Regardless of how Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings wound up performing at the box office – which it turned out was admirably given the circumstances and pandemic-related affliction that continued to dog the theatrical industry at the time of its release – Simu Liu‘s title hero was always destined to become an integral part of the Multiverse Saga.
After all, Marvel Studios releasing a promo the very first weekend the movie was in theaters touting the martial arts expert as the newest member of the Avengers is a sign of confidence if ever there was one, and with Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton helming the next assembly of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in The Kang Dynasty, we can expect the overnight star to have a major role.
While a direct sequel was confirmed to be in development, unless Marvel is planning on adding any new titles to its upcoming release schedule, we’re not going to see the actor’s next headline outing until at least the back end of 2026, if not longer. That’s an eternity between solo adventures, but while discussing his involvement with the MCU in an interview with People, Liu hinted that his onscreen return may not be all that far away.
“I’m such a big fan of both the characters and the performers that play them, so any collaboration is an opportunity for me to work alongside someone who, in their own way, is breaking barriers and at the very top of their game. I think that’s what excites me the most as a performer, [and] also as a fan. And who knows, they might see something sooner than you think. We’ll see.”
The post-credits scene of Shang-Chi introduced him to a pair of top-tier Avengers in Captain Marvel and the Hulk, and with the theories going around touting that both the Ten Rings and Ms. Marvel’s bangle could be MacGuffins worthy of drawing the attention of a certain multiversal conqueror, there are no shortage of options for Liu to return.