It’s Great Shang-Chi 2 Isn’t Cancelled, But I’m Still Worried About 1 Thing

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It’s surprising that Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi hasn’t been in a Marvel movie or show for nearly five years, but things are finally starting to look up. He’s set to join the Avengers in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, and a sequel to Shang-Chi is still in the works. Many fans thought Shang-Chi 2 might never happen due to the lack of news, but Simu Liu and director Destin Daniel Cretton have hinted at their plans for it over the last five years. Despite recent rumors suggesting the project was stalled, we now have confirmation that it’s moving forward.

During interviews for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Destin Daniel Cretton told Deadline that reports of Shang-Chi 2 being cancelled are false, and he understands fans are frustrated by the wait. He explained they are still working on the sequel, but the timing has been complicated by industry-wide changes since the first film’s release. While Shang-Chi was successful, its release coincided with a new wave of COVID-19 and theater closures in many countries. Following that, the film industry experienced significant upheaval, causing unavoidable delays. Although this is positive news, the current Marvel Cinematic Universe schedule still presents some challenges for the sequel.

Shang-Chi 2 Will be Worth The Wait (But it Might Not Be Any Time Soon)

Simu Liu is eager to start working on Shang-Chi 2. When asked if the delay was due to the Spider-Man: Brand New Day project, Liu dismissed the idea, saying both he and the director, Destin Daniel Cretton, are very excited about the sequel. However, it’s reasonable to wonder if Cretton’s success with the first Shang-Chi film led to complications with the timeline. Marvel often supports directors who become popular (like the Russo brothers), and without giving Cretton more opportunities, we likely wouldn’t have the versions of Wonder Man and Spider-Man: Brand New Day that are currently in development. This is a positive thing, as Cretton deserves the added work.

The ending of Shang-Chi clearly laid the groundwork for a sequel, focusing on the origins of the Ten Rings and a signal they sent into space. However, delays in developing the sequel – and changes to the overall Marvel plan with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty becoming Avengers: Doomsday – mean it will likely be a long wait – possibly 7 to 9 years – before that storyline pays off, assuming it’s still the plan after Avengers: Secret Wars. Even if Shang-Chi 2 is one of the first movies made after the current Multiverse Saga ends, there’s no guarantee, especially with rumors of a future Mutant Saga. So, despite Shang-Chi’s likely appearances in both Doomsday and Secret Wars, we’re still probably years away from seeing his sequel.

Wait, Where Does Shang-Chi 2 Fit in the Mutant Saga?!

Okay, let’s talk about where things stand with some of these upcoming Marvel movies. Right now, Shang-Chi 2 and a few others – like Blade and Armor Wars – seem to be on hold, waiting for the dust to settle after Avengers: Secret Wars. Black Panther 3 feels like the most likely to actually happen, and we’re getting a tiny peek at the X-Men reboot, but honestly, I’m struggling to see how any of these projects connect to a larger Mutant Saga. It’s starting to feel a lot like Phase 4 again, where everything felt separate and the idea of a cohesive Multiverse Saga just didn’t quite land. I’m hoping Marvel can pull it together, but right now, I’m a little worried.

Marvel might be better off moving away from huge, interconnected sagas and focusing on smaller, more focused stories. This could mean we get exciting projects like a Shang-Chi 2 faster. Whether Secret Wars leads to a fresh start for the MCU or not, Marvel needs to rethink how individual movies connect to the big event films. At the very least, they should manage fan expectations. The recent Multiverse Saga took a long time to actually focus on the multiverse, and movies often felt forced into the storyline just because of when they were released. If Marvel doesn’t change this approach, fans could end up waiting even longer for sequels like Shang-Chi 2 while they try to create a larger, unified story, which will only lead to more disappointment.

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2026-06-17 16:13