Shang-Chi: Simu Liu Wants Spider-Man Crossover

Before being cast as Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Simu Liu was already a huge Marvel fan. Although Marvel boss Kevin Feige says he didn’t see it, the actor had tweeted at the comics and movie powerhouse that is Marvel to suggest himself for this role. Now, it should come as no surprise that the Marvel fan turned Marvel star is fantasizing about crossovers for his character that would be pulled straight from comics. The future for Shang-Chi in the MCU will be made much more clear when fans see the film but, for now, Liu says he wants to see his character duel with Spider-Man.

“Well, there’s this wonderful comic run where Shang-Chi teams up with Spider-Man and teaches him martial arts and Kung Fu and develops a style around him,” Liu told ComicBook.com. “And it’s this really cool run. I think it’s pretty cool. I just think it’d be really incredible to work with, first of all, with an actor like Tom who’s so incredibly talented in his own right. And also, I just want that for the culture. You know? I want to see the two of them fighting.”‘

A Marvel Team-Up book saw Spider-Man and Shang-Chi crossing over for a 1979 comic run. In the books, Shang-Chi and Spideey team up with Black Widow and Nick Fury to stop a HYDRA assassination plot. More recently (and more likely to be the book Liu is speaking of), a Spider-Island event spinoff titled Way of the Spider sees Shang-Chi teach Peter Parker some brand new martial arts skills. When Peter loses his Spider-Sense, Madame Web points him in the direction of Shang-Chi. The story was published in 2011. Maybe one day Liu will get the opportunity to train Tom Holland’s Spider-Man on the big screen.

For now, Liu is stepping into what is very much a solo film with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. “I am pretty proud of [the movie],” Liu said. “Just watching it back on Premiere night and hearing it play in front of an audience of hundreds of people, it is really such a special feeling.” The actor has already purchased tickets for the opening weekend of his movie at theaters all around the world. “Oh, of course I did,” Liu said. “Of course, I did. I bought tickets in different countries. I can’t physically be in that many places at once, but whatever… Yeah, I got the tickets.”

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