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Considering how much the comic book genre has been dominating pop culture, a ton of A+ talent has made their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Man 3 was no exception, as Sir Ben Kingsley had a role as the Mandarin. Well… sort of. And now he’s broken his silence on his return to the MCU with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
The Ten Rings are a terrorist organization that goes back to the very first MCU movie. They imprisoned Tony Stark in Iron Man, leading him to create his first armored suit. The organization and the real Mandarin are expected to appear in Shang-Chi, although fans were delighted to learn that Sir Ben Kingsley would also be reprising his role as Trevor Slattery. Kingsley spoke to this return for the first time, saying:
As you just saw, I was talking to Kevin Feige and thanks to Kevin and Robert Downey Jr. and Drew Pearce and Shane Black, I am in this movie and I'm a member of the Marvel family, because their welcome on Iron Man 3 was so astonishing and generous that I'm still with Marvel again. And I'm delighted to be here!
Well, there you have it. While it’s been a number of years since Iron Man 3, it seems that Sir Ben Kingsley is happy to return to the MCU with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. We’ll just have to wait and see exactly how he factors into the story of the new Marvel blockbuster.
Ben Kingsley’s comments come from a conversation he had with ET at the world premiere of Shang-Chi. While he didn’t actually reveal the contents of his role in Simu Liu’s starring vehicle, the inclusion of his character Trevor Slattery should provide some closure to the loose ends from Iron Man 3. And smart money says the Ten Rings won’t be happy about him posing as their leader.
Marvel fans can re-watch Ben Kingsley’s time in the MCU on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Indeed, the real Mandarin will finally be revealed in Shang-Chi, played by the great Tony Leung. And while the blockbuster will feature a ton of new characters, the MCU is going back to the beginning by finally exploring the history of the Ten Rings. And just like that, the shared universe is getting just a bit larger.
With Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings mere days away, anticipation for Destin Daniel Cretton’s movie is at a fever pitch. Even Marvel favorites like Chris Hemsworth are psyched about the arrival of this new hero, and fans can’t wait to see Simu Liu’s title character crossover with other heroes.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will hit theaters on September 3rd. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
