Simu Liu, Marvel's latest leading man, will soon be a 'household name' - CNN

If you don't know his name already, you will soon.

The actor has been cast as the lead in Marvel's "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," one of several new film projects announced by the studio Saturday night at San Diego Comic-Con.

He is set to star in the film alongside Awkwafina, who stormed 2018 with breakout roles in "Ocean's 8" and "Crazy Rich Asians," and Tony Leung.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton, best known for his moving indie "Short Term 12," will helm.

Liu's previous work includes the Canadian comedy "Kim's Convenience," which has found American audiences through Netflix.

On the show, he plays Jung, the oldest son of a convenience store owner.

He's also had roles on shows like "Nikita," "Warehouse 13" and "Taken."

"He'll be a household name soon enough," Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige told CNN after an announcement-packed panel.

According to a biography on his show's website, Liu immigrated to Canada from China with his parents when he was 5 years old. He worked as an accountant before getting into acting.

"All I've ever wanted to do when I was growing was make [my parents] proud," Liu said on stage at Comic-Con. "What I'm trying to say is, I'm really happy I'm not a doctor. So, take that mom and dad."

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" hits theaters February 12, 2021.

Casting lauded

Liu has not been shy about his gunning for the role of Shang-Chi.

After news of his casting broke, he recalled a tweet from December 2018, in which he wrote, "OK @Marvel, are we gonna talk or what #ShangChi."

He joked in a tweet on Saturday, "Thanks for getting back to me."

Liu's casting drew praise from his peers, including actors Lewis Tan and Henry Golding.

Tan being among those who noted the importance of Liu's casting.

"Congrats Simu, looking forward to seeing what you do with the role and bigger than us, a step as we continue to breakdown walls and build a world where young Asian kids will see themselves on screen as a hero, feel empowered and have hope," Tan wrote.

Feige said he was proud of the representation shown on stage.

"Our films play around the world and we want the films to reflect that world," he said. "When you have people in front of the camera who reflect it it's great for audiences, when you have people behind it who reflect it, it's great for us because you get better stories and better ideas."

CNN's Scott Huver contributed to this report.

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