needed established characters whose power would instantly resonate with audiences. Both Abomination and Wong fit that bill.

While this is canonically the same Abomination from The Incredible Hulk, he does have a brand new style in Shang-Chi. This new look for Abomination is much closer to the character from the comics, featuring much greener skin webbed ears.

Are you looking forward to seeing Abomination back in action in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Let us know in the comments!

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings arrives in theaters on September 3rd.