Lots of people are joining Threads, and that includes Shang-Chi star and former stock photo model Simu Liu, who posted on his account requesting that fans ask him anything. As you would expect, someone asked about the next Shang-Chi movie, and Liu offered up what he knows in response.
“[I] was told it would follow Avengers,” Liu wrote. “But that keeps pushing back due to circumstances beyond my control. Hope to have more concrete news to share soon.”
Liu didn’t elaborate on those circumstances–lest he run afoul of Marvel Studios’ spoiler police–but there are a few things to consider. Most recently, Marvel Studios pushed both of the upcoming Avengers movies, Avengers: Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, back a year. Kang Dynasty is set for May 1, 2026, and Secret Wars for May 7, 2027.
Equally important, though is the fact that Avengers: Kang Dynasty is to be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Cretton is currently attached to the Shang-Chi sequel as both writer and director. So either he won’t be tackling the Shang-Chi sequel until after Kang Dynasty, or Marvel is shuffling around who is directing what and when. There’s also the matter of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, which is already affecting work on Marvel projects like the Thunderbolts movie and Daredevil TV show. Writing on any Marvel projects will be paused until the strike ends, which may not be anytime soon.
Right now, we don’t know when Shang-Chi will next appear in the MCU, though Liu hinted that fans “might see something sooner than you think.” Shang-Chi 2 does not currently have a release date.