Marvel’s Shang-Chi Gets a Second Movie Boost Before Avengers: Secret Wars

by

It seems like it’s been a long time since the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had such a positive trajectory. The acclaimed reception of “Thunderbolts” and the anticipation surrounding “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” have significantly altered the expectations for “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.” Interestingly, Marvel Studios appears to be making a shrewd decision by postponing their next two highly anticipated team-up films.

The Russo Brothers and their crew have the luxury of carefully fine-tuning scripts and securing visual effects artists at their own pace. However, Marvel Studios also has a chance to explore an intriguing possibility, if they’re open to stepping out of their comfort zone with one of their lesser-known heroes.

In the upcoming movie “Avengers: Doomsday,” Simu Liu’s character, Shang-Chi, has officially joined the cast. As of now, it’s unclear what exact role he will play, but considering his abilities and ties to Bruce Banner, teaming up with Sam Wilson’s Avengers appears to be a suitable match for him.

The promotion is fitting, given that Shang-Chi stands out as one of the most intriguing characters within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, there’s a catch to bringing the Ten Rings’ bearer into focus: he’s been gathering dust on the shelf for quite some time.

The promotion is justified since Shang-Chi is an exceptional and unique hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unfortunately, the challenge with putting the guy who wields the Ten Rings in the spotlight is that he’s been left untouched for years.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was unable to continue its planned follow-up on “Avengers: Endgame”. Consequently, films were pushed back and when they eventually premiered in cinemas, public interest wasn’t as strong as it would have been if theaters hadn’t shut down.

2021 saw me utterly captivated by “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” Critics, fellow enthusiasts, and I couldn’t get enough of it! To my delight, this film raked in over $400 million at the global box office. It was evident that Marvel Studios had unearthed another potential superstar on their roster. The moves made after its release hinted at this very fact.

Marvel Studios has entrusted “Shang-Chi” director Daniel Destin Cretton with reuniting Earth’s most powerful heroes in “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” a storyline set during Phases 4 and 5 of the Multiverse Saga, which centers around Kang the Conqueror. In this next adventure, it is likely that Shang-Chi will have a significant role, given his involvement as he further investigates the weapons his father bequeathed to him, as hinted in the post-credits scene.

Due to events beyond its management (specifically, the dismissal of actor Jonathan Majors), Marvel Studios faced a change in plans and decided to reintroduce Robert Downey Jr. as the main antagonist for the Multiverse Saga, known as Doctor Doom. Additionally, director Cretton was replaced, with the Russo brothers stepping in to direct both Avengers 5 and 6.

Fortunately, Cretton was not left with the lesser opportunity; instead, he secured the sought-after role for Spider-Man 4. Unfortunately, the character that catapulted him to the summit of Marvel Studios didn’t fare as well, missing out on a follow-up and finding itself in a state of uncertainty until the cast for Doomsday was announced.

Despite all the efforts Shang-Chi made to establish a successful franchise, he unfortunately became unintentionally damaged goods. Regrettably, this isn’t fair, but it presents an opportunity for Marvel Studios to rectify the situation and continue growing their universe of characters.

Shang-Chi Should Get a Sequel Before or After Avengers: Secret Wars

Beyond pushing back the release dates of “Doomsday” and “Secret Wars” to December 18, 2026, and December 17, 2027, Marvel Studios also scrapped three other scheduled releases in those years, leaving only “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and the “Avengers” films on their upcoming slate.

As the MCU prepares to delve into the X-Men universe with the upcoming Thunderbolts film, there’s no need for Shang-Chi 2 to wait too long for its release. Placing the sequel either before or after the epic event of Secret Wars could provide a significant box office boost, much like Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home, which both surpassed $1 billion in earnings.

Cretton’s busy schedule might have caused the delay, but since he’s now leading the Spider-Man series, there’s a vacancy that could give an emerging filmmaker a chance to shine. Moreover, the world of Shang-Chi within the MCU offers ample opportunities for someone to step in effortlessly.

Placing the New Avengers in the limelight during “Doomsday” is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work. However, continuing to focus on them while Shang-Chi is overlooked can be difficult to accept, as he equally deserves the spotlight. Thankfully, there’s hope for his narrative: a second solo movie will help clarify his storyline in due time.

Read More

2025-05-26 23:34