Now that we know Destin Daniel Cretton is returning to write and direct the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, with the filmmaker also developing at least one Disney Plus series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the floodgates of speculation are about to bust wide open.
Based on the post-credits scene, Meng’er Zhang’s Xu Xialing is set to assume control of Wenwu’s organization, but as of yet it hasn’t been made clear if she’s going to act as his direct successor, or take the Ten Rings in a less nefarious direction. However, the actress has been heavily rumored to lead a spinoff show, which fits in nicely with Cretton taking on more MCU content.
Zhang has admitted in the past that she’d love a streaming exclusive to call her own, and in an interview with ComicBook promoting Shang-Chi‘s home video release, she teased that we’ve barely even scratched the surface of her character’s arc.
“In the end credits scene, you can see Xialing sitting on the throne with Razor Fist and Jon Jon standing by her side. I feel no matter what is next, it’s going to be very interesting. I don’t know anything about what they’re planning for moving forward. I’m so into this, too,” she continued. “Every day, I can’t stop thinking about all those questions. How did Xialing train herself in her father’s compound? How did she build a fight club all on her own in Macau? How did she meet Jon Jon and what’s the story between them?”
Having surpassed box office expectations at every turn, garnering some of the best reviews for any MCU origin story in the process, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is poised to launch a massive new standalone franchise for the comic book juggernaut, so there’s definitely a strong chance that Disney Plus projects will be part of the equation.