Which MCU character has appeared the most times in Marvel’s Phase Four to date? Although you might not think it, it’s actually Wong, who’s turned up three times so far in this chapter of the franchise — in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, What If…?, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, respectively. And he’s about to show up again in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, making this his fourth outing in less than a year.
It’s no wonder that star Benedict Wong has rechristened Phase Four with a more fitting name, then. “Welcome to the WCU (Wong Cinematic Universe). We’ve entered into Phase Wong,” the Avengers: Endgame actor told a gathering of Asia-Pacific press ahead of Doctor Strange 2 hitting theaters this weekend. Unfortunately, though, it sounds like his time in the spotlight is about to dry up.
As reported by Philippine Star, Wong admitted Phase Wong is ending, although he’s still grateful for every Marvel project he gets to be a part of.
“We’re coming to the end of Phase Wong, sadly, everybody,” the star said. “But yeah, I feel very fortunate about this, especially being someone that’s collected these comics, Marvel comics, from a very young age, to finding myself being an actor.”
Although Wong was only a supporting player in his three 2021 appearances, his cameos were still pretty illuminating. Shang-Chi, for instance, revealed that he likes to take part in underground fight clubs and is apparently good buddies with Abomination. No Way Home then dropped the bombshell that he’s the real Sorcerer Supreme, as he landed the gig instead of Strange during The Blip.
We’re expecting him to have his biggest Phase Four (sorry, Phase Wong) role yet in Multiverse of Madness, with one clip promising that he’ll get involved in the action more than he did in the first Doctor Strange. If this movie is to be the last we see of Wong (the character and the actor) for a while, hopefully it’ll allow the stoic yet dependable Mystic Arts master a chance to shine.