https://www.comicbookmovie.com/tv/m...3s-mandarin-reveal-spoilers-a183043#gs.v4sr2o
While talking to Kevin Smith, WandaVision director Matt Shakman addressed the backlash, and admitted that the Mandarin reveal in Iron Man 3 served as his inspiration.
"Just out of the blue, no idea who the person is, sent me this tirade of like, ‘Didn’t you guys learn from Iron Man 3 with the fake Mandarin?’ and my first takeaway was [how] that was my favorite part of Iron Man 3, when Ben Kingsley came out of the bathroom saying, ‘Don’t go in there!’ I was like, ‘This is amazing!’" the filmmaker reveals.
"Trevor, the fake Mandarin, was fantastic. Playing with expectations, turning things around, is always enjoyable, and what I would say to the Marvel fan who’s a little disappointed that the X-Men didn’t show up, or the multiverse didn’t show up clearly right there, is that they’re coming. You know they’re coming, right? You’ve got a movie called 'Multiverse of Madness.' You’ve got mutants announced at Comic-Con a year and a half ago. Like, they’re coming. And guess who else is coming? The Mandarin is coming! He's the villain in Shang-Chi! So your patience will be rewarded."