Shang Chi is ready for a comeback! After Shang Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings got its theatrical release in 2021 it has created a strong fan base among all the Marvel fans for the titular character. Director Destin Daniel Cretton is no more part of Avenger: The Kang Dynasty which has resulted in Shang Chi 2 being his priority right now.
The news does not confirm much but fans can rejoice as the project will now be prioritized by the Marvel studios as Destin only has to focus on Shang Chi 2. The search for a new director for Avenger: The Kang Dynasty has begun and the studio is considering someone who has previously worked with them. Given the delay, we can hope for Shang-Chi 2 to be released by 2026 if everything goes smoothly.
Shang Chi 2 Release Date: Has Anything Been Decided Yet?
As of November 2023, there is no official release for Shang Chi 2 but with director Cretton confirmed to focus on the project we can expect some official updates soon. We should also take into consideration the fact that the production process has not yet started and Mravel has many other projects to be released way before Shang-Chi 2.
If the production is to begin now, we are expecting the movie to be released by 2026 or 2027.
Why Shang Chi 2 is Taking So Long?
Simu Liu’s Shang Chi is part of the Marvel Universe but is unlike any of your Marvel superheroes. After Shang Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings was released in 2021 fans have been curious to know what the future holds for their new superhero and he becomes part of the Marvel Universe.
The movie performed really well at the box office and earned praise from the critics as well leading to high expectations from the fans. Even if we are to take a look into the past, Marvel studios have not taken more than three years to release any sequels, be it Iron Man 2, Thor: The Dark World, or Captain America: Civil War. But the same is not the case with Shang-Chi as the production has not even started yet and hence we cannot expect the movie to get a release before 2026.
As soon as Cretton joined the Marvel team as a director, it was expected the project would make some progress but after being assigned with three Marvel movies at a time, it has been chaotic. The project further got delayed after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes but fans do not need to lose hope as long as the project is still being discussed.
How is Shang-Chi Connected With the Marvel Universe?
The best way to enjoy Marvel movies has always been to watch all the Marvel movies in order and then you might notice that Shang Chi has not even made a debut appearance in any other movies of the franchise. So how does it connect with the shared universe? Well, the answer lies in the post-credits scene of the movie.
The post-credits scenes of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings show a meeting between Captain Marvel and Shang Chi that strongly indicates a connection between the character and the Avengers. We also see Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner inspecting the rings and trying to understand the message and significance they hold. Everything indicates more explanation regarding the character in the future.
Shang Chi is a more grounded superhero character like that of Doctor Strange who derives their strength from an external force. With fans having high expectations from all the multiverse saga going around, the makers will have to come up with a fool-proof plot to introduce our new superhero to the existing Marvel Universe.
Shang Chi 2 Expected Star Cast
Obviously, the movie can’t continue without the lead Shang Chi cast of Simu Liu and Awkwafina as Shang Chi and Katy respectively. We can expect the duo to engage in even more intense action sequences after the first part is wrapped up.
Tony Leung’s character Xu Wenwu died in the movie, we highly doubt if he will be a part of the cast. Meng’er Zhang’s character of Xialing will probably have more screen time this time as she takes over her father’s criminal empire and the audience loved her in the bold character. Other than that we are expecting Ben Kingsley and Michelle Yeoh to also make a comeback as their respective characters.
Shang Chi 2 Expected Plot
With zero updates on the upcoming sequel of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, we can only speculate what to expect from the plot. After the story wrapped up, we assumed there would be a face-off between Xialing and Shang-Chi. Xialing was expected to take down their father’s criminal empire but she ends up choosing the ten rings for her own immoral wants.
In an interview, Liu stated, “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 in the first movie, but then also hopefully explore new sides of Shaun’s character and the characters around him.”
Shang Chi 2 Trailer
Asking for a trailer for Shang Chi 2 sounds absurd at this point. There is no trailer or update regarding the sequel but you can enjoy the trailer for Shangi-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to get an essence of the movie.
Conclusion
It is clear that fans will have to wait longer for their new favorite superhero to make a comeback and the anticipation is just building up more expectations from the upcoming project. It is a given that like all the Marvel movies, Shang-Chi 2 will be a theatrical treat. We will update you as soon as any official update is released so stay tuned.
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Soumya Nair is an entertainment industry enthusiast who loves to write and bring in all the gossip and news to everyone interested. She always make sure to keep a keen eye on everything that goes behind the glam and glitter of the industry.
