The Incredible Hulk has been trickling back into MCU canon over the past few years. Primarily, that's been done through General Ross. However, it's continuing in Shang-Chi which is not only giving Iron Man 3's Mandarin a new lease on life but also TIH's Abomination.
We got a glimpse in the initial Shang-Chi trailer of Abomination going toe-to-toe with none other than Doctor Strange's Wong, played by Wong. It was dark and gloomy so the features couldn't be made out too distinctively but it was undeniably Tim Roth hulking out.
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Now, Marvel has shun a light on the character in a brand new still, showing off his more comic book-accurate aquatic appearance from his fins to his otoliths (fish ears). He's slightly larger and has come into form as opposed to having the gruelling body-horror spinal cord extending out of his back shtick. Given that Hulk has grown into his own over the past decade, it's only fitting that his cousin by gamma-radiation would too.
Shang-Chi's surprise cameo isn't the only time we'll see Abomination in the next phase of Marvel movies or, rather, shows. Tim Roth is set to appear once more as Abomination in She-Hulk. For context, She-Hulk is Bruce Banner's cousin, a lawyer who becomes a member of the Hulk roster when she gets a blood transfusion from that very same cousin.
Some are speculating that Abomination is returning as part of Madame Hydra's new initiative. She's already roped in Yelena – the new Black Widow – and US Agent, seemingly forming a Bizzaro version of the Avengers. That leaves Hawkeye, Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor to have their roles filled. Abomination fits one of those parts.
Alternatively, Abomination could be returning simply to expand the scope of Hulk side-characters in the MCU. Perhaps we'll finally see Ross go full-blown Red Hulk. For now, he's an angry US general.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings releases September, 2021.
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