It’s a big news day for Marvel Studios. After the long SAG and WGA strikes, the news is slowly pouring back in on what’s happening in the industry. After The Marvels fizzled out at the box office in its opening weekend, we know that Marvel Studios is trying to restructure and we might already be seeing the first consequences of that action.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton has left the upcoming Avengers film behind, The Kang Dynasty, and has set his eyes on sticking to the franchise he knows well. While he’s mainly going to kick off his work on the paused Wonder Man Disney+ series, he’s already started work on the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
That movie opened during the pandemic and managed to grow to $432M globally after a strong Labor Day opening weekend. The move seems fitting to allow Cretton to focus on Shang-Chi, especially now as they are trying to build up existing franchises and brands to regain the momentum it had during Phase 3 and in Phase 4. It’ll be interesting to see what else will happen.
We’re still waiting for the official confirmation that Shang-Chi‘s sequel is on the horizon. Outside of quite a few rumors, Marvel Studios has been surprisingly shy about announcing one even as the first entry was quite the critical darling. It also was the first sign of strong legs for the studio that it hasn’t quite enjoyed since the pandemic recovered.
Still, the film’s star Simu Liu has shared his thoughts on what it means to tackle a sequel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially after introducing the world to this unique corner of the universe. He also highlights that he hopes they can “still afford Michelle Yeoh” after her major Oscar win for Everything Everywhere all at Once.
Going into a sequel feels exciting. It doesn’t necessarily feel like there’s a pressure to perform or a pressure to exceed. It feels like we’ve established a world and there’s just something really nostalgic and exciting about returning to that world that we’ve spent so much time ideating on and thinking about. And then, we’re getting to revisit some things, but also show the viewer new things. We’ll deliver all of the amazing action that we were celebrated for on the first movie, but then also hopefully explore new sides of Shaun’s character and the characters around him. That is, of course, if we can still afford Michelle Yeoh. She’s on top of the world and just the queen of everything.
Simu Liu
It’s strange to think how much time has passed since the film was released in theaters. There was something special about this kung fu-inspired project, and here’s hoping we get quite a few more. There’s also the rumor of a potential 10 Rings Disney+ spinoff they might be working on. So, we’ll see if we get more out of the Shang-Chi corner of the MCU.
We’ve just entered Phase 5 and it seems the projects are about to get even more connected than before. The Multiverse Saga is truly upon us and while we don’t know who will return when it seems Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ star Simu Liu has teased an earlier return for his character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In an interview with People, Liu got a chance to share what it’s like being part of this expansive universe filled with very talented actors and creatives bringing their own stamp to a universe that plays by its own rules. The big reveal comes when he says we might “see something sooner than you think” in regard to his return.
I’m such a big fan of both the characters and the performers that play them, so any collaboration is an opportunity for me to work alongside someone who, in their own way, is breaking barriers and at the very top of their game. I think that’s what excites me the most as a performer, [and] also as a fan. And who knows, they might see something sooner than you think.
Simu Liu
Of course, there’s no clear indication when he might appear but there’s a chance that one of the upcoming Phase 5 films could feature Liu‘s Shang-Chiin some capacity. We saw him interact with members of the now-defunct Avengers and perhaps he’ll end up helping out in Captain America: New World Order, or a secret member of the Thunderbolts that have yet to be unveiled. Of course, he might also be hinting at an announcement for a Shang-Chi sequel that has long been rumored.
As Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to a close with the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, discussions are being had about which projects stood out the most during this new era for Marvel Studios. Generally speaking, one of the largest successes on the theatrical side was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. After being one of the best critical and commercial performances of 2021, a direct sequel, to be written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, has been announced. Though it’s far too early for any plot details to be known, star actor Liu has some thoughts about what could transpire for the sequel film.
I think just what Shaun decides to do with all this newfound power, you know? It kind of consumed his father, consumed Wenwu. I’m curious as to how someone much younger, much more inexperienced, would fare against the rings. Just this idea of all of a sudden being gifted something that’s so powerful but also so dangerous. And then the other big question I have is, you know, in what way does Shaun fit in with the rest of the MCU? Who are you going to see? What kind of crazy team-ups? What kinda tie-ins, Easter eggs? I’m just as much in the dark as everyone else, so I don’t know anything, but I’m excited to dive into that process.
Simu Liu
The notion of focusing on the younger generation and comparing it to the reign of Wenwu certainly opens the door for interesting story potential. Tony Leung’s character quickly has become one of the most well-received antagonists of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and finding a way to continue his legacy would be fruitful for the sequel. In addition, folding Shang-Chi into the greater universe would be a logical move as a character that feels primed to be a key part of a hypothetical Avengers roster for their upcoming films. There are certainly various different avenues of existing and new concepts that would work well to connect the popular hero to various stalwarts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When it comes to the idea of being a fixture at Marvel Studios, Liu has a positive outlook on wanting to stay as long as Kevin Feige and company will let him.
As far as when I think that’s just a question of timing and how well my back holds up through the years. I’ll make 40 of them if we can.
Simu Liu
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently available to watch on Disney+. There has been no official announcement made on when the sequel film will release theatrically.
Much has been said about the apparent lack of connecting tissue uniting most of the MCU’s Phase 4. Even though the climax for Marvel’s post-Endgame storylines being pretty straightforward from the moment the Multiverse came into play, most fans only came to terms with it in July 2022. This was when Kevin Feige announced the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled to be released on November 7, 2025, and in a single instant, it became easy to unite every separate storyline into a single narrative thread, in a way only the Multiverse can.
But there are levels to this. If on the surface, in terms of character movement, things should be moving in closer together for the foreseeable future, mimicking the final days of the Infinity Saga, there might be more assembling going on. And Werewolf By Night, even as detached from the usual look and feel of the MCU as it is, with little to no connection to other projects besides, you know, being set in the same universe, will probably have something to offer in that regard.
Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings (2022)
Phase 4 has been all about reinventing and reframing legacy characters all while introducing new faces, both heroes and villains, to an evergrowing canvas of intertwined stories. But it is also quietly revealing strange new artifacts, with apparent similar origins albeit vastly different capabilities, that might come together play a part in the multiversal war that is to come. And this is where Werewolf By Night’s Bloodstone comes into play.
Both in Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings and Ms. Marvel, we’ve been introduced to relics that have been slightly reinterpreted from their comic book origins, all while bringing them together in terms of origin. As for the Ten Rings, they were seen as too much like the Infinity Stones, as each ring initially had its own color and ability, and so not only their look but their previously mentioned origin was significantly changed, with the Shang-Chi post-credit scene hinting at an alien origin. As for Ms. Marvel’s bangle, it became the item that ultimately unlocked Kamala’s powers, unlike in the comics where she develops her superpowers when the Terrigen Mists are released. The bangle is, like the Ten Rings, also hinted at as having an alien origin since it’s mentioned that Kamala’s ancestor initially found it on the arm of a blue alien.
Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel (2022)
As for the Bloodstone (a.k.a. the Bloodgem), its comic book origin is, you guessed it, also alien. It is said to be the fragment of a meteorite that crashed on Earth somewhere around 8250 B.C, and that eventually founds its way onto the hands of Ulysses Bloodstone, who became immortal by being in possession of the stone. This could fit the powers of the Bloodstone as mentioned by Ulysses’s widow, Verusa, in Werewolf by Night:
What aspect of the Blood Stone are we after exactly? The strength it lends? The protection? Oh… longevity.
Verusa
Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night (2022)
The stone is described as a powerful supernatural relic, a weapon unlike any other, something that fits the profile—and likely the origin—of the other two artifacts mentioned above. If the future of the MCU will bring them all together to serve as instruments in the conflicts to come, remains to be seen. But whereas the Infinity Stones were meant to be wielded together, working in unison towards one single goal, having the Ten Rings, Kamala’s Cosmic Bangle, and the Bloodgem doing the same, even if achievable, might be a bit more tricky. But also incredibly more entertaining.
Werewolf by Night is now streaming, only on Disney+
There’s been a lot of rumors making the rounds before San Diego Comic-Con and D23 gave us a tease of what’s to come. Among them was the hint that we’d get the announcement for a Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings sequel that was surprisingly never revealed. We did find out its direct DanielDestin Cretton will be tackling the next Avengers movie titled The Kang Dynasty, but it seems he may be getting busier than expected.
According to a new Reddit rumor as shared by The Direct, it seems that Shang-Chi is getting a sequel and is likely eyeing a 2025 release window. It is even surprisingly more exact with February 15th as the potential release window. Of course, we still have to take this with a grain of salt but given the first film’s success, a sequel seems like a no-brainer, especially if Cretton proved himself enough to take on an Avengers movie.
It looks like he’ll be quite a bit busier in the near future, especially with him also producing an adaptation of Wonder Man for Disney+. Of course, there’s no clear news if that series is also set to release ahead of the new Avengers films, or perhaps it might be something that takes place afterward.
There are a lot of possibilities and there’s a question about how the director might tackle the production; there’s a chance they might be currently mapping out the next few years for the director and it’ll be interesting to see if Kang might even have a role in the Shang-Chi sequel potentially.
There have been many comments on a lack of connection between the various projects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s elusive Phase 4. While it’s echoing the days of when the MCU was in its infancy, long before anyone made heads or tails about Thanos’ brief grin at the tail end of Avengers, there has been a running theme going throughout the season. Many of the stories explored here are about identity and uncovering what we are capable of. There’s also the mystery set out in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as mysterious tools are appearing with uncertain origins. The same goes for the recent Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, where she uses bangles that are a mystery to even the Clandestine seeking them.
Yet, the latest episode introduced a surprising twist to a familiar aspect of Kamala Kan’s power. In the comics, she doesn’t actually shapeshift but rather borrows mass from herself throughout time. In the series, she actually gains the literal ability to travel through time and ends up during the Partition to help her own family’s history come true. It’s a rather surprising twist that not only gave us time to explore an important part of history but also continue to evolve Kamala’s power set. This does lead to more questions regarding the mysterious origins and how they might tie to the Kree, given it was on a blue arm and the Ten Rings logo.
Once I started thinking about the time travel implications in this series, the more I started to think about the loose connection at play here. We did have an entire scene where no one could connect the origins of the Ten Rings, a weapon that’s been part of MCU’s history long before we even witnessed it ourselves. How would technology that advanced find its way into the hands of Wenwu that not only give him seemingly eternal life but also the power to take down an entire army and how would it connect to the mysterious bangles passed down in the Khan family? The Disney+ series producers did hint that they adapted them for a bigger story, and perhaps they weren’t hinting at just The Marvels but even beyond that.
Well, there is actually one connective tissue that would tie it together. It’s not stated outright but I believe these two mysterious items are linked. In a way, they likely have a similar origin and that is one that doesn’t lie in the past. In Loki, we’ve met a Variant of the man that would be known as Kang the Conqueror to many. Time travel and dimensional travel have been at the forefront for most of the season, as the MCU cleverly tied these elements together to avoid having to explain two distinct sci-fi concepts.
Fittingly, both elements come together in this season of Ms. Marvel. Similar to the dimension introduced in Shang-Chi, the Clandestine are actually from another dimension they refer to as Noor and have been on Earth for a long time. Both projects feature a mysterious object that gives its wielder mysterious powers of an unknown origin that could potentially open up the MCU’s mythos in new ways. Perhaps these objects have these powers because they aren’t from any past civilization but rather originate from the future.
Kang the Conqueror has that name for a reason. With an arsenal unlike any other at his hand, it wouldn’t be too surprising that he’d also find a way to echo the words of Thor’s explanation of how Asgardians combine magic and technology. He’s found a way to harness exactly that to create an arsenal of weapons he used for his own conquering throughout history only to leave them behind when he made his jump. Moon Knight almost featured the man that was a pharao in another timeline, which further pushes a connection.
Perhaps Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced the only weapon that would be able to take him down, someone who can literally bend reality to her knees. Wanda may be the piece of the puzzle that won’t become apparent until much later. In a way, the unnamed bangles and Shang-Chi‘s Ten Rings are actually Phase 4’s new Infinity Stones. Instead of literal embodiments of powers, they are objects all hinting at one major threat and the power he truly holds. Kang the Conqueror doesn’t need to collect any stones to accomplish his goals, he already has done so in another time. Yet, his arrogance of leaving these objects in the past may also become his undoing.
Following the introduction of both Konshu and Ammit in the first couple of Moon Knight episodes, Marvel Studios took yet another step into the rich Egyptian mythology that’s being built into the MCU by giving us a glimpse of its take on a few more characters based on Egypt’s ancient deities. This isn’t the first foray into the realm of gods for Marvel Studios, but it could certainly prove to be yet another substantial stepping stone toward the MCU’s near future.
Marvel Studios’ Thor (2011)
In episode three of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight, Marc Spector, as Khonshu’s avatar, gets summoned to a meeting-of-the-avatars of sorts set within the Great Pyramid of Giza (perhaps serving as the MCU’s Overvoid). There, we meet the avatars of five members of the Ennead, a “super group of Egyptian gods” as described by Steven Grant in episode one. Its name comes from the Greek Enneás, which means “the Nine”, meaning that Steve was indeed right in correcting the mistake made by the National Gallery in its own exhibit’s promotional material. Of the nine gods with a place at the gathering, only five took to their seats at the chamber: Horus, Isis, Tefnut, Osiris, and Hathor. Shu (mentioned by name in episode one) and Geb (featured in the exhibit’s poster) were notably absent. As for the remaining two seats, it seems fair to think that those would belong to both Khonshu and Ammit, making the MCU’s version of the Ennead complete.
Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight
As for what these gods represent, little is set in stone in terms of who they are and what their main focus is within the MCU. Even the historically accepted constitution of the Ennead differs from the one we got in Moon Knight, leaving just enough room for Marvel Studios to slightly adapt each of the gods’ characters to fit whichever storyline might suit them best down the line. It’s not unheard of to have a god have multiple fields of expertise (let us put it that way), as it is actually extremely normal for that to happen. This means that it’s all up to Marvel’s writing teams to figure out where to focus on when, and if, these characters are called upon once again.
The Heliopolitans
And this brings us to the future of not only Egyptian gods in the MCU but, considering how Pandora’s box has indeed been cracked open, the future of many other pantheons of deities of specific spiritual practices and geographical locations. And the appearance of some might be more surprising than others.
Thor: Love and Thunder is an obvious choice. But this project will not only bring back Asgardian gods into the fold, as it is apparently set to introduce at least one character from the Olympians as back in April 2021 Russel Crowe seemingly confirmed that he would be playing Zeus in the Thor sequel. This might open the door for several other representatives of the Greek pantheon such as Ares, Poseidon, Apollo, or perhaps even Hercules. By making Gorr, the God Butcher, the main antagonist of the fourth installment of the Thor franchise, it would be a shame if many new gods aren’t introduced in order to, you know, be butchered.
The Olympians
But another upcoming, and perhaps less obvious, MCU movie that might also hugely benefit from Marvel Studios embracing its mythology is none other than Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. As we already speculated last September, following the release of Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, the Black Panther sequel might very well decide to focus on the Aztec Empire making it serve as the grounded real-world connection to the mythical undersea kingdom of Atlantis. Going this route, and doubling down on the mythological unveiling within yet another culture depicted in the MCU, would mean opening the door to another, less recognizable, group of deities: The Tēteoh, a race of supernatural beings worshiped as gods by the Aztecs of ancient Central America, much like the Heliopolitans in Egypt or the Olympians in Greece.
The Tēteoh
Following the introduction of the titular characters in Eternals, continuing to explore the storyline possibilities set by the several Marvel pantheons, by characters beyond the realm of man, unconstrained and with a whole new set of motivations would certainly prove an interesting one. Especially because there are numerous groups left to explore: The Ahau (Mayan), The Akua (Polynesian). The Apu (Inca), The Daevas (Hindu), The Inua (Inuit), The Manidoog (Native American), and many more, including The Tuatha de Danaan and the Fomorians (both Celtic) who operate out of Otherworld, a place that is bound to make its MCU debut following the introduction of Dane Whitman, The Black Knight, in the aforementioned Eternals.
Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings
An interesting and easy way to justify how these characters have been on Earth all along even if we haven’t seen them or even acknowledge them before is to do what Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings did with Ta Lo. In the comics, Ta Lo was a small “pocket” dimension adjacent to Earth, and it appears to be something quite similar in the MCU. It is described as a mystical dimension, inhabited by Chinese mythological creatures, that have managed to stay hidden not only by being difficult to access but especially by making it unclear to the outside world if it’s even a real place or not. And this is where Moon Knight‘s Heliopolis, as well as the Aztec Tlālōcān, the Greek Olympus, Otherworld, and many more otherwordly sites where gods roam, come to mind. They all share the common characteristic of being located on extradimensional realms, much like Ta Lo, with easy access to Earth through portals in the vicinity of where its inhabitants are worshipped by humans – places like Egypt, the Yucatán Peninsula, Mount Olympus in Greece, Stonehenge, and so on – making Earth the nexus of it all. A perfect answer as to how to bring the MCU to a new level of storytelling. Into The Age of Gods.
We know that Marvel Studios invests a lot of time in creating concept art for various versions of the scripts to help its writers get a feeling for how these projects come together. Sometimes it offers a look behind-the-scenes on what ideas were pitched throughout the development, and it seems that a new piece of concept art from Andrew Kim reveals a different battle in the fighting cage sequence of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. While we got Wong fighting Abomination in the film, it seems that at one point it included a battle between Avengers: Infinity War‘s Proxima Midnight and Deadpool.
It’s unclear if this was just drawn for fun, as Proxima Midnight not only died in Infinity War but even got snapped again in Avengers: Endgame. So, her inclusion in Golden Daggers Club makes less sense than the fourth-wall-breaking merch with a mouth. While it may have been jarring to see him included, especially with the character’s connection to the Fox universe. So, even if this isn’t just a joke by the artist, it may have been a bit jarring to suddenly see him show up out of nowhere for some fans.
Sadly, it seems very unlikely that this was ever planned, and the inclusion of Abomination was a great move, especially with his confirmed appearance in She-Hulk. Plus, we got some fun with Wong that opened up a lot of questions about what the future has in store for these characters. A sudden return of Proxima Midnight might have many scratching their head, though Deadpool could’ve dragged her from the multiverse for fun. It might’ve been too distracting in the middle of a new solo film that would have distracted viewers. Still, it’s a great looking concept art and hopefully we get to revisit this cage fight at a later point.
The Oscar nominations have finally arrived and it looks like Marvel Studios once again remains a strong contender in the Visual Effects department, as Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings alongside Spider-Man: No Way Home was nominated. They join other projects like Dune, Free Guy, and No Time To Die in the category. Sadly, they once again did not receive any other nominations, while Denis Villeneuve’s latest film was quite the favorite at this year’s announcements including Visual Effects, Best Film, Film Editing, and more.
Marvel tends to land mainly in this category, which is a shame as there are many talented people involved with these projects. Black Panther was the first Marvel Studios project to beat the odds and even land a nomination for Best Picture, but that was quite an uncommon occurrence. It’s great to see other projects like Free Guy also land a nomination, which had some stunning visual effects playing on classic video game tropes. At this point, it’s anyone’s game but Dune or No Time to Die seems like the more likely choice to get chosen by the committee. Until the event takes place, all bets are open and we’ll see if the Marvel Studios projects can nab an Oscar this year.
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