Ben Kingsley’s Shang-Chi Return Was Great (& What MCU Cameos Need To Be)

Ben Kingsley’s surprising and enjoyable return to the MCU as the false Mandarin in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings may have provided the blueprint for what future MCU cameos should aim to achieve. Shang-Chi is the second film in Phase 4 of the MCU following Black Widow, and marks Ben Kingsley’s second appearance in the role of Trevor Slattery.

Audiences were first introduced to the struggling actor Slattery in Iron Man 3. He was hired by Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) to pose as the fearful Mandarin, the legendary leader of the Ten Rings terrorist organization. At the time, Slattery’s character was little more than a comedic misdirection. Many fans were even disappointed that Slattery was a fake, believing that the MCU had wasted the Mandarin’s potential. However, Shang-Chi introduces Tony Leung Chiu-wai as the real Mandarin, Xu Wenwu, and also brings back Kingsley for a cameo that may have just set a new precedent for Marvel character callbacks.

What made Kingsley’s return so great was a mixture of circumstances, the first being the nature of the character. Slattery was such a silly, unexpected character in Iron Man 3 and his inclusion in the MCU seemed to come to an end with his incarceration. Shang-Chi not only succeeds in reintroducing the actor after 8 years for a touch of comic relief, but manages to create a meaningful cameo out of a seemingly meaningless character. Slattery does not embody a “one and done” type of a cameo or a lazy appearance simply meant to answer the question of where the fake Mandarin he’s been since Iron Man 3. His cameo is both funny and useful, since his odd relationship with the Dijiang whom he names Morris later becomes a vital plot point in helping Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and his friends reach Ta Lo.’

Furthermore, Kingsley’s return as Slattery served to connect two MCU movies and redeem the gravitas of a villain that Slattery had attempted to hijack. What better way to redeem the fearsome name of the Mandarin than to have the real Mandarin kidnap the poor excuse of an impersonator and make him into a jailed court jester for years on end?

Slattery’s cameo in Shang-Chi also came at the right time in the MCU. Stan Lee’s passing in 2018 brought an end to his beloved cameos with the conclusion of the Infinity Saga. Stan Lee’s cameos were a staple of Marvel movies for over ten years, making them into something of a tradition. Fans looked forward to his appearances in each Marvel film, so to end them now would be a true shame.

The example of Slattery’s successful cameo could create a formula for future MCU cameos. There are plenty of fan-favorite secondary and even tertiary characters—such as Luis from Ant-Man, or Darcy from Thor and WandaVision—who were perhaps underutilized and who fans would love to see more often. Unexpected and yet meaningful cameos could be a perfect way to flesh out supporting characters while also carrying on Stan Lee’s tradition. Ben Kingsley’s reappearance in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings places the bar rather high for any upcoming cameos attempting to resurrect characters from the past, but there is no doubt that audiences would love to see Trevor Slattery again soon.

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