The Multiverse Saga has often been criticized for introducing characters and concepts only to leave them on the shelf for years. But according to a new report making the rounds, Marvel Studios is finally looking to capitalize on one of its undisputed Phase 4 triumphs: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
A new report from industry insider Daniel Richtman suggests that a dedicated spin-off project tracking the shadow empire of the Ten Rings organization is actively in development once again, breathing new life into a corner of the MCU fans have been begging to revisit since 2021.
When we last saw the Ten Rings, Shang-Chi’s sister, Xu Xialing, had taken the throne of her late father’s global criminal empire. Despite promising her brother she would dismantle it, the post-credits scene revealed she was rebuilding the fortress with a new generation of female warriors.
In December 2021, following the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, it was announced that director Destin Daniel Cretton was working not only on a sequel to the film but also a spinoff streaming series for Disney +. Though pretty much everyone at the time believed that spinoff was a Ten Rings-centric show led by Meng’er Zhang‘s Xialing, it turned out to be Wonder Man.
If the rumor pans out, perhaps could this project serve as the narrative runway leading directly into Shang-Chi 2. Cretton has Spider-Man: Brand New Day set for this July and Season 2 of Wonder Man on deck, so a spin-off allows Marvel to keep the Shang-Chi franchise warm without waiting for a full theatrical sequel.
What’s next for Marvel Studios? Who’s recently joined the cast of your most anticipated series or film? Where can you find the teasers and trailers? Look no further, true believers. Everything you need to know about the future of the MCU has been collected for you here. Click on each logo to learn what we currently know about the upcoming MCU projects.
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.
It looks like director Destin Daniel Cretton has decided he wants to focus on other projects, as he’s exited the upcoming Avengers film, The Kang Dynasty. Though this isn’t him leaving the Marvel Studios family behind, as he’s setting his eyes on other future projects. He seemingly will still be involved with the Wonder Man series, which was rumored to have been canceled, and the long-rumored Shang-Chi sequel.
The film initially was going to be released in 2026 with its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars set for 2027. Yet, as Deadpool 3 will be the only release in 2024 and many films are once again being pushed back, we can expect a lot more reshuffling for the studio moving forward. Who knows what other projects might end up looking quite a bit different moving forward?
It’s good to know that Cretton is still on board with Marvel Studios and that the Wonder Man series is seemingly still in some form of development. The only question is if they are reworking the concept as they are no longer including headwriters but going back to actual showrunners. So, we might see more ongoing projects created with multiple seasons in mind rather than their ongoing mini-series approach.
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 Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania join it as the most harshly reviewed film in Marvel Studios’ history, a new report indicates that 2021’s Eternals will have a sequel. Though the critical response to the film was poor and audience scores didn’t indicate it was a big hit with fans in theaters, it has found a new life on Disney Plus becoming the streaming service’s biggest film debut. It now seems possible that the streaming success of Eternals may have given the franchise new life.
According to insider KC Walsh, an Eternals sequel has been given the green light at Marvel Studios and has recently been added to the production schedule alongside the previously announced sequel to Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings.
Eternals 2 and Shang-Chi 2 have been added to the Marvel Studios production calendar pic.twitter.com/2IqGEtREbq
Though no further details were provided about when the films might go into production, a quick peek at Marvel Studios’ existing slate would indicate that fans should not expect Eternals 2 or Shang-Chi 2 until 2025 at the earliest. As it stands, there are 2 untitled Marvel Studios films scheduled to release in 2025 and 3 in 2026. With news breaking now about these two projects, it’d would be reasonable to assume under normal circumstances that they’d be ready in time for 2025 but times they are a changing.
A new rumor made the shocking claim that the as-yet untitled sequel to Shang-Chiand the Legend of the Ten Rings will introduce a new wave of Asian superheroes into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With so many options from which to choose, we thought we’d narrow it down a bit. Here are 5 Asian heroes from the pages of Marvel Comics that we’d like to see in the Shang-Chi sequel.
Amadeus Cho
The time might finally be right for Amadeus Cho to make his entrance into the MCU. His mother, Helen, appeared in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, and fans of Amadeus have been waiting for him to follow her since. The current “present day” of the MCU seems to have moved as far along as 2026 and the Shang-Chi sequel is at least a couple of years away, which could provide enough time for Helen to have had Amadeus, and his twin sister Maddy, and for them to have aged up to 12 or so by the time the film hits theaters. That’s not too far off from the age the characters were when they first appeared in the comics and assuming there isn’t another time jump coming that we don’t know about yet.
Why would Marvel Studios introduce a pre-teen/teen hero into the MCU? Other than the fact that he’s one of the 10 smartest people in the world (he was listed as the 7th smartest when he first appeared) and is essentially a walking hypercomputer and a brilliant strategist. If, as the new rumor also suggests, time travel is involved, Cho would be uniquely positioned to help the heroes quickly calculate when and where they need to be.
Additionally, the time is right for Cho to make his debut because it seems the MCU is setting the stage for a pair of stories that Cho was part of in the comics. The rumored World War Hulk project could include Cho as he played a big role in it in the comics. Cho also developed a close relationship with Hercules, who was recently introduced into the MCU. It’s certainly not “now or never” for Cho but now is as good of a time as any.
Lin Lie
Shang-Chi introduced the quasi-mystical dimension of Ta Lo to the MCU and, with it, the idea that there is a rich and hidden history of magic, both good and evil, that could be explored down the line. Other dimensions and hidden cities like Ta Lo exist and so too do other ancient evils like the Dweller in Darkness. The MCU is also starting to find itself populated with mysterious and powerful artifacts that when wielded by the right person are capable of incredible things. If Marvel Studios wanted to add another character to their roster of heroes that checks off a couple of those boxes, Lin Lie should be near the top of their list.
Lin is the descendant of Fu Xi, a legendary Chinese hero who created a powerful sword which held defeat and imprison the God of War, Chiyou, and his demon horde. Lin inherited the sword in modern day just as Chiyou’s spirit was released from it’s prison. Lin took on the name Sword Master for a time before becoming the Immortal Weapon known as the Iron Fist.
Lin Lie has always felt like a character who was designed with an MCU future in mind. The Sword of Fu Xi could join the Ten Rings and the bangle of Kamala Khan as artifacts of ancient and alien origin that seem to be a major part of the coming battle against Kang. Additionally, the Shang-Chi sequel, like its predecessor, is rumored to feature some mystical, magical madness. It wouldn’t be a stretch for the film to take another trip back in time and introduce another ancient evil…and who knows, maybe a Kang Variant played a role in the forging of Sword Master’s sword.
Mr. Lao
If you hadn’t caught on yet, the inclusion of Mr. Lao probably gives away the team we’re hoping is assembled in Shang-Chi 2: the Agents of Atlas.
The Atlas Foundation fits nicely into the Multiverse Saga and into a time travel film because of its ancient origins. In fact, the MCU origins of Atlas Foundation could easily be reconned to have connections to a Kang Variant. Either way, the Foundation’s long history with advanced weapons and mysticism could make them a formidable ally in the fight against Kang.
Mr. Lao, a human who was transformed into a Lung Dragon, could serve nicely as the expository device for the Atlas Foundation’s long history while recruiting Shang-Chi and the other heroes to his cause as Agents of Atlas.
Wave
A relatively new hero from the pages of Marvel Comics, the Filipino hero Pearl Pangan would give the team an elemental powerhouse. Pearl gained the power of hydrokinesis after a run of the mill Marvel science accident. As the hero Wave, she stood tall as an Agent of Atlas during Malekith’s invasion of Earth in the War of the Realms event.
The addition of Wave to the roster would not only give the team a truly superpowered member but also introduce the MCU’s first Filipino superhero.
White Fox
The South Korean superhero Ami Han is about as good of a fit as anyone for the world of mysticism first seen in Shang -Chi. Han is a member of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and of their superhuman response team, Tiger Division.
A formidable hand-to-hand combatant and high-level intelligence agent, Ham would serve the team with those skills alone. However, it’s her identity as a shape shifting Kumiho and the rare power set that comes with it that ties into the mystical world of Ta Lo and other like it.
Kumiho are the nine-tailed foxes of legend who seduce and kill mortal men. Han is the last known Kumiho in existence in the comics. Han’s mesmerism and energy absorption would provide the Agents of Atlas unrivaled powers against their potential foes.
After being introduced in 2006, the Agents of Atlas were reconfigured in the comics recently as a collective of heroes from across Asia. If Shang-Chi 2 is truly looking to add more Asian heroes (and it wouldn’t take inside information to imagine it might), the new version of the Agents of Atlas is a ready-made solution. While we only chose 5, there are plenty of other options, including others who serve as agents of the Atlas Foundation in the comics already. And of course, should Shang-Chi 2 be introducing the time, Randall Park‘s Jimmy Woo should get his time to shine as the rightful khan of the organization.
For nearly two years, fans of the MCU took to social media to voice their concern that Marvel Studios’ post-Infinity Saga era lacked direction. Those criticisms seemed misplaced at the time (imagine pretending to know that Thanos was coming following 2011’s Thor) but once Kevin Feige rolled out the first look at the Multiverse Saga at SDCC ’22, they became completely irrelevant. Feige’s ambitious plan for the new saga included another double-dip of Avengers films among the current total of 13 unreleased films (expect Spidey 4 to join that number eventually).
Even with the One-Above-All’s plan laid out in plain sight, it’s still a bit hard to see how the MCU gets from here to there. After all, at this point in the Multiverse Saga, only a handful of projects have been…Multiversal. So which projects in Phases 5 and 6 are shaping up to be the most important on the road to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty? Here’s our best guess…
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
This one isn’t much of a guess as it’s all but confirmed to lead directly to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. But how? Our best guess is that the events of Quantumania won’t actually result in Kang getting turned loose into the world just yet. Why not? Because there’s just too much story to get through between Quantumania and The Kang Dynasty to have Kang running about all willy-nilly in the MCU for 2 years. What Quantumania can and will do, however, is establish Kang the Conqueror as a major threat to the Multiverse and it might also serve as the Multiverse Saga’s “Thanos is coming” moment. Whichever members of the Ant-Family make it out of the Quantum Realm will surely relay their knowledge of the villain to whoever it is that makes up the new team of Avengers. Sounds like it’s going to be Cassie Lang’s turn to follow in her father’s footsteps and make up for a big mistake…
Loki, Season 2
Season 2 of Loki both is and is not exactly what you think it is. As details about the villain of the series start to trickle out, fans are starting to put together some pretty great theories about what might happen…but most of those theories get off to a false start. Though Season 1 lead writer Michael Waldron is off working on Avengers: Secret Wars, Eric Martin (who did a great deal of work on Season 1), took the lead. The continuity from Season 1 to Season 2 is going to pay major dividends as Season 2 picks up directly where Season 1 left off. It’s just that Season 1 didn’t leave off in the way many believe it did. Season 2 will also deal with the now out-of-control Multiverse and see Sylvie faced with the consequences of the choice she made when she shanked He Who Remains. He warned her. She didn’t listen. What happens when she finds out just how bad it’s gotten? Finally, Season 2 looks to include Jonathan Majors‘ Kang. Is he the same Kang as the one in Quantumania? Has he escaped from the Quantum Realm or is this before he became trapped there? Is he a new Variant? Season 2’s gonna be a trip.
The Marvels
It’s likely that every project in Phases 5 and 6 will have something that is ultimately somehow related to one or both of the Avengers’ films in the Multiverse Saga. Whether it be plot points, character developments or threads left hanging, most of the projects will tie into them one way or another. The big rumor for The Marvels is that it will actually delve pretty heavily into the idea of incursions that was introduced in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That’s a pretty important bit as Reed Richard’s explanation of what they are might not have given the entire picture, but just what he knew about them at the time.
Captain America: New World Order
Don’t expect Kang to pop in here or for a world-ending incursion to happen in the first act. Do expect this to be the first global-level story of the Multiverse Saga and for it to clarify some details that have been fairly casually thrown into different Phase 4 projects. The Sokovia Accord were established in Captain America: Civil War and the Avengers spent an entire movie fighting over them; those same accords were casually revealed to have been repealed in one line of dialogue spoken by Matt Murdock in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. So what happens when there’s something worth fighting over now? The present-day MCU has no Avengers. But they’ll need some in 2025 otherwise calling it Avengers: The Kang Dynasty would be pretty silly. Will the New Avengers be formed during this movie? Or will this movie be the pivot point for the Multiverse Saga in that it will make it clear that the time has come for the New Avengers to come together?
Deadpool and Wolverine
Hugh Jackman‘s revelation that whatever this movie is called will involve time travel all but confirms that it will be an incursion-fest. I actually love the idea of Deadpool causing a whole mess of incursions that accelerate the destruction of the Multiverse. He’s not a serious character who should be trying to face off against Kang, but it is in keeping with the character that his actions, as noble as he may think they are, would create a major mess that others would have to clean up. If this film becomes the adaptation of Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe which has been theorized here and there, it would be a wonderful way to build a true, all-inclusive Multiverse while capitalizing on Ryan Reynolds‘ popularity and love for Deadpool.
Fantastic Four
It’s hard to imagine a Fantastic Four film taking place in the MCU that doesn’t somehow connect to the Multiverse Saga. The current rumblings around the plot point toward it shaping up to be a little Cosmic in nature and to involve the Silver Surfer. Of course, at this point in the game, there’s no context for what his purpose in the film might be. Whatever the case, he’s certainly no villain but one of his comic book powers might serve an interesting purpose in Fantastic Four. When gifted with the Power Cosmic by Galactus, the Cosmic Wanderer gained Cosmic Awareness. This power allowed him to sense things about the universe that others couldn’t. He could perceive changes in energy in the universe and determine the location of said changes. If the 616 reality were in some jeopardy through an incursion, it’s incredibly likely that the Surfer would know about it first. From there it’s not much of a…stretch…to think he might find himself working with one of the smartest people on the planet to determine the nature of the incursion. From there it follows that Reed might create a device that would allow him to peer into other realities to see if they’re in similar danger. From there it’s possible he might meet other Reeds. Having a plan for dealing with incursions and/or Kang would seem like a pretty major deal. Could an evil Reed be the villain here? Another version of Kang, such as Immortus? Too many unknowns at the moment, but if Marvel Studios wants to set this apart from Fox’s efforts with the First Family, this would do the trick.
Shang-Chi 2
The rumored title of Shang-Chi and The Wreckage of Time opens up some fascinating possibilities for the sequel to 2021’s Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. More importantly, it also established one of Marvel Studios’ newest heroes as one of the key figures in the Multiverse Saga. The Wreckage of Time would seem to point directly at Kang’s involvement in this movie and, as indicated earlier, he still has to get out of the Quantum Realm somehow. I still think this movie takes place before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, though the current slate does not show that. I’ve been asking for a Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel team-up and this could be it. Theories that those two characters have weapons that are ultimately a major part of the Multiverse Saga might be on to something, but instead of them being part of taking down Kang, what if they somehow end up being part of how he’s freed from the Quantum Realm. Just because Kang can’t get out doesn’t mean he might now have allies on the outside. Once freed from the Quantum Realm, Kang would certainly be at liberty to do some serious damage to the timestream.
Is Nomad even happening?! There’s still no official word on the project that we first reported was in the works over 2 years ago, but it really is…right? Is it a TV series? A film? Nobody seems to know but if it were a film about Steve Rogers’ time returning the Infinity Stones, it could turn into an incursion-palooza that, much like Deadpool and Wolverine, could speed up the timeline toward Avengers: Secret Wars. As detailed here, a guy like Steve Rogers visiting these other timelines could be a way worse idea than you’d think. If he chose to right some minor wrong while he was in each of those alternate timelines (as nicely detailed in the image from MCU Exchange), this project could serve as the ultimate connecting piece between Marvel Studios’ two Sagas and show fans just how time messes back, as Tony Stark warned.
It’s not exactly the Yellow-Brick Road, but these projects could easily set the stage for the events of The Kang Dynasty. How does the story go from there to Secret Wars? Stay tuned, True Believers…
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.
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