The good news is here!
All those who enjoyed the kung fu-packed family drama that was Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings can finally take a collective breath of relief! A sequel has now been confirmed to be in the works, with Destin Daniel Cretton returning to direct the film.
The announcement comes after Shang-Chi’s apparent success when it shattered Labor Day opening weekend records by raking in more than USD 432 million. The film has since become Marvel’s best effort of the year — not only is it the eighth-highest grossing worldwide, beating out the MCU’s other 2021 releases Black Widow and Eternals, but it is also the work that audiences are most satisfied with, scoring a solidly fresh 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In comparison, Black Widow was awarded a more modest but still fresh 79% while Eternals received more mixed reviews, earning Marvel its first “rotten” entry with a score of 47%.
Flopped so hard we got a sequel!! https://t.co/69yPeuX2ma
— Simu Liu (刘思慕) (@SimuLiu) December 6, 2021
In the wake of Shang-Chi’s achievements, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has also announced another project that Cretton will be actively taking part in: a new Disney+ spin-off series based on the movie itself! Although no details have yet been confirmed regarding either the sequel or the spin-off, there are definitely more than a few guesses that are worth taking a shot at.
Here is what we can expect for the future of Shang-Chi:
1. Shang-Chi’s sequel may be part of the MCU’s Phase 5 roster.
All those familiar with the MCU’s blockbuster formula know that a huge part of Marvel’s success comes from the meticulous planning of its cinematic timeline. Shang-Chi itself comes as the second entry and the first superhero origin film of Phase Four, which officially paves the way to the new era that follows the 11-year project that was the Infinity Saga.
Beyond that, the MCU has already appeared to lock in the lineup for the next two years. Since a script for the sequel has yet to be written, this is probably the minimum amount of time viewers are expected to wait before the next Shang-Chi movie is released. Meanwhile, audiences can entertain themselves with the rest of Phase Four’s heavily anticipated entries, from Spider-Man: No Way Home — which is expected to be in Philippine cinemas this January 8th — to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which is projected to be released in July 2023.
2. The Ten Rings will return.
Spoiler alert! Although we’re 90% sure that you’ve already seen the film given that this is an article on its sequel, here is a spoiler warning for your benefit anyway. The Ten Rings will return, as stated in the movie’s post-credit tag.
At the end of the day, even though Shang-Chi himself is the one to take on his father’s infamous immortality-granting weapon of destruction, i.e. the ten rings, the child who ends up inheriting Wenwu’s even more infamous crime organization of the same name is none other than Xu Xialing — Shang-Chi’s kickass sister who also manages her own underground fight club in Macau. As the new head of The Ten Rings, we can probably expect Xu Xialing to be pulling some of the strings behind in the sequel.
Xu Xialing becomes the new leader of the Ten Rings.
Although we’re in the dark about how this might be done, we’re more than curious to see the potential of how a centuries-old terrorist organization will take shape under the hands of a modern woman!
3. The Shang-Chi sequel might take place in space.
A vast lot of the MCU’s recent entries have taken place in intergalactic madness, and it looks like the Shang-Chi sequel is gearing up to be one too. For those who’ve missed it, Shang-Chi’s first post-credit scene actually featured Wong inviting both Shang-Chi and Kate into what is most likely Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum. Upon meeting Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner face-to-face, they learn that the rings that Shang-Chi inherited from his father have become a homing beacon for what appears to be an unknown alien race.
Although we’re unsure about how much of the sequel will take place off-planet, what we — and many, many fans — hope for is to see the backstory of how Xu Wenwu discovered the rings in the first place. Speaking for the internet community at large, having Tony Leung return in some form or another will be a blessing, indeed.
Xu Wenwu gearing to fight his weapon of choice: the Ten Rings.
Release dates for the both Shang-Chi sequel and spin-off have yet to be announced. In the meanwhile, check out Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, now available in Disney+ and in select local cinemas!
