Shang-Chi star Simu Liu offers disappointing sequel update
The breakout star of Marvel's Phase 4 won't be back anytime soon.
Any Marvel fans excited to see the next chapter in Shang-Chi's story are going to have to be very patient, according to a fresh update from star Simu Liu.
The actor, who plays one of several Kens in this month's hotly anticipated Barbie movie, took part in an 'Ask Me Anything' session on the newly launched social media platform Threads.
He was asked if there was any update on the as-yet-untitled Shang-Chi 2, which was confirmed to be in development in December 2021, after the first film made an impressive $431 million at a tough pandemic box office.
Liu replied: "Was told it would follow Avengers but that keeps pushing back due to circumstances beyond my control [sad face]. Hope to have more concrete news to share soon."
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The former Kim's Convenience star didn't specify which Avengers film his next solo adventure is due to follow, with two currently listed on Marvel's release schedule – The Kang Dynasty in 2026 and Secret Wars in 2027.
The Avengers titles are likely to be directly connected in a similar vein to Infinity War and Endgame, meaning Shang-Chi could serve as an interlude (like Ant-Man and the Wasp) or take place in the aftermath (like Spider-Man: Far From Home).
There are several factors contributing to recent Marvel delays, including a desire to give the Disney Plus shows more room to breathe, reshoots on film projects like The Marvels and the ongoing writers strike halting development on future projects.
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The first Shang-Chi ended on a mysterious note as a group of familiar faces – including Wong (Benedict Wong), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) – gathered to discuss where the Ten Rings might have originated from.
Their analysis was inconclusive, setting up a storyline to be continued in a later film.
In an earlier interview, Liu said he was "as much in the dark as everyone else" regarding what the future holds for Shang-Chi, but said he was interested to see how the martial artist would use his late father's powerful artefacts.
"I'm curious as to how someone much younger, much more inexperienced, would fare against the rings," he told Complex Canada. "Just this idea of, all of a sudden, being gifted something that's so powerful but also so dangerous."
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is available to stream on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
