Marvel Star "Pretty Sure" They're in Avengers: Kang Dynasty
Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduced a number of new characters into the fray, including Simu Liu's take on Shang-Chi. After 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Liu has yet to reprise his role onscreen in any official capacity, which has led to theories about where he could show up in the MCU next. One popular theory has been 2026's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, especially with Shang-Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton attached to helm it for the better part of the past year. In a recent interview with Men's Health, Liu addressed the possibility of him appearing in Kang Dynasty, and indicated that he's "pretty sure" that'll happen.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be in it too," Liu revealed. "Beyond that, I really don't know, and I don't want to know before it's absolutely ready. If there's anything I've learned in this industry, especially with Marvel, it's that things are changing, always in flux, and you really can't be sure that something is going to happen until you're on set and you're about to do the scene. Even then, scenes get reshot, things get retooled, elements get added in post-production with visual effects and everything. So in between, it's been a really fulfilling journey for me to get to do projects like Barbie—which are separate from that identity of Shang-Chi—and to really get to spread my wings as an artist. But if and when that call comes in… of course, a sequel is going to happen. Of course, Kang Dynasty is going to happen. When that call comes, I will happily show up, read whatever I need to read, do whatever I need to prepare. But until then, I think the less I know the better."
Will Shang-Chi Appear in Avengers 5?
While speaking to ComicBook.com last year, Liu responded to the Kang Dynasty speculation by saying, "I would think so...I would hope so. Don't take my word for it."
"It feels incredible. I obviously learned about the news a little bit before the rest of the world did, but I freaked out," Liu told ComicBook.com in late 2022. "I sent him like forty texts in a row, all exclamation marks. I'm just so incredibly happy for him, he's so deserving of that spot. What makes him such a special filmmaker, and I've said this from the beginning even when we were premiering our movie, is his ability to make a $150 million movie really, really small, in the best possible way. I'm really looking forward to what he does on that even grander scale of The Avengers because I think it's easy to maybe get lost in the spectacle of what those movies can be, the vastness and the grandness of it, but if you can maintain the humanity and the human stories, I think that's what will make a movie memorable and special, and I think Destin's got it. I think he's got it and I think he deserves this so much. I'm so excited to get to work for him again."
What Would Shang-Chi 2 Be About?
While a title, synopsis, or other plot points surrounding Shang-Chi 2 remain a mystery, Liu previously hinted that the sequel would further expand the mythos, and hopefully include as much of its ensemble cast as possible.
"Going into a sequel feels exciting. It doesn't necessarily feel like there's a pressure to perform or a pressure to exceed," Liu told Collider earlier this year. "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."
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