The Marvel Cinematic Universe is undeniably one of the biggest franchises in cinematic history, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely flawless. Since the franchise began in 2008, the movies of the MCU have established many excellent superheroes and their respective villains on the big screen, building one of the biggest cinematic franchises in existence. While the MCU’s success is well-known, there have also been occasions on which the franchise hasn’t quite handled things perfectly. Often, outside issues and behind-the-scenes dramas contribute to less-than-ideal developments, leading to disappointing or even confusing decisions. When this results in a movie being delayed, there is naturally a lot of fan frustration.
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Four years ago, Marvel announced a sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings shortly after its release, due to the popularity and success of the martial arts-based hero. However, the years since have seen next to no updates on the movie, leading to one of the most exciting MCU sequels being conspicuous in its absence from Marvel’s 2026 release slate. With no official release date set, it seems that plans for Shang-Chi 2 may have stalled, even though he’s one of the most popular heroes introduced since Avengers: Endgame.
MCU Fans Are Still Eagerly Awaiting Shang-Chi’s Return
In fairness, Marvel has announced that Shang-Chi will return in Avengers: Doomsday, so at least the hero hasn’t been completely forgotten. However, considering the announcement of a planned sequel came swiftly after the first movie’s release, it initially seemed as though Marvel had a good deal of faith in the character to play a substantial role in the MCU’s story. The fact that no real updates on his follow-up movie have materialised isn’t just frustrating, it’s actually pretty confusing.
The simple truth is, Marvel hasn’t fulfilled Shang-Chi’s promise even four years after their initial announcement. News about the sequel has been incredibly sparse, with most updates little more than vague allusions to delays in the early stages of production. However, this lack of urgency isn’t just upsetting for fans of the character, but it’s likely detrimental to Shang-Chi’s MCU potential.
The longer Marvel leaves the Shang-Chi sequel unmade, the longer fans go without seeing the hero. While Shang-Chi’s appearance in the upcoming Avengers movies will give those fans a fix, it isn’t the same as fulfilling the four-year-old sequel tease that seems to have been forgotten. The delays and lack of news make it seem that Marvel has either changed its mind about the sequel or doesn’t consider Shang-Chi a priority, which either way runs the risk of harming the sequel’s potential when — or if — it is eventually released.
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