Marvel has confirmed that a sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is in the works, once again written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
“Flopped so hard we got a sequel!!” star Simu Liu tweeted on Monday, referring to online commentators who incorrectly predicted the film would do badly before it was even released. He also linked to an article by Variety reporting on the news.
It would be more surprising if Marvel didn’t have plans for a sequel. Shang-Chi was highly anticipated as the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe led by an East Asian superhero, and went on to earn over $430 million at the global box office. Considering the superheroic pantheon that Marvel continues to construct, there’s no reason for it to drop a newly debuted hero such as Shang-Chi.
Cretton has also signed an exclusive deal with both Marvel Studios and Onyx Collective to develop content for Disney+ and Hulu respectively, focusing on film and television shows featuring marginalised communities. The director is already developing a new Disney+ series set in the MCU under this deal.
“Destin is an amazing collaborator who brought a unique perspective and skill to Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings,” Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige told Deadline. “We had a fantastic time working together on the film and he has so many intriguing ideas for stories to bring to life on Disney+, so we’re thrilled to expand our relationship with him and can’t wait to get started.”
