Simu Liu is going to the dark side, starring alongside Jennifer Lopez in an upcoming thriller where he will be one of the film’s major antagonists.

Atlas also stars Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us) and Abraham Popoola (Cruella) in key roles of the film, which is being directed by Brad Peyton (Rampage). The Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings actor confirmed on Twitter earlier this week of the casting news, alongside a link to a Deadline article.

“Excited to be joining this phenomenal cast of humans as I ENTER MY VILLAIN ERA MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH,” Liu, 33, tweeted.

The upcoming film follows Atlas (Lopez), a woman fighting for humanity in a future where an AI soldier has determined the only way to end war is to end humanity. To outthink this rogue AI, Atlas must work with the one thing she fears most — another AI.

Liu will next be seen in the highly-anticipated Barbie film, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. In preparation for the film, he waxed his entire body, noting that it was “one of the most painful experiences of my life.” He told The Independent, “Waxing has been an education to say the least. I have such a newfound admiration for the incredibly brave women who go through this on a monthly basis.”

These Are Time’s Most Influential People Of 2022

• Simu Liu

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  "It’s been amazing to see how beautifully he’s balancing representing our community and staying true to himself." -Sandra Oh

• Andrew Garfield

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  "Casting the lead in my adaptation of 'Silence' was not easy: the role was demanding on every level. When Andrew Garfield came to audition, I could see right away that he understood the character of Rodrigues. He gave all of himself to the role. In preparation, he actually completed the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, which is quite an undertaking." -Martin Scorsese

• Zoë Kravitz

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  "Zoë Kravitz defies definition. She contains multitudes and stands fully formed in her beauty, her intelligence, her grace, her humor, her strength." -Reese Witherspoon
• Sarah Jessica Parker

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  "Grownup Sarah Jessica has style for days and is daring when it comes to fashion. She likes to play with clothes but doesn’t play it safe." -Cynthia Nixon

• Amanda Seyfried

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  "Watching her as Elizabeth Holmes in 'The Dropout,' one cannot help but realize: not only does this woman have an instrument, but she can play it." -David Fincher

• Quinta Brunson

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  "Quinta Brunson is more than a writer, producer, actor, and comedian. She’s a student and a master of her craft. A game changer in network television. Smart and funny as hell, in that order. She’s a Swiss Army knife that can—and does—do it all." -Lebron James
• Pete Davidson

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  "Pete’s appeal to the world has everything to do with his authenticity. He doesn’t try to hide the person that he is. It’s a classic recipe for success and connection. I would consider myself truthful, but being around Pete makes me want to continue to reach even further for the realest version of myself." - Jack Harlow

• Channing Tatum

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  "Channing Tatum, money well spent. A performer who shines in the light, a player who knows the game, and a trickster who never stole my wallet but always knew where it was." Matthew McConaughey

• Nathan Chen

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  "Nathan is an inspiration in his own right. He has forever changed men’s figure skating, setting new standards with his quadruple jumps. It won’t be long before we hear athletes say they looked up to Nathan Chen. He’ll inspire generations of skaters to come who will hear his Olympic story and learn that nothing is impossible." -Michelle Kwan
• Mila Kunis

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  "There’s this old-soul quality you receive from Mila Kunis the moment you meet her. She gives 100% to each and every one of her roles: as a mother, as a wife, as a daughter, as a granddaughter, as a friend, as a producer, as an actor. She goes all in, and she cares a great deal. I’ve seen her transform when she’s approaching a character—whilst still being the mom who drops off the kids. She’s such a curious individual, hungry for conversations that are important, that are thought-­provoking." -Zoe Saldana

• Jeremy Strong

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  "The final scene of the Season 1 finale of 'Succession' is a candidate for the best 10 minutes of television ever made. And while many people with extraordinary talent on both sides of the camera made this scene what it is, at the center is Jeremy Strong." -Aaron Sorkin

• Ariana DeBose

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  "Ariana DeBose is what I call a quadruple threat: she’s not only a dancer, an actress, and a singer, but also kind. I first became aware of her when I saw her as the Bullet in Hamilton. The role requires her to move in slow motion—and so creative was she! It took such physical strength. I leapt. I could barely leave the theater: I wanted to see her slow-motion movement again." -Kristin Chenoweth
• Jazmine Sullivan

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  "From her first single 'Need U Bad,' Jazmine Sullivan demonstrated an innate ability to write songs that perfectly capture the stories of so many Black women. Sullivan has a lyrical vulnerability that makes you think she has been reading your journal. She is so deserving of her most recent Grammy win, along with acclaim and other accolades that have been an honor to witness. But the most exciting part of her recent career journey has been that Sullivan has allowed us to share in her journey to self-love, removing herself from the shadows of fear as we can clearly see in her 2021 album 'Heaux Tales.'" -Amber Riley

• Michael R. Jackson

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  "To have a musical about a Black, overweight, out queer man is the change. And this year, it’s the one with the most Tony nominations. So Michael: thank you for being brave and bold, from the bottom of my heart." -Billy Porter

• Zendaya

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  "To me, Zendaya is a thousand years old. She has already lived many lives before this one. And yet, she is as young as springtime. By some inextricable paradox, she also gives the impression of having been born sometime far into the future. She is timeless, and she can do it all." -Denis Villeneuve
• Taika Waititi

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  "You can tell that a film was made by Taika Waititi the same way you can tell a piece was painted by Picasso. Not in that he doesn’t know where on the face the eyes go, but in how he expresses his unique voice. The first work of Taika’s I saw was the 2014 mockumentary 'What We Do in the Shadows'—a movie that could have been a disaster, but was amazing. It was brilliantly comic yet somehow made me care passionately about the fate of a bunch of murderous vampires. So I set about trying to meet Taika and convince him to work with me, which he obviously refused to do." -Sacha Baron Cohen

• Miranda Lambert

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  "It was Miranda’s idea to bring us all together—she wanted powerful female voices to front the whole thing. That’s her vibe: she’s all about making everybody feel welcome. And there is not one inauthentic hair on her head. Of course, in this industry, you’ve got to have good music. And Miranda is a true country queen. Her shows are incredible; from start to finish, she gives it her absolute all. It was an honor to collaborate with her on our duet last year, which broke decades-long country records." -Elle King

• Tim Cook

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  "Tim has demonstrated more range in his leadership of one of the world’s largest companies than any contemporary CEO. Since Apple’s products and policies affect the very character of contemporary life, Tim’s job demands not only business wisdom but also philosophical wisdom. The intense pressure of setting and executing Apple’s progression with deep precision, and of taking responsibility for the company’s effects on society, is almost unimaginable. Yet Tim does it with compassion and discipline, turning to nature to replenish his spirit." -Laurene Powell Jobs
• Oprah Winfrey

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  "Whether she’s talking to pop stars, Presidents, schoolgirls, scholars—or she’s asking you about your life over a glass of wine in the living room—Oprah has always had that uncanny ability to open us up, to hear beyond our words, and to uncover a higher truth, to be vulnerable with us in a way that allows us to be vulnerable back. That’s her secret. But what I love most about Oprah is that she has never been content to keep it for herself." - Michelle Obama

• Michelle Yeoh

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  "She achieves the impossible again and again. Simply put, that is what Michelle Yeoh has been doing for decades. An aristocratic Malaysian beauty becoming the queen of Hong Kong’s male-dominated action cinema? Michelle Yeoh did it. Subverting stereotypes in a Bond movie and breaking into the global consciousness with an Oscar-winning kung fu epic? Michelle Yeoh did it. Leading the first Hollywood film with an all-Asian cast in 25 years to become the highest-grossing romantic comedy in over a decade? Yes, Michelle Yeoh did it. " -Kevin Kwan

• Kris Jenner

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  "When I was first introduced to Kris Jenner, she possessed everything you would envy in a person: charisma, confidence, and warmth. In our first meeting for what would become the 20-season TV juggernaut Keeping Up With the Kardashians, I saw her fearlessness firsthand as she insisted the show include not only the family’s high points, but all its vulnerabilities as well." -Ryan Seacrest
• Hwang Dong-hyuk

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  "Much of Hwang Dong-hyuk’s success stems from his ability to illuminate the feelings of the characters and to build believable lives for them from the ground up. As a television and film director, he knows how to weave a story so that no matter what choice a character makes, it feels natural." -Lee Jung-jae

• Joe Rogan

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  "I’m probably the very last person you might pick to assess the power and meaning of Joe Rogan. While we both do long podcasts, we’re quite different in terms of origins (journalist vs. comic), tone (persistently tough vs. indefatigably curious), and content (just the facts vs. just asking questions—including to obvious charlatans). But that’s really the point of podcasting, part of a fresh and new media landscape where there’s no question that Rogan has pioneered and plowed the fields like no other. " -Kara Swisher

• Joe Biden

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  "In his first 16 months as President, Joe Biden has done exactly what he said he would do if elected—help America overcome an unprecedented pandemic, rebuild a battered economy from the bottom up and middle out so that it works for all of us, and restore our standing in the world." -Bill Clinton
• Vladimir Putin

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  "Perhaps Vladimir Putin’s true mission is to teach lessons. To everyone—from world leaders and pundits to ordinary people. He has been especially good at this in 2022. He reminded us once again that a path that begins with “just a little election rigging” always ends with a dictatorship. And dictatorship always leads to war. It’s a lesson we shouldn’t have forgotten." -Alexei Navalny

• Mary J. Blige

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  "Mary came up the way we all did. She was a voice for us, but she wasn’t like other R&B artists at the time. She became a household name early because she was a hip-hop artist who also sang. The industry needed someone like that. The streets wanted that. Pop culture wanted that. And she was the one for it because she wasn’t made up. She was the girl around the way with the big earrings. She was like a spokesperson for a particular type of girl coming out of New York and coming out of the streets." -Nas

• Issa Rae

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  "Issa Rae wasn’t born—she was handcrafted by God herself. Or she’s an alien with otherworldly powers. I’m not totally sure which, but how other than a touch of the supernatural can you explain someone who can truly do everything to perfection? Issa is not only a prolific writer, a captivating actor and comedian, a profound leader, an efficacious producer, and a music mogul in the making (pauses to take a breath)—she’s also a consistently hilarious and loyal friend. For those of us lucky enough to know her, Issa is everything you want a person to be: kind, funny, down to earth." -Robin Thede
• Keanu Reeves

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  "There’s something unique about Keanu Reeves’ fame—he’s known for his kindness and generosity, despite his celebrity. In this often unkind and shallow world, my friend Keanu gives others hope. The actions of this handsome, talented, successful, and fiercely committed actor have become a reprieve from the constant disappointment we have for those who get put on a pedestal." -Carrie-Anne Moss

• Adele

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  "She puts emotions into words, describing them in a way we never could ourselves. She is raw, honest, and elegant all at the same time. It never feels like she sings to us. She sings for us. When I have sat and talked with Adele, often into the small hours of the morning, she’s felt like a friend from school, like someone I’ve known my whole life, so much so that I can almost forget her exquisite talents."-James Corden

• Jon Batiste

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  "What I love most about Jon as an artist and human being, though, is that he has handled his success with grace, and his creativity with humility. It is all of these attributes that will allow him to continue to grow and accomplish all that he sets out to. And I, for one, am excited for the future that he has ahead of him." -Quincy Jones
• Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson

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  "Not only is he a musical encyclopedia but also a comedy nerd and one of the most creative people I’ve ever met. We’ve been working together ever since, and we’ve made almost 3,000 shows together. In that time, he’s also written six books while releasing incredible albums—and this past year made an amazing documentary called 'Summer of Soul' that won every award you can think of." -Jimmy Fallon

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