Marvel fans used to have a clear picture of what was in the pipeline from Marvel Studios. The studio was once known for planning out its release calendar years in advance, giving fans an outline of what was to come years before the movies would hit theaters. However, as the Infinity Saga drew to an end, so did Marvel’s ability to outline its theatrical slate in the way it once had.
In this new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans have gotten used to expecting the unexpected. Post-Avengers: Endgame, we’ve seen projects delayed, canceled, and completely retooled. There have been some incredible projects released in the post-Endgame era, but there is no denying that the MCU has lost its direction and the future isn’t as clear as it once was.
This applies not only to the release slate for Marvel, but also the status of characters introduced within the last several years and the franchises they’ve helped to launch. We’ve seen some amazing new additions to the MCU, yet so many incredible characters have been left out in the rain with their franchises stuck in a perpetual state of limbo.
While there are certain Marvel projects that might never come to fruition and have been taken out of active development, it seems that a sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is very much still alive at Marvel Studios!
Shang-Chi 2 is still happening according to star Simu Liu
When Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings opened in theaters back in 2021, the film quickly earned rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The film is one of Marvel’s greatest movies with spectacular visual effects and an amazing ensemble led by Simu Liu’s title character. It also marked a historic moment for the superhero genre as the first Asian-led superhero film, a long overdue moment that should have never taken as long as it did to come to fruition.
Fans immediately made it clear they wanted more of Shang-Chi and it didn’t take long for reports to break that a sequel was in the works. Fast-forward to today and fans are still waiting for a sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, thankfully though, it seems Marvel remains committed to making a sequel.
"There's not a whole lot to tease right now, other than I think, I sound like a broken record at this point, but it is happening," Liu told People when asked about whether a sequel was still happening.
The good news is that the film is still in the works, but the bad news is that it doesn’t sound like we’ll be getting the sequel anytime soon.
Fans will likely have to wait until at least 2028 for Shang-Chi 2 to happen
Marvel has yet to officially confirm the status of Shang-Chi 2, but Liu made it clear that the priority is on the next two Avengers movies. Thankfully, it seems that fans will get to see Liu’s Shang-Chi appear in both films.
While Liu was already confirmed to be a part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, he confirmed to People that he’s also part of the cast of Avengers: Secret Wars, due out in December 2027.
"But I think the more immediate tease is of course, is [Avengers:] Doomsday, which comes out next year, which I was lucky enough to be a part of and will be lucky enough to be a part of its successor in Secret Wars."
With Doomsday slated to release on December 18, 2026, and Secret Wars coming in December 2027, it seems that we will not see a sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings hit theaters anytime soon. In fact, it seems that the absolute earliest the sequel could potentially release would be 2028, which is two years out.
Marvel clearly has big plans and is hoping to use the upcoming Avengers film to chart a course for the next chapter of the MCU. It’s still unclear what that chapter will entail, but it’s a relief to know that Liu and Shang-Chi will be a part of the narrative Marvel hopes to tell in this next story. That said, it’s truly insane to think that we could be waiting close to 10 years for the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings sequel, marking one of the longest gaps between sequel projects for a character in the MCU.