THE FIRST ASIAN SUPERHERO OR A REAL-
life version of A Star Is Born? During Marvel’s
July 20 presentation in Hall H, president
Kevin Feige said its upcoming martial-arts
flick Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten
Rings would feature Chinese-Canadian
actor Simu Liu—a relative unknown who’d
auditioned for the role only the week before.
“Here’s where I have a bone to pick with
Kevin,” said Liu, 30, of Kim’s Convenience.
“I feel like I was the social experiment where
they just took this ordinary guy living in
Toronto [and said,] ‘Let’s tell him he’s going to
be in the next Marvel movie.’ ” It was a break-
out moment from an already epic panel
introducing Mahershala Ali as the new Blade
and Natalie Portman as the MCU’s first
female Thor. But those weren’t the only sur-
prise heroes at the 50th annual Comic-Con:
Paramount brought out Linda Hamilton and
Tom Cruise to help promote Terminator:
Dark Fate and Top Gun: Maverick, respec-
tively; Netflix heralded Henry Cavill as its lead
on The Witcher; and CBS All Access treated
Star Trek fans to a sneak peek of Picard and
appearances by stars Patrick Stewart and
Jeri Ryan. And while the Game of Thrones
panel offered some insights into the final
season, it also poked fun at the show’s infa-
mous Westerosi whoopsie by leaving coffee
cups in front of the actors’ chairs, on purpose
this time. (Well, hopefully.)COMIC-CON, San Diego ‘s annual
pop culture festival, was a Marvel-
ous affair (welcome to the party,
Angelina Jolie!), while surprise
appearances by Tom Cruise,
Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jeri
Ryan really had the cosplayers
flying high. BY LYNETTE RICECon H