Yes, That's Abomination Fighting Wong In The 'Shang-Chi' Trailer, Confirms Kevin Feige
In case there was any lingering doubt, Marvel Studios grand poobah Kevin Feige has confirmed that yes, that really was the Abomination in the most recent Shang-Chi trailer. The chonky monster was last seen on the big screen in The Incredible Hulk, where he was played (in human form) by Tim Roth. Feige said nothing about whether or not Roth is reprising the role, and it seems doubtful that he is. But at the very least, his abominable alter-ego will be up on the big screen throwing CGI punches.
Last week, the trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings dropped, and in addition to giving Marvel fans plenty of action, it also featured a surprise: the Abomination, the big bad from The Incredible Hulk, appears to have a role to play in the film. As our own Hoai-Tran Bui wrote in her breakdown of the trailer:
"And finally, here's the big talking point of the new trailer: the Abomination from The Incredible Hulk. Originally portrayed by Tim Roth in the 2008 film, the Abomination is the Russian-born British Royal Marine who injected himself with super-soldier serum and Bruce Banner's Gamma-radiated blood, transforming him into a bloodthirsty monster. He's defeated by Hulk and placed in cryostasis, but it seems that someone has unleashed him into the underground fighting tournament, pitting him against someone who appears to be Benedict Wong's Wong from Doctor Strange. It appears he'll be the big boss battle Shang-Chi will have to win in order to advance in the tournament."
While everyone has pretty much accepted this as fact at this point, the Abomination's appearance in the film wasn't confirmed by Marvel – until now.
Kevin Feige Sets the Record Straight
Speaking with Rotten Tomatoes, Kevin Feige said: "Some fans said, 'This looks like a character they hadn't seen in many years named The Abomination, fighting a character that looks like Wong. And I can say that the reason it looks like that is because that is Abomination fighting Wong."
He added: "That's what's fun about the MCU at this stage. We can do something like Shang-Chi, introducing a brand new hero into the MCU and into the world at large. But that subtitle, The Legend of the Ten Rings, actually connects it back to the very beginning of the MCU, the Ten Rings being the organization that kidnapped Tony Stark at the very beginning of Iron Man one. And that organization was inspired by a character called the Mandarin in the comics."
Of course, the big question now is: how does the Abomination fit into the film? And will he be turning back into his human form, Tim Roth? Feige doesn't say anything about that, and Roth isn't listed on the film's IMDb page. Of course, that doesn't mean he's not going to pop up somewhere in a surprise cameo. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings arrives in theaters on September 3, 2021.