Marvel's Simu Liu Promises Shang-Chi 2 Is Still On

Shang-Chi will return... eventually. Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings introduced Simu Liu's master martial artist to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a mid-credits scene — featuring Wong (Benedict Wong), Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) — hinting at Shang-Chi's future as part of the Avengers. The Destin Daniel Cretton-directed Phase 4 film packed a punch at the box office, too: Shang-Chi scored a record-breaking Labor Day weekend and went on to gross more than $430 million worldwide despite being released amid the pandemic in September 2021. So where is Shang-Chi 2? 

"I [promise] it's still happening," Liu replied to a fan on Instagram's Threads who wrote that "there has been no effort by the studio to get the sequel filming or even include the character in other Marvel films."

A Shang-Chi sequel was officially announced by Disney and Marvel Studios in December 2021, when Cretton inked an overall deal to write and direct Shang-Chi 2 and develop TV projects for Disney+, including an in-the-works Wonder Man series starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the titular superhero-turned-actor. The in-demand Cretton has since boarded Lionsgate's live-action Naturo movie and was attached to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty — Marvel's first Avengers movie since Endgame in 2019 — but in November, the filmmaker "amicably" parted ways with Marvel on Avengers 5.

"When I get a call of like, 'Hey, this is what you're in, and this is where you're going to show up, and this is when you're going to be need to be blacked out for.' That's kind of generally what tends to happen," Liu recently told ComicBook at the premire of Arthur the King. "Destin is such a special filmmaker and we're very happy to have him on the sequel. So he'll be working on that, and we're really excited to see what he comes up with. I think he's going to do a brilliant job."

Cretton remains attached to the as-yet-untitled Shang-Chi 2, but after Marvel Studios' slate shake-up, the sequel remains undated. Liu previously took to Threads to assure fans that the sequel is expected to release as part of the MCU Phase 6, between Kang Dynasty (currently dated May 1, 2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027).

"Was told [Shang-Chi 2] would follow Avengers, but that keeps pushing back due to circumstances beyond my control," Liu wrote in an update last year. "Hope to have more concrete news to share soon."

The upcoming Marvel Studios slate includes Deadpool & Wolverine (July 26), Captain America: Brave New World (Feb. 14, 2025), Thunderbolts* (May 5, 2025), The Fantastic Four (July 25, 2025), Blade (Nov. 7, 2025), Avengers 5 (May 1, 2026), and Avengers: Secret Wars (May 7, 2027). 

Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is available to stream now on Disney+.